1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Examinations have long been utilized as the major criterion for measuring a student’s aptitude and also as a measure of selection for educational progression and employment. A lot of students do not fare well in the Junior Secondary Certificate Examinations. As a consequence, the low performance has prompted disquiet, and measures have been undertaken to figure out the causes behind it. Ndirangu (2007) attributed students' poor performance to a lack of facilities in school, a shortage of teachers, indiscipline, an adverse home environment, low IQ, and anxiousness. However, parental socio-economic and educational background were also revealed to be crucial determinants of the academic success of students.
In addition, the home is the first place a child learns. The quality of the family environment goes a great way in defining the future personality and accomplishment of the child. Psychologists have separated the elements that impact learning into two main groups, namely, nature and nurture. It was established that the two categories perform complimentary functions. As nature defines the amount of intellect and inherent talents of the child, nurture helps to optimize these intrinsic abilities. According to Ekinne (2002), nurture includes the family, the school, the surroundings, and peer groups to which the learner belongs. The child is significantly impacted by his or her surroundings at home. Babara (1982) argued that a child’s home environment impacts achievement in school. In support of this idea, Touray (1982) stated that home contextual elements may be modified to boost students’ academic achievement.