Influence of social support on students’ academic achievement in Uganda: a case of selected primary schools in Rupa sub county, Moroto district, Uganda.

Abstract

This study examined the relationship between social support and students’ academic achievement in selected primary schools within Rupa Sub County, Moroto District, Uganda.. The study was guided by three objectives namely: to examine the relationship between parental /caregivers support and students’ academic achievement in primary schools, to assess the relationship between teacher’s support and student academic achievement in primary schools, to examine the influence of UPE policy on social support and student academic achievement in Rupa Sub-county, Moroto District, Uganda. The study was anchored in the Social Capital Theory (Pierre Bourdieu, 1986) and the Attachment theory (John Bowlby, 1969). A descriptive correlational research design was employed, targeting parents/caregivers, teachers and student leaders of selected primary schools. Data were collected using questionnaires from parents/caregivers and teachers while interviews were conducted for the District Education Officer, (DEO), and the District Inspector of Schools (DIS) and Head teachers as key informants. Additionally, FGDs were conducted for student leaders. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation, and regression analysis, while qualitative data were subjected to thematic analysis. Findings for objective one revealed that there was a positive significant relationship between parental/caregiver support and students’ academic achievement in primary schools, indicated by a correlation coefficient of r = 0.65, p < 0.01. This suggests that higher levels of parental and caregiver support are associated with better academic performance among students, with support explaining approximately 42% of the variance in academic achievement (since R² = 0.4225). For objective two, it was revealed that there was a moderate positive significant relationship between teachers’ support and students’ academic achievement, as evidenced by a correlation coefficient of r = 0.48, p < 0.01, accounting for about 23% of the variance in student achievement based on the regression analysis and Objective three findings indicated a moderate significant influence of UPE policy on social support and student academic achievement, as shown by the regression analysis where UPE policy explained R² = 0.36 (36%) of the variance in social support and academic achievement (β = 0.60, p < 0.01). This demonstrates that the implementation and effectiveness of UPE policy have a substantial positive impact on both social support mechanisms and students’ academic performance in primary schools. The study recommended that there is need to uphold and strengthen parent/caregivers participation through support mechanisms of academic day school visitations, sports and cultural day activities is vital for improving academic achievement in rural primary schools. The recommendations increased parental, capacity building for teachers in psychosocial support, peer-support initiatives, and greater community-school collaboration.