EVALUATION OF SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS’ BACKGROUND AND THE ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT IN ECONOMICS IN PANKSHIN LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF PLATEAU STATE

Abstract

This study evaluates the influence of secondary school students' backgrounds—specifically parental academic qualifications and school systems—on their academic achievement in Economics within Pankshin Local Government Area, Plateau State, Nigeria. Using a descriptive survey design with data from 250 Senior Secondary students across 10 selected schools, out of the population of 2500 students offering economics in all the 65 public secondary in the Local Government analyzed through simple percentages and chi-square tests (α=0.05), it finds significant positive relationships: χ²=90.71 (df=7, p<0.05) for parental education and χ²=160.69 (df=7, p<0.05) for school systems, rejecting both null hypotheses. These results, supported by literature on socioeconomic factors and school effectiveness, highlight the need for enhanced parental involvement, school resources, and policy support to boost Economics performance.