CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1    Background of the Study

The home is an essential place in the upbringing of a child as the first environment within a family. The home, which is the traditional nuclear family, is the smallest unit and microcosm of the larger society. Therefore, the family is a universal organization and it is hard to imagine how society can function without the family (Anderson cited in Ekeke and Dorgu, 2014).

The family lays the foundation for the child before the child goes to school, and the personality that the child takes to school is determined by the home. The family has great influence on child’s physical, mental and moral development. Agulana (2000) pointed out that the family lays the psychological, moral, and spiritual foundation in the overall development of the child. Thus parenthood is faced with great responsibility that requires the full cooperation of both parents who must ensure the total development of their children.

Structurally, family/homes are either broken or intact. A broken home in this context is one that is not structurally intact, as a result of divorce, separation, death of one of parent and illegitimacy. Frazer (2004) posits that psychological home conditions arise mainly from illegitimacy of the children, the label of adopted child, broken homes, divorce and parental deprivation. Such abnormal conditions of the home are likely to have a detrimental effect on school performance of the child.

Life in a broken home or single parent family can be stressful for both the child and the parent. Such families are faced with challenges of inadequate financial resources (Children Defense Find, 2004). Schults (2006) noted that if adolescents from unstable homes are to be compared with those from stable homes, it would be seen that the former have more social, academic and emotional problems. Rochlkepartain (2003) is of the opinion that the family and its structure play a great role in children’s academic performance. Levin (2012) states that parents are probably the actor with the clearest undimensional interest in a high level of their children’s academic performance.

Broken home can be defined as when one out of two people who is responsible for  nurturing and rearing the child is not available, and the work meant for two people, is now been carried out by only one person (Osunloye, 2008). Single-parenthood may arise when either the male or the female decides to produce and rear a child or children outside wedlock (Ortesse cited in Omoruyi, 2014).

In Nigeria, the existence of single-parenthood was unknown and where they existed they were ignored as exceptional cases. However, nowadays, they are fast growing family patterns both inside and outside Nigeria. In Nigeria, among Yoruba’s, the parental roles are culturally determined and distributed. The maternal roles are that of child-rearing, home training and playing of complimentary roles, while the paternal roles are that of economic responsibilities and disciplines of children. The child is morally, mentally upright and emotionally balanced when the caring responsibilities are carried out by both parents. Therefore, this study seeks to investigate the socio-economic factors affecting children in broken homes in Ojo Local Government Area of Lagos State.

1.2     Statement of the Problem

There is a global awareness of the importance of the home environment on students’ academic achievement. In Nigeria, most home are not intact as a result of issues of incompatibility of the couples, separation, divorce, death of a parent and the quest for the oversea trips to make more money, and at times marital infidelity. This has resulted in the separation of couples and children. In some states in the federation, this is quite clear, in that most young ladies abandon their homes, and embark on oversea trips with a view to making money. Some men who travel abroad, abandon their homes and would not communicate with the families back-home so children from such homes are in dilemma, especially in schools.

Moreover, a single parent faces doubled responsibilities requiring time, attention and money of the parent. Hence, less attention is paid to the education of the child. The teachers commonly describe children from broken homes as more hostile, aggressive, anxious, fearful, hyperactive and distractive than children from intact family (Tenibiaje, 2011).

In order to ensure that their children acquire appropriate and balanced social, psychological, moral and academic development; both father and mother have indispensable and unique responsibility for the psychological, educational and career development of their children. However, the advent of broken homes have distorted these complementary roles. This has in turn impacted adversely on the total upbringing of the children including their psycho well-being and educational performance.

However it is disturbing to note that, although many single parents do amazing job to provide for their children, it is clear through studies that children from broken homes do face certain challenges. These include the following; broken homes are more likely to be low-income homes, children in broken homes would therefore be subject to problems associated with this socioeconomic group, there is a strong link between the absence of a father figure and increasing level of teenage pregnancy and crime, children in single parent homes exhibit anti-social behaviours, and that single parents will generally have less time to devote to each child. This can have negative impact on their school work and their social development.

It is against this backdrop that this study seeks to investigate the socio-economic factors affecting children in broken homes in Ojo Local Government Area of Lagos State.

1.3    Research Questions

The undertaking of this research project will be guided by the following research questions;

1.      What is the effect of single parental care on the educational development of children raised in broken homes?

2.      Is single parental income level sufficient to meet the needs of children in non-intact homes?

3.      What is the effect of parental educational status on the academic attainment of students raised in broken homes?

4.      What are the current challenges affecting children in broken homes?

1.4      Objectives of the Study

The general objective of the study is to examine the socio-economic factors affecting children in broken homes in Ojo Local Government Area of Lagos State. The specific objectives are:

        i.            To examine the effect of single parental care on the educational development of children raised in broken homes.

      ii.            To find out if single parental income level is sufficient to meet the needs of children in non-intact homes.

    iii.            To assess the effect of parental educational status on the academic attainment of students raised in broken homes.

    iv.            To identify the current challenges affecting children in broken homes.

1.5     Research Hypotheses