INFLUENCE OF MOTHERS’ EMPLOYMENT ON ACADEMICPERFORMANCE OF PRIMARY SCHOOL PUPILS

 The study focused on the influence of mothers’ employment on the academic performance of pupils of primary school age in Federal Capital Territory of Abuja. Three objectives were drawn: determine the influence of mothers’ employment on the academic performance of pupils in primary schools;determine how mothers’ employment influence academic performance of pupils in primary schools in rural and urban areas; and, determine the extent to which the socio-economic status of employed mothers influence the academic performance of their children.Three research questions were raised and three hypotheses were also tested at the 0.05 level of significance.

The survey research method was employed in which six hundred and seventy three (673) respondents were purposively selected women working in Hospitals, Banks, Primary schools, and secondary schools, in the six Area Councils of Abuja. The questionnaire designed by the researcher and subjected to the processes of validity and reliability served as instrument for data collection. The collected data wereanalysed using mean, frequency and percentages on demographic status. The test of hypotheses was done using the t-test statistical technique and the Pearson Product Moment correlation technique, using the computerized SPSS Package.

The findings revealed that, Majority ( over 60.0%) of the respondents are personally in charge of their children’s home work; the academic performance of their children was above average; respondents occasionally supervise their children’s school work/home work;Majority (89.0) of the respondents were located in urban areas; More pupilsof mothers from urban areas (79.0%) than pupils of mothers from rural areas (40.0%) had school results that indicated their position in class was between the top 4th to 10th position; On the whole, 74.0% of the respondents’ pupils had 4th to 10th position in their class examination. Finally, the findings revealed that, the income per month of majority (65.0%) of the respondents was N 30,000 to N 60,000; Most of them purchased all recommended textbooks, exercise books and writing materials for their pupils all the time; 74.0% of the respondents give balanced diet lunch pack to their pupils to take to school all the time; 83.0% of the respondents indicated that their children’s school fees were paid on schedule all the time; and, 98.0% of the respondents indicated that whenever their pupils are ill, they receive prompt medical attention all the time. All the three null hypotheses tested were rejectedat 0.05 level of significance. The study therefore recommended that the FCT Minister and the Social Welfare Department of the FCT to organize a campaign that will educate mothers to take up gainful employment.