Correlation of family capital and academic achievement a comparative study of adolescents in Punjab

Abstract

Educational attainment is a continuous process that is profoundly impacted by the early and senior secondary level education attainment. The present research accomplished this aim through the data collected from two districts of Punjab viz., Tarn Taran and Moga, in which low and high academic achievers studying in government and private schools were chosen to make it a sample of 320. James Coleman s Theory of Social Capital was applied in understanding the significance of Family Capital in the academic achievement. The demographic survey of the sample of the study brought forth the fact that the universe selected for the study comprised of parents the majority of whom belonged to low-income, low-academic and occupational status. Parents belonging to General Caste were sending their children to private schools and parents of reserved castes were sending their children to Government schools. Parents education played a great role in choosing type of school for their children. The study found parents education is associated with the academic achievement of respondents. Further, the study explored the relationship of Family Financial and Social Capital with academic achievement. In a nutshell, the research found considerable linkages between Family Human and Family social capital of adolescents with their academic achievement. The teacher support and peer support was found among High Academic Achievers as compared to Low Academic Achievers. This research will help in making informed predictions about the adolescent s eventual academic prospects in the short and long term and will have important implications for policy formulation. newline