Parents' Factors as Determinants of Secondary School Students’ Interest and Achievement in Mathematics in Ibadan Metropolis, Oyo State

Poor mathematics achievement and interest of students in secondary school is alarming and has reduced their chance of securing admissions into reputable higher institutions in Nigeria and globally. Thus, this study investigates the parents' factors as determinants of secondary school students' interest and achievement in mathematics in Ibadan metropolis. The study adopted an ex-post-facto design. The study participants were 750 secondary school pupils in public schools across Ibadan. Pearson Product Moment Correlation (PPMC) and Regression analysis was the statistical tool used for the analysis at P<.05. It was found that students' mathematics interest had a significant relationship with parents' income, level of education, guidance, and occupation; parents' guidance and occupation had a significant relationship with students' achievement in mathematics, while parents' income and level of education did not have a significant relationship with students' mathematics achievement; parents' occupation and level of education had a significant independent influence on achievement in mathematics while parents' guidance and income did not have a significant independent influence on achievement in mathematics; parents' occupation, guidance, and level of education had a significant independent influence on interest in mathematics, while parents' income did not have a significant independent influence on interest in mathematics; there was a significant contribution of the four parents' factors on students' achievement and interest in mathematics. Therefore, parents should provide adequate guidance to the students to facilitate their achievement in mathematics; they should do all possible to engage in occupations that would give them adequate time to attend to their children and wards' needs concerning mathematics.