The relationship between parental involvement and students' achievement in mathematics and science in batticaloa educational zone, Sri Lanka

This study investigated how were correlates with the parental involvement and the achievement of students in the urban and semi-urban type 2 schools in mathematics and science. The descriptive survey research design was employed to carry out this study. One hundred and ninety two (192) students from 16 type 2 schools in Batticaloa educational zone, Sri Lanka were stratified randomly selected for this study. The type 2 school was selected for maintaining the homogenous values. From the results of this study, parental involvement accounts for 26.1% of the total variance in mathematics achievement of secondary schools (R² = 0.261; p< 0.05) and 19.4% of the total variance in science achievement of secondary schools (R² =0.194; p < 0.05). These percentages are significant at 0.05 level of confidence. It shows that parental involvement is an important predictor of mathematics and science achievement. There exists a significant difference in the parental involvement of urban and semi-urban type 2 school students (t =-8.12; p<0.05). Urban school students enjoy more parental involvement than their counterparts in the semi-urban school students. It shows that there is a correlation between parental involvement and male, female students in type 2 schools (t =-7.34; p <0.05), and also there is a significant difference in the academic achievement of male and female students in mathematics and science (t =-0.432 and, -0.512 respectively; p < 0.05). It also shows the finding reports that, there is a significant difference in the academic achievement of mathematics and science with urban, semi-urban schools students (t =-9.142 and, -8.314 respectively; p <0.05). Teachers and Counselors need to enlighten parents on the need to personality get involved in the academic activities of their children.