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ABSTRACT
Parental background and academic performance have been a major research area carried out by numerous researchers. Many studies have focused on different variables that can encumber academic grades of students like Mathematics, English; among others. This current study investigates the perceptions of Islamic Studie s' students based on parental background such as education, occupation, income and involvement and their academic performance in Islamic Studies in north-central Nigeria. A sample of 384 students offering Islamic Studies in secondary school in the country served as respondents for this study. The data collected were analysed using SPSS version 23.0. Based on statistical finding on dimension of parental background that influences students' academic performance in Islamic Studies; the majority of the students strongly perceived that, their parental background such as education with a mean of 3.47, occupation with a mean of 2.85, income with a mean of 2.68 and involvement with a mean of 3.47 greatly influenced their academic performance in Islamic Studies in north-central Nigeria. In conclusion, school management, teachers and parents should collaborate in enhancing students' academic performance in Islamic Studies in various public secondary schools in north-central in particular and the country in general.
Keywords: Education, Occupation, Income, Involvement, Islamic Studies
INTRODUCTION
Nigerian system of education was 6-3-3-4 before the new system was premeditated into an educational system where students spend six years in primary school, three years in junior secondary school, another three years in senior secondary school while four years in the university (N.P.E, 2015). The new system of the education was introduced in 2006, popularly known as 9-3-4. It has modified the upper basic education of Nigeria where a child will spend the first nine years of basic education up to junior secondary school level. Besides, it is compulsory for every child to spend three years in senior secondary school and four years in tertiary institution.(Uwaifo & Uddin, 2009; Sule & Bawa, 2012). Moreover, the National Policy on Education has spelt out Islamic Studies as a compulsory subject for Muslim students at all levels (Oladosu, 2008). As a result, Islamic Studies is offered and taught as a core subject at primary school, junior secondary school and senior secondary school but it was later made an elective subject. (FRN, 2007 FRN, 2008).