Assessment of Family Income on Pupil’s Education and Their Academic Performance in Primary School in Arusha City

Zuhura Said Kemanae – Teacher, Unga Limited Primary School
Dr. Christine Mnjokaya – St. Augustine University of Tanzania (SAUT), Arusha.
Email: zuhurakemanae2019@gmail.com/ cmnjokava@yahoo.com

Abstract: The study assessed family income on pupil’s education and academic performance in primary school in Arusha City, Tanzania. The objectives of study were to: investigate the effects of family income on pupil’s education and their academic performance in primary school and examine coping strategies employed by families in order to achieve pupil’s academic performance in primary school in Arusha City. Descriptive research designs and mixed methods research approach were adopted. The respondents sampled were; 20 teachers, 23 parents and 23 standard seven pupils of public primary schools. Questionnaires were employed to collect quantitative data from teachers while interview guides collected qualitative data from pupils and parents. Validity was established through expert judgment whereas a pilot study was conducted to test for Reliability which was found to correlate at Cronbach coefficient Alpha value of r = 0.85. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics in the SPSS and results were presented in tables of frequencies and percentages. Qualitative data were analyzed thematically. The study findings revealed that most pupils come from low income families, consequently their parents’ constraint in enhancing their participation in education. Pupils whose parents have higher income have better access to quality schools and are likely to post better academic performance. Furthermore, as strategy, the government should provide support to low income families to empower parents economically in order to enhance their contributions towards the school requirements. The study recommends that there is need to encourage and support programme that motivate parents to participate in their pupil’s education.