PARENT EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND AS A FACTOR AFFECTING STUDENTS ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE OF SELECTED PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN ATIBA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF OYO STATE

This study investigates the influence of parental educational background on students' academic performance in English Language among selected public secondary schools in Atiba Local Government Area, Oyo State. The research seeks to determine whether the level of education attained by parents significantly impacts students’ achievement in English Language, a core subject in the Nigerian curriculum. A descriptive survey research design was adopted, and data were collected from a sample of 100 students across four randomly selected public secondary schools through structured questionnaires and analysis of academic records. The findings reveal a positive correlation between parental education, particularly that of mothers and students’ performance in English Language. Students whose parents, especially mothers, had attained tertiary education generally performed better compared to those whose parents had only primary or no formal education. The study concludes that parental educational background plays a significant role in shaping students' academic success in English, suggesting the need for greater parental involvement and educational support programs. Recommendations include community-based literacy initiatives for parents, policies aimed at enhancing home-school collaboration to improve students’ academic outcomes.