Influence of homework on pupils’ academic performance in Ilorin East Local Government Area, Kwara State

Abstract

This study, investigates the influence of homework on pupils’ academic performance in Ilorin East Local Government Area, Kwara State. A descriptive survey design was adopted for this study. The sample consisted of 17 randomly selected public and private primary schools, out of which 382 parents’ and 382 pupils’ from primary 2 and 3 were randomly selected. Researcher designed questionnaires were used: the children’s questionnaire on the Homework was used to elicit information from children, while the parents’ questionnaire on the Homework was also used to elicit information from parents. Proforma for Pupils’ Academic Performance was used to collect the record of pupils’ academic performance in Numeracy, and Literacy. The reliability of the instruments was established using PPMC; the results yielded 0.86 and 0.92. Two research questions were generated and answered. There null hypotheses were formulated and tested at 0.05 level of significance. Descriptive statistics of mean, percentage and standard deviations is used to answer the research questions, and inferential statistics of linear regression and t-test were used to test the five null hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The findings indicated that children were sometimes given homework; the weighted mean is 2.39 which is between 1.5 and 2.4, also parents sometimes provided support on their children’s homework; the weighted mean is 2.46 which is between 1.5 and 2.4. It was also discovered that homework was found to significantly influence pupils’ academic performance, (F (1,382) = 17.464, P < 0.05) which also implied that the regular the homework, the better the pupils’ academic performance. It was therefore recommended that homework should be given at least two times a week so that it will not lose its value, parents should be given a comprehensive guideline on how to assist children during homework in order to guarantee the best result. Also every school should consider homework as a strategy to improve pupils’ performance and ensure regular (two times a week) homework. It was therefore concluded that effort should be focus at ensuring regular communication and regular homework.