Assessment of Parenting Styles on School Attendance and Academic Performance of Nomadic Children in Selected Settlements in Nigeria

Abstract

The study examined parenting styles on school attendance and academic performance of nomadic children in selected
settlements in Nigeria. The study used 120 (44 male,76 female) pupils between the ages of 10 and 13 from eight government primary
schools that are from nomadic homes. The study made use of Baumrind’s thirty items on parenting styles and the pupils’ class
attendance register and total examination scores in eight subjects in the previous two terms. Three hypotheses were generated, tested
and analyzed using Chi-square and Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient statistics. The results show that pupils from
authoritative parenting home attend school most and they also performed academically best out of the three parenting styles used in the
study. It was concluded that all necessary things being put in place, when parents dialogue and carry children along in their decision
making and partake in the children’s concerns, they tend to perform better especially in their academics. Therefore, teachers can use
parents/teachers’ association forum to encourage parents to be more warm and friendly with their children at home, and government
should provide necessary amenities that would make nomadic pupils want to stay more in school and learn.