Investigation of the Effects of Broken Homes on the Academic Performance of Primary School Pupils in Benue State

Family structure is a critical determinant of children's psychological stability and academic engagement, and the impact of family disruption on primary school children in North Central Nigeria warrants specific investigation. This study investigated the effects of broken home backgrounds on the academic performance of primary school pupils in Makurdi Local Government Area, Benue State. A descriptive ex-post-facto design was adopted, comparing academic performance between 120 pupils from intact families and 120 pupils from broken home backgrounds, drawn from six primary schools through purposive and random sampling. Academic performance was assessed using pupils' most recent end-of-term examination scores in English Language, Mathematics, and Basic Science. A questionnaire collected background data on family structure, household stability, and parental engagement. Independent samples t-tests compared performance between the two groups. Results showed that pupils from broken home backgrounds scored significantly lower in all three subjects (p < 0.01) compared to their peers from intact families. Absenteeism was significantly higher among pupils from broken homes (p < 0.05). Parental involvement in school activities was reported by only 22.5 percent of broken-home pupils compared to 67.5 percent among intact-family pupils. Teachers rated attention and classroom behaviour as poor for 58.3 percent of broken-home pupils. The study recommends targeted school counselling support for children from disrupted families, teacher-counsellor collaboration, and community-based family stabilisation programmes in Benue State. Keywords: broken home, academic performance, primary school pupils, Benue State, family counselling