Akinyi, Juliane Aluodo (Sr)¹1, Rose Atoni2 and Michael Kimotho3 1, 2, 3 The Catholic University of Eastern Africa
This study investigated the influence of parental marital status on learners’ academic outcomes in public junior schools in Kisumu Central Sub-County, Kenya. The study was anchored on Social Capital Theory and adopted a convergent mixed-methods research design. The target population comprised 3,147 Grade 9 learners, 184 Grade 9 teachers, 29 heads of institutions, and 29 Parents’ Association representatives. A sample of 120 Grade 9 learners was selected using systematic random sampling, while 126 Grade 9 teachers were selected using stratified sampling. Twelve heads of institutions were selected using simple random sampling, while 10 Parents’ Association representatives were selected through convenience sampling. Data were collected using questionnaires, interview guides, and a document analysis guide. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics, while qualitative data were analyzed thematically. The findings revealed a statistically significant moderate positive relationship between parental marital status and learners’ emotional support, academic supervision, and participation in learning activities (r = .486, p < .001). The findings suggest that parental marital status is associated with the level of social and academic support available to learners, which may consequently affect their academic outcomes.
