Home environmental factors influencing performance and progress of primary school pupils in Windhoek

Abstract

Low educational outcome is a problem in Namibia. This might be explained as a function of several factors such as socioeconomic background, child input and school internal factors. These factors must all be taken into consideration to explain why children do not fulfil basic education and attain low learning outcomes Without disregard of the numerous school and child internal factors for low school performance, this study focused on the learners socioeconomic background and home language and to what extent these factors may encourage or discourage school progress and performance among learners in Windhoek, Namibia. Our findings support other studies which found that parents’ educational level and income level have a bearing on school progress and performance. Contrary to most research findings mother tongue instruction did not emerge as an important explanatory factor on school progress and performance, however, home language did play a role.