EFFECT OF POVERTY ON STUDENT’S ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE AND RETENTION AMONG SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN KATSINA METROPOLIS OF KATSINA STATE

This research was undertaken to determine the effect of poverty, twelve (12) public secondary schools were used as population of the research in which 5 schools were randomly selected, thereby one hundred respondents (100) respondents were served as sample for the research. Structured questionnaire was adopted as instrument for data collection, procedure for data collection and procedure for data analysis, the analysis adopted is by using frequency table. Likewise this study focused on data presentation, answer to research questions, summary of the major findings of the research and discussion on the result of findings . to answer the research questions, data collected was analyzed and presented using frequency table. The research found out that Students’ academic performance is predicted by a chain of socio- economic factors resident in parents, family network and government inconsistent nature of implementation of its policies and funding of schools. Also according to the findings, there is a significant relationship between academic performance and poverty under feeding conditions, provision of school facilities and equipment’s and home related factors. The study inferred that poverty affects academic performance of students and the day-to-day management of the school. From the study it is evident that Poverty leads to poor provision of school facilities and equipment’s especially health facilities which negatively affect students’ academic performance. The research recommends that government should gear poverty eradication programs among parents in order to eliminate poverty among parents as this generally affects the academic performance of the students, also parents should allow their children to read at home and parents should make a provision for extra –class (tutorial) for their children and parent should give adequate support on their educational programme.