INFLUENCE OF PEER GROUP RELATIONSHIP ON

THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF STUDENTS

IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS. A CASE STUDY OF
SELECTED SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN ATIBA
LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF OYO STATE

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 INFLUENCE OF PEER GROUP RELATIONSHIP ON THE
ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF STUDENTS IN SECONDARY
SCHOOLS (A CASE STUDY OF SELECTED SECONDARY
SCHOOLS IN ATIBA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF OYO
STATE)

BY

AJIBADE BASIT OLALEKAN

13/138176

A PROJECT SUBMITTED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS

EDUCATION, SCHOOL OF VOCATIONAL AND TECHNICAL
EDUCATION EMMANUEL ALAYANDE COLLEGE OF
EDUCATION.

IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENT FOR THE

AWARD OF NATIONAL CERTIFICATE IN EDUCATION (N.C.E)

AUGUST 2016
 CERTIFICATION
I certify that this research was work was carried out by AJIBADE
BASIT OLALEKAN with matriculation number 13/138176 and has
been read and approved as meeting the requirement of Business
Education department, School of Vocational and Technical Education,
Emmanuel Alayande College of Education, Oyo, Oyo state.

________________________ ________________________
MRS. S.A. OGUNGBOYEGA DATE
(Project Supervisor)

________________________ ________________________
MRS. F. MAFFO DATE
(Head of Department)

DEDICATION
This research work is dedicated to Almighty Allah and his beloved
Prophet Mohammed (S.A.W)

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
All gratitude and acknowledgements belongs to Almighty Allah
who provided me with knowledge and means to carry out this
research work.
My sincere gratitude also goes to my project supervisor in
person of MRS. OGUNGBOYEGA S.A. for her immeasurable
assistance, guidance and motherly advice together with constructive
criticism during this write up.

AJIBADE BASIT OLALEKAN

13/138176

ABSTRACT
This research study sought the influence of peer group relationship
on the academic performance of the students in secondary schools. The
study was limited to five secondary schools in Atiba Local Government
Area of Oyo state. Three research questions guided the study. The findings
of the study revealed that the peer group influences learning and certain
factors like the social economic status and parental factor as they
determine membership in most groups.
 The study also found out that pupils are closer to their friends than
to their teachers and parents concerning their academics and that parents
monitor their children’s peer group association. The findings were
discussed and recommendations were made.
 CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
Adolescents are categories of children that usually form
groups in the schools. Truly speaking, adolescence is the most
chaotic and stressful of all stages in human life (Wikipedia). In
addition, the complexities of contemporaries’ life have made
adolescence a major developmental period compared to the
ritualized transition; it has been in traditional culture and past
generation.
Generally, it has been observed that a group which a
child belongs to could influence his learning, studies from
various cultures have shown that a child right from infancy to
adolescence is faced with urge to belong and to be accepted by
the group. A basic human need is to acquire an affiliation to a
group in the society. Peer relationships are common in the
schools and homes and this plays important roles in the
socialization of children in Nigeria.
Students in the midst of their group transformed into the
true picture of their behaviour, they feel more comfortable
among fellow students but feel morose at home or at the
presence of teacher. The most important influence on student
behaviour to learning is not always the teacher but the fellow
students.
 With this, there is need to identify the influence of peer
group relationship on learning, although there are other factors
that can influence the learning but the role played by the peer
group learning is more that other factors because the attitude of
students to learning are not always encouraging. The most
common types of peer group to be investigated are the
secondary school children who fall into the same group that
could have negative influence on their learning.
Manheim (1998) claims that children throughout their
school career will be grouped with their contemporaries so they
will become accustomed to having the limitations and addition
of each age group intensified. Taiwo (2004) wrote that the peer
group outside the home from which does not always conform
with adult standard, and each child strive to abide with the
ethics of the group they takes membership with because
rejection by the group may have negative effect on the learning
of the child.
Grulund (1990) feel that acceptance by a peer group
improved social relation. These have beneficial effects on
individual learning insecurity that arises from satisfying
emotional tension enables him to concentrate more on his
assigned learning tasks.
This indicates that acceptance by the group may have
positive effect on the child. A child who is not brilliant enough
may do better if he is accepted by a group that is inclined to
study. It has been observed that a child learns more easily
within his peer group. Where he is wrong, he prefers to be
corrected by a member of his peer group than by the teacher.
In support of this view, Ezewu (1992) advised that the
school must therefore use peer group energies to promote rather
than impede good learning. It is therefore necessary to let
students realize the reason why they have to be careful in
choosing their friends so that their attitudes toward learning
would be improved as the peer group they belong can have
effect on their learning negatively and positively. Peers are so
critical to an adolescent's should provide boundaries from
which teens form their identity, while peers form the cushion of
support during the fragile time that identity is being formed.
These boundaries that enables him to internalize the values that
form his character to foster his learning that he acts accordingly
without generating retribution from authority or rejection from
his peers.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
The low academic performance in schools is brought the
need to investigate the factors influencing learning. The peer
group influence is one of the factors causing low academic
performance.
There is need to look into peer group relationship and
individual approach to learning, membership of the peer group
they belong and find out how factors such as sex, age, social
status or ethnicity determine their membership in a group. In
addition what influence do parent and teachers have on the
group.
1.3 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
This study is to investigate how peer groups influence
academic performance in secondary schools under Atiba Local
Government Area of Oyo state.
The study will find out the following:
i. The positive or negative influence of peer group
relationship on academic performance of students. This study is
important for students in the secondary school level to be aware
of the significant role played by the peer groups in learning and
for them to reason and be conscious of the group they join and
move with.
ii. The study will also examine the influence of economic
status of peers on the academic performance of students in
secondary schools.
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
i. Does peer group influence the academic performance
of secondary school students?
ii. Does the economic status of peer influence their
learning and academics?
 iii. Do parents show interest in knowing the peer group
association of their children?
1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The findings of this study will be helpful in determining
some of the factors associated to the peer groups in relation to
their academic performance.
The factors when identified will form a base for
proffering appropriate solutions to parents and teachers to
beware of the ways they can direct peer group relationship.
The result will also guide counsellors to find the best
ways of handling peer groups relationship.
The students will also benefit from the study by
acquiring knowledge on peers that can hinder their progress in
academic.
The result will enable the teacher to know more about the
peer group which in turn will continue to enhance teaching and
learning process.
It is also hoped that the present research study will at
least provide some background information for future study on
the topic.
1.6 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
The study will focus on the influence of peer group
relationship on the academic performance of students in
secondary school. The study will be carried out in the selected
junior secondary schools in Atiba Local Government Area of
Oyo state. The scope will be limited to five (5) secondary
schools in the area and the respondents used are junior
secondary school students.

1.7 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

In this study, the researcher is limited to some factors
which includes school size and time factor. The finances
accompanying researches also confined the study to the
selected secondary schools in Atiba Local Government Area of
Oyo state.
1.8 DEFINITION OF TERMS
Aristotle said that intelligent discussions must begin with
definition of terms. Thus the researcher deems it fit to give
operational definition to the following concerned terms in the
study.
PEERS: this refers to children of same sex and usually
within the same age range.
PEER GROUP: this is the association of close friends of
the same sex, which are bound together by common emotional
attachment and have a complex social system of which they
posses certain code of conduct such as dressing codes.
 PEER GROUP RELATIONSHIP: this is the form, way
and why close friends of the same sex (peers) communicate
among themselves whether in public or exclusively.
ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE: this is the level of
achievement attained through efforts or skills during the
learning processes (theoretical and practical) and has effect on
the standard of education.
INFLUENCE: this refers to the effect which an element
has on another specific element.
 CHAPTER TWO
2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW
In view of the importance of research in various factors
of human existence and survival, the publicity of work done on
the influence of peer group on the academic performance of
students is necessary to expose the researcher to what has
already been done on the area of study.
Therefore, this chapter of the research work will focus on
giving a clear understanding on the issue of poor performance
of students and low achievement in academics. To this end,
literatures are reviewed here under the following headings:
2.1 Concept of peer group
2.2 The effect of peer groups relationship on learning
2.3 Parents influence on pupil`s peer group relationship
2.4 Teachers influence on pupil`s group relationship
2.5 Summary of literature reviewed
2.6 Research hypotheses

2.1 CONCEPT OF PEER GROUP

A peer group consists of people or individuals that are
within ages that are close in years, for instance between range
of one to four years, the school serves as primary setting for the
membership of peer group, they may be in the same class, the
same sex and close interaction is of equals.
It is generally observed that peer group has a lot of
influence on students. This is seen from the role-played by the
peer group in the life and learning of a child, it is believed that
students feel more comfortable and relaxed among fellow
students. A child who is brilliant and surrounded by dull friends
would lose interest in learning. On the other hand, a peer group
which inclined to study would have positive effect on a dull
member towards learning and stimulate his/her interest on
learning. Katz(1960) wrote that the nature of a peer group
determines the impact on the motivation of and achievements
of its member.

The attractiveness of the group, the nature of conformity

demanded by the group and the morals of the group determine
whether a group is likely to have positive or negative impact on
members’ motivation and achievement. If the atmosphere of the
group is warm, understanding and supportive, the group
influence or motivation, task performance and achievement will
most likely be positive.
A hostile atmosphere, constant frustration and frequent
conflicts produce a negative impact not only on the member’s
growth and behaviour but also on his motivation to work and
achievement. The kind of person a child is dictates the type of
group he/she is in, as children tend to imitate each other.
Festigen (2006) also shares the same view that imitation
of behaviour in a group occurs when a person acts in a way that
is likely to be joined by the rest of the group.
Bandura (2003) noted that through observing and
imitating the behaviour of others, learners can by-pass much
wasteful random behaviour and come close to reproducing the
behaviours of which members are recognized. A child may not
be dull but playful. If he is well monitored and he falls into a
group of brilliant students who are not playful, he imitates them
and this changes his attitude towards learning for better. This is
why it is important for teachers to be able to distinguish a
playful child from dull one.
Students who are playful but have academic traits should
be encouraged to join a study inclined group.
Cressey (1992) found that peers were involved in the
socialization of novices, considerable sociable interactions and
the maintenance of loose, unwritten code of conduct to be
followed by those who wished to remain in the group.
This is more important to the secondary school level.
There are students who found to be dull in their primary school
but became brilliant in secondary school because of peer group
influence.
Dull students should be identified from playful students.
Therefore, attention should be concentrated on students in their
first three years of secondary education as these are the most
easily influenced by peer groups. This is because most of the
time these students do not have a set goal until they get to
higher level when they are faced with reality of WAEC and
subsequent examinations.
This group also tends to imitate each other easily. They
fear rejection by the group. Grulund (1990) feels that
acceptance by a peer group improves social relations. Also
response rate of students are lower in the junior secondary
school. Teachers are more likely to hold the attention of
students in the SSS than students in JSS. However, the teachers
could use the peer group to get the needed responses in the JSS
class.
Bang (1999) wrote that the effectiveness of the school
depends on large measures on the development of effective
small groups.

2.7 THE EFFECT OF PEER GROUPS RELATIONSHIP

ON LEARNING
Sociologically, peer group is the aggregation of youths of
approximately the same age level and status, Bernard (2008)
describes a peer group as member of individuals bound together
by purpose or abilities. Beckman (1996) viewed that members
of a group perceive themselves to be alike in significant ways.
Blake and Davids (1997) support the view that a peer
group come into being because its members have common
goals, interests and motivations. Wattenberg (1998) also viewed
that peer group is a potent force which wields great influence,
especially in the school setting.
Dubey (1997) is also in the view that the peer group has
come to be recognized as an association of those within the
same age group and the concept can apply to both the adult and
the young.
In socialization and education, it refers to a group of boys
and girls or both belonging to the same age group. It has been
found that in most cases, group comprises of people of the same
sex and age group. That is, girls are likely related to girls and
vice-versa. Case like this tends to have a competitive outlook to
life and learning.
This is because some of these boys can read for hours
and are inclined to study; the girls also would want to meet up
with them and as such, we find in some classes girls are on the
lead.
It has also been found that some pupils find it easier to
relate more with people who are older than them and this have
more natural outlook to life. In such cases, such pupils have
knowledge of things in all sphere of life and could easily
discuss issue outside the school curriculum. (Brent 2006)
In groups where there are both boys and girls, there is
free interaction between sexes, which help to avoid sex
discrimination s each is likely to understand other better.
James (1996) wrote that a person is controlled in his
conduct by identification controlled in various groups. The
loyalty of the individual to these groups is often a very strong
force in his life. Cooley (1992) in support of this wrote that the
child in his imagination acquires first in image of himself as he
appears to others, he forms an idea of how others judge him and
finally he experiences a feeling of pride depending on what he
imagines they think of him. Thus, a member of a group puts up
behaviour of his own part from the one of the group.
Fatinwa (1974) wrote that age groups in many ethnic
societies in Nigeria have been well used for community
development educational purposes, citizenship training in
general or for purely political activities. It is essential for the
continuation of the peer group to sort out the role of leaders and
followers.
Landgren (1969) define leadership as the influence that a
group member has over the motives and behaviour of other
members. Leadership may be agreed upon willingly and quietly
accepted or asserted over by one member. It has been observed
that most children from high socio-economic status form peer
group with children from similar socio-economic status and
vice-versa.
Katz (1994) wrote that people of particular status level
find themselves attracted to their peers that is those equal to
them in status because with them they find themselves more
socially and psychologically comfortable.
Dubey (199) also support that social status help to
determine membership in most groups. However, there are
exceptions of pupils from low or middle socio-economic status
homes usually tend to live above their means in schools, this is
because of the children from high socio-economic status homes
in all ways, most of the time, they want to be seen in the same
clothes and shoes with them. And when they cannot get money
to do this from the appropriate source (i.e. from their parents)
they resort to other means like stealing.
Dubey (2006) also noted that most children from high
and middle socio-economic status homes tend to use English as
their medium of communication right from home and also have
access to textbooks and other necessary materials for learning
while most children from poor homes mostly use their native
language and lack textbooks and necessary materials.
Therefore, the poor children`s English is improved as a
result of their relationship with those children from high and
middle class who have the textbooks and materials. Also these
children may borrow textbooks which they cannot afford to buy
from their affluent friends.
Pata (2004) stated that the peer is important because it
shelters and protects its members. It gives them psychological
substance by meeting emotional needs of affection,
understanding and acceptance. It invests individuals with
specific status. And since it comprises a small number of people
of equal rank, a peer group can operate as a medium of
communication. As members can interact directly with one
another, equivalence in their status ensures that members have a
common basis of meaning which adds to ease off
communication
In all these, it is not doubtful that a peer group provides
and enhances effective learning. They relate more with each
other than with their teachers or parents. In a classroom
situation, a pupil may be tongue tied at the sight of his/her
teacher and may find it difficult to relate with him/her. This is
not because he/she does not know the answer but because of the
negative attitude to the teacher. The pupil could easily give
these solutions and suggestions in the midst of his/her peers.
Coleman (1981) wrote that peer group in many schools
exert a strong influence on academic performance, one of the
reasons for this is that, pupils care so much about being liked
and respected by their peers and therefore will try to impress
them both in academics and other aspects.
Hollander and Hunt (1991) noted that children especially
school children do not rush to form groups. They observe and
evaluate one another before they form a formal peer group.
In the secondary school, pupils come in contact with peer
from different geographical areas, provinces and ethnic groups.
The opportunity to mix with young pupil from different social
background is likely to readily mix up with another pupil of the
same ethnic background Etim (1996)
Peer group should therefore be used for effective
teaching and learning in schools. In certain areas of problem
solving, the group may do better than any single member. Even
if a single member proposes a solution, it is likely to be
discussed in the group, supporting this, Brunner (1968) states
that discussion is a social aspect in the domain of reasoning,
logic and problem solving.
Bary (1995) in support of this write up stated that, in the
larger social group, the group as a whole exercise control over
the individuals.
Bary (1995) continues that interaction in the group is
determined to some extent by the personal characteristics of
each group member. The group is influenced only to a degree
by its individual members regardless of behaviours exhibited by
each individual; the group develops behaviour on its own. He
goes further to say that group atmosphere and the morale of the
group determines whether the group is likely to have negative
or positive effects on the productivity and social behaviour of
members. If the group is supportive and conducive and the
morale is good, the group’s influence on the development of
members will be positive. In a classroom situation, if group
works are given, all members of the group would try as much
as possible to contribute as they would not want to bring the
group down. On the other hand, if the groups told repeatedly
that the group is not doing as well as it should, a prolonged
anxiety and possibly indecisiveness and difference may result
as well as a gradual lowering of morale and as the group morale
lowers, each individual is affected negatively. He cannot
perform at an optimum level because low morale produces an
atmosphere that is not conducive to work.
In essence, if a group inclined, a single member will do
all he could to improve learning situation in the group than
impede it. It also enables pupils who are not serious towards
studying work to buckle up. It has been observed that
competition in a group does not facilitate work, as pupils in
such a situation tend to withhold information that will aid
progress or work to himself alone.
Deatsch (1999) found that when groups are competitive
rather than co-operative, a stress situation seemed to occur. On
the other hand, competition can also be used to advantage, for
instance if a member of a group scores a very high mark in a
test, it enables others in the group to aim high in the next test.
2.3 PARENTS INFLUENCE ON PUPILS PEER GROUP
RELATIONSHIP
Taiwo (1996) wrote that the first people with whom the
child comes in contact with are is parents. They transmit to him
their own values of right and wrong at a time when he is not in
contact with any other influences. Unless the foundation laid by
home is sound and solid, the school has nothing to build upon
and the child later becomes a problem not only to his parents
but also to the community.
It is therefore the home that the child comes from that
determines type of group the child would join. In essence a
child from home that well disciplined would find it difficult to
be in a group that comprises of delinquents and if he finds
himself in such group, he would refuse to be influenced by their
behaviours. In a case where such a child is influenced by the
group behaviour, the situation at home does not allow him to
exhibit it and thus he pretends and become meek in the
presence of his parents. It is important for the parents to know a
child`s friends both at home and at school, in order to achieve
this, parents should make themselves more accessible to their
children.
Hake (2006) wrote that parents must be properly
educated on matters of discipline since it is dangerous to be too
permissive or too strict. The content of parent education should
include the rather special treatment required by the child at the
adolescent stage. At the secondary school level, parents should
be made to realize that the child is no longer toddler at this
stage because he is experiencing a new awareness of the world
and he is struggling not only to make a place for himself in his
own age group but in the world at large. It is also the task of
parents to continue to well and to give good examples to the
children. This is important because pupil`s imitation rate as
discussed earlier is very high and thus copy behaviour from the
adults.
Thus, it is likely that parents who smoke or keep late
nigh find such behaviours in their children. And as such, the
child would not resist such behaviours in their children. And as
such, the child would not resist joining or forming a group of
smokers or late nigh keepers. This also invariably would have a
negative influence on his learning.
Furthermore, findings showed that delinquent children
were more in homes characterized by parental conflicts that
often end up in divorce. It might also lead to absence of pro-
social standard of behaviour in the parents as evidenced by high
rates of parental delinquency or failure to communicate stand in
behaviour to the child (Hirsch 2009)
One of the most consistent findings of extensive research
on the origins of delinquent behaviour was that the delinquent
child was more likely to come from a home broken by divorce
than non-delinquent child (Anderson 2002). However, the key
factor related to the development of delinquent behaviours was
not divorce; rather it was the absence of adequate parental
control of the child`s behaviour. (Gluock and Chueck 2006),
according to them, the child failed to develop appropriate
standards of behaviour because these were neither taught nor
modelled in the home.
Greztel (2004) also asserts that the effect of divorce felt
much by children from nuclear family. He feels that separation
or divorce to them would like a loss of the father when he has
travelled out of the country or the loss of the mother as in death.
The needs, nurture and love that were provided by any of the
two parents would be missed by them. They may lead them to
“frustration and anxieties” which are signals to concentration
and the application of one`s energies to serious academic work”
Children from broken homes are mostly associated with
cases of serious conflicts and disunity. They tend to emulate
their parents by resorting to constant fighting and quarrelling
with friends, classmates and brothers or sisters at home and in
the other hand of forming bad gang in the school.
Juvenile delinquency is a common societal ill among our
young people. Nowadays, it is a bi-product of divorce, in this
case creates problem to the law enforcement agents. According
to some research experiences in Oyo state, a peer group who
pays truancy, who are aggressive, drug addicts and other social
vices, are mostly from broken home. The American child
welfare specialist see broken home as the worst kind of abuse
on the child, worst in the sense that the effect could go deeper
and could seriously threaten the child`s mental health , which is
very difficult to heal in comparison to physical injuries
Many cases of peer group forming armed-robbery gang,
drug addicts, alcoholism, prostitution and juvenile delinquency
could be attributed to parents.
Peter (2006) wrote that there are more broken homes
today than there were in the past. As large percentage of
maladjusted and delinquent children comes from broken home,
they have no flag to follow and so fall among those adrift in the
society. This could happen where both parents are working and
do not come home until very late in the night and is even more
rampant in cases where the child is not enrolled in a lesson after
schools so that his time is not fully engaged into beneficial
activities.
In a single parent home where responsibility of taking
care of the child falls on either the mother`s or father`s shoulder
and where they are busy working for means of survival, the
child could also be influenced to a large degree by his peers.
Coleman (2006) wrote that the adolescent society is a
reflection of a highly industrialized society in which the family
has lost many of its former characteristics, especially those that
made it self-sufficient economic unit. In turn, the family has
little to offer the child in the way of training him/her for his/her
place in the community. Since the parents are not available to
relate to, he finds his level with peers.
However, in home where both parents are still together,
they endeavour to know their child and inquire about the home
background and academic ability of the child`s friends; because
they know the great influence a child`s peer could have over his
learning. In a situation where both parents work, they came
home early enough to meet their children with their peers and
monitor their movements with such and they try to engage their
child`s time with useful activities. Children from such homes
find it difficult to mix with bad peers because they get instant
discouragement from their parents and even the fear instilled in
them by their parents guide them in choosing their peers at
school. The parents who work late to meet up with the second
time find it difficult to know their children`s peer group in
school.
 Robinson (2008) wrote that parents once concerned with
the achievement of their children try and train them for
independent action and initiative. Such parent would do
everything in their power to see that their children mix with the
right type of groups so as to see them grow responsible adults.
Thus, parents motivate their children into learning by making
the home environment conducive for learning and by providing
the child with learning materials.
Mussen (2007) is of the view that parental influence is
more powerful than peer influence among the adolescence
whose parent express affection, interest, understanding and
willingness to be helpful. Then the parents continue to provide
a highly personal and emotionally involved relationship, which
may be characteristics of peer group influence. However, it
should be noted that peer group influence increases in the
secondary schools partly because many go away from home
and stay in boarding institutions where the parental contact is
very limited but the main reason for peer group influence is the
location of the adolescent as marginal person who is not a child
and not adult.
The only reference group that meets his requirement is
peer group identical.
2.4 TEACHERS INFLUENCE ON PUPILS’ PEER
GROUP RELATIONSHIP
 The effectiveness and success of the academic
achievement of the school depends on a large measure of the
development of success of small group. It supersedes working
with youngsters individually. Teachers need to help the work
group build its own cohesion and continually resolves the
group`s internal problems. The teacher`s job despite the myriad
requirements and changing conditions that affect him is to help
each learner form his optimum level. In order to do this, the
teachers must create an effective learning environment;
understanding of group characteristics and social interactions
makes the teacher more knowledgeable and behave in
productive ways.
Bary (2007) wrote that in schools, interpersonal
relationships occur within the bounds of groups. And the first
thing one should examine in a classroom group is the awareness
of a child’s social position in the classroom has great deal of
implication for his school work. Schoolwork demand regular
interaction between students and teachers.
Boocook (2006) maintained that there are some evidence
that the teacher-students relationship is strong by providing
teacher with information on their students’ abilities, home,
environmental problems, emotional problems and encourage
them to use his information in planning their work.
Rist (2005) wrote that much of the difficulties which
culturally different pupils encounter in the schools may be
attributed to how a teacher views the pupils. Therefore, it is
important that the teacher use peer group for effective teaching
and classroom interaction. This above view is also supported by
Mannhet (2007) that these physical relationships are important
because they give the very often unexamined basic framework
on which classroom relationships and the teacher-pupils work
attitudes are built up.
Moreover, the personality of the teacher is very important
because pupils view the teacher personality before they relate
on associate with them.
Dollard (2009) supported that this how pupils achieve in
schools, how they behave and particularly how they view
themselves is to a remarkable degree function of teacher`s
personality.
Miner (2008) is also of the view that a pupil`s academic
performance is not just simply a function of his innate ability or
environmental factor but also of the teacher`s personality
variables. The teacher`s personality is an aspect of his
behaviour in groups. Teacher can resolve by centralizing the
independence of students (decentralizing authority) and the
social access of members.
The later can be accomplished if the teacher talk less and
provide more time for giving attention to student`s comments
and questions. By spreading verbal participation and using
students idea whether they are pertinent or off the subjects, he
increased the leadership and prestige of the students.
Barnes (2004) said that there is a great need for teachers
to understand how their communicative behaviour influences
their pupils. The teacher must know that he/she is the centre of
attention in the class, as such; he should be a good model to his
pupils. He should not note their error or desist from correcting
their mistakes right in the class. He should rather help them to
develop their recognition and production skills that is listening,
speaking, writing and reading.
Getzels (2009) wrote that group action is facilitated when
teacher uses indirect rather than direct influences. If the teacher
is accommodating, creative and intelligent, there will be active
participation from the pupils during class work and extra-
curricular activities. It is believed that a teacher directs learning
and the degree in which he does this determines the total level
of effectiveness.
The teacher should be aware that not all the students who
are in a group work facilitate or participate in the work, in
support of this, Aldridge (2011) proposed the theses that some
youths joins the group not to achieve but to avoid responsibility
and confrontation of life since other group members will sort
the work out. They have no idea of what they want to do, so
they find unity in a free for all achievements. Aldridge therefore
suggested that the antidote for these is a dialogue/discussion
and in short, interactive teaching influence. Also, a teacher
according to John (2009) may capitalize on group function by
getting pupils to discuss group weakness.
Dinkoneyer (2009) stated that one of the teacher`s
difficulties in the ordinary classroom approach is that, it permits
some pupils to feel like their voice is flat and is of no
consequence. Ebuka (2009) stated that, once pupils realize that
their presence and opinion is important, they became very
involved in class activities.
Oliver (2006) is also of the view that there is no sure fine
technique for generating effective decision but class
involvement is facilitated when pupils feel that the group is
theirs and they are more likely to feel this when they have been
allowed to make some suggestions and decisions. There are
considerable evidences that group method promote problem-
solving skills, consolidate learning and encourage freedom of
thought, a spirit of inquiry and independence.
Grumwald (2008) therefore suggested that more
emphasis should be given to the process of inquiry and
discovery. In a situation where there is a stubborn pupil in a
group who may impede the group participation or classroom
learning, the teacher should endeavour to have private moment
with the child.
Woolf (2009) asserted that, there is evidence that giving
the distributed pupils any kind of attention may be helpful. In
support of this view Ceane (2009) asserted that the key to
successful teaching resides in acceptance, applause and
attention to pupils need. In case where a teacher identifies a
brilliant pupils in a group that is not incline to study, efforts
should be made to encourage him thus will improve his
learning where teacher no longer dominates.
2.5 SUMMARY OF LITERATURE REVIEWED
The researcher has examined various items and factions
that are necessary for effective and meaningful research into the
factors that are responsible for low academic performance
through the peer group.
The review started with concept, the effect of parents and
teachers on the peer group and analysis in relation to the
contemporary of ethnicity and socio-economic status that
determine membership in groups.
The researcher further takes a cursory look at some
empirical studies on the topic as evident from home, teacher
relationship in schools and how teacher could use the peer
group for effective teaching and learning process. This review
is relevant to bring to focus what the study seeks to find out.
2.6 RESEARCH HYPOTHESES
 The impact that group relationship has on the
academic performance of secondary school students.
 The impact that economic status of peers has on the
academic performance of secondary school students.
 The impact that parents have on the peer group that
their wards belong to and how it affect their academic
performance.
 The extent to which socio-cultural background of
peers affects the membership of peer groups and how it affects
academic performance of students.
 CHAPTER THREE
3.0 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
The chapter describes the procedure for conducting this
study, specifically; the chapter provided detailed information on
research design, the target population, the sample and sampling
technique, instrumentation and standardization procedure. The
chapter also presented the procedures followed in collecting
data, scoring and method of data analysis.
3.1 RESEARCH DESIGN
The study is a descriptive research study. The study
design seeks descriptive information on the influence of peer
group on the academic performance of secondary school
students. This type of descriptive research employed in this
study is the survey research design.
The survey is an attempt to collect data from members of
a population in order to determine the current (performance of
peer group) status of the population with respect to one or more
variable(s)
3.2 AREA OF STUDY
The study covered Atiba Local Government Area of Oyo
state; it is surrounded by other local governments like Oyo
West, Afijio, and Oyo East e.t.c. The population of this study
consist of all J.S.S III students in Atiba Local Government Area
of Oyo state.
 3.3 SAMPLE AND SAMPLING TECHNIQUE
Random sampling technique was adopted and used to
select schools for the study. Out of the existing public
secondary schools in Atiba Local Government Area, five (5)
were randomly selected for this study which are
Oranyan Grammar School II, Saabo, Oyo
Oke-Olola Grammar School, Oke-Olola, Oyo
Alaafin High School, Oyo
Community Commercial Secondary School, Isale-Oyo
Oba Adeyemi High School, Durbar, Oyo
The researcher made use of only J.S.S III students
because this is where the influence is fully manifested
considering their age range between 12 and 16 years, which
falls under adolescent stage.
By using five above listed schools, it afforded the
researcher the opportunity to direct information from the
subject that has direct impact on them with the theme of the
study in all the places used.
The spread of the subjects across the places used were given below.

S/ NAME OF SCHOOL MAL FEMAL TOTA

N E E L
1 ORANYAN GRAMMAR SCHOOL II 10 10 20
2 OKE-OLOLA GRAMMAR SCHOOL 10 10 20
3 ALAAFIN HIGH SCHOOL, OYO 10 10 20
4 COMMUNITY COMM. SEC. SCH. ISAALE- 10 10 20
 OYO
5 OBA ADEYEMI HIGH SCHOOL, OYO 10 10 20
TOTAL 50 50 100

3.4 INSTRUMENTATION
The main instrument used for the study was
questionnaire, which was prepared in two parts. Part one
contained questions on personal data about each respondent
while part two contained other set of items on different factors
which can influence the respondents in reference to their peer
group.
The questionnaire was scaled on the 4-point scale of
Strongly Agree (SA), Agree (A), Strongly Disagree (SD) and
Disagree (D). The respondents were asked to indicate the extent
of their agreement with the given items.
3.5 VALIDITY OF THE INSTRUMENT
The instrument used for data collection was validated by
the researcher’s supervisor to check the face and content
validity of the instrument. Her criticisms and recommendations
were effect to produce a final draft of the instrument.
3.6 RELIABILITY OF THE INSTURMENT
The split-half method of testing reliability was used to
ensure the reliability of the instrument. The scores gotten were
correlated using Person Product moment correlation co-
efficient and a co-efficient reliability of 0.69 was arrived at.
3.7 ADMINISTRATION OF THE INSTRUMENT
The administration of instrument for the study was
carried out by the researcher by taking the questionnaires to the
respondents concerned with the instruction on how to fill them.
Each subject was told the aim of the research, which is to
ascertain the influence of peer group on their academic
performance.
The students filled the questionnaire independently and
later retrieved individually.
3.8 METHOD OF DATA ANALYSIS
The data collected from the subjects will be analysed
using Percentage based on the 4-points scale.
To analyse the responses from the subjects, Simple
Percentage method will be used.
 CHAPTER FOUR
4.0 ANALYSIS OF DATA AND DISCUSSION OF
FINDINGS
This chapter analyse the data collected from
administration of questionnaire with simple percentage method
of data analysis and the findings are discussed below in the
tables.
A. Does peer group influence the academic
performance of secondary school students?
TABLE 1
I prefer to study with my friends

OPTION RESPONSES PERCENTAGE (%)

STRONGLY AGREE 43 43
AGREE 24 24
DISAGREE 18 18
STRONGLY DISAGREE 15 15
TOTAL 100 100
Table 1 above shows that 43 of the respondents strongly
agreed, 24 Agreed, also 18 and 15 disagreed and strongly
disagreed respectively.
Based on the analysis, it can be concluded that secondary
school students prefers to study with their friends.
TABLE 2
I discuss my learning problems with friends

OPTION RESPONSES PERCENTAGE (%)

STRONGLY AGREE 38 38
 AGREE 28 28
DISAGREE 20 20
STRONGLY DISAGREE 14 14
TOTAL 100 100
In table 2 above, 38 strongly agree, 28 agreed and 20
disagreed while 14 strongly disagreed with the statement which
shows that students prefer to discuss their learning problem
with peers
TABLE 3
The group work helped me to boost my grades

OPTION RESPONSES PERCENTAGE (%)

STRONGLY AGREE 30 30
AGREE 22 22
DISAGREE 18 18
STRONGLY DISAGREE 30 30
TOTAL 100 100
From table 3 above, where 30 strongly agreed, 22 agreed
and 18 disagreed while 30 strongly disagreed which shows that
group work help to improve students’ grades.
TABLE 4
I love to make friends with intelligent students

OPTION RESPONSES PERCENTAGE (%)

STRONGLY AGREE 30 30
AGREE 30 30
DISAGREE 18 18
STRONGLY DISAGREE 22 22
TOTAL 100 100
From table 3 above, where 30 strongly agreed, 30 agreed
and 18 disagreed while 22 strongly disagreed which shows that
group work help to improve students’ grades.
TABLE 5
My friends’ assistance in group discussion assisted to improve
my grades

OPTION RESPONSES PERCENTAGE (%)

STRONGLY AGREE 20 20
AGREE 38 38
DISAGREE 14 14
STRONGLY DISAGREE 14 14
TOTAL 100 100
Table 5 above shows that 20 strongly agreed, 38 agreed
and 14 disagreed while 28 strongly disagreed.
Hence, it can be concluded that assistance by peers in
group discussion assisted in improving students’ grades.
TABLE 6
The upper grade of my friends encourages me to work harder.

OPTION RESPONSES PERCENTAGE (%)

STRONGLY AGREE 40 40
AGREE 30 30
DISAGREE 20 20
STRONGLY DISAGREE 10 10
TOTAL 100 100
From table 6 above where 40 strongly agreed, 30 agreed
and 20 disagreed while 10 strongly disagreed, it can be deduced
from the results that secondary school students are encouraged
to work harder because of upper grade of their friends.
 B. Does the economic status of peers influence their
learning and academic performance?
TABLE 7
My friends’ parents are educated

OPTION RESPONSES PERCENTAGE (%)

STRONGLY AGREE 5 5
AGREE 5 5
DISAGREE 20 20
STRONGLY DISAGREE 70 70
TOTAL 100 100
From the table above, 5 of the respondents strongly
agreed that their friends’ parents are educated while 5 also
agreed with the statement but 20 of the respondents disagreed
while 70 of the respondents strongly disagreed.
TABLE 8
I hate to make friend with students from poor family

OPTION RESPONSES PERCENTAGE (%)

STRONGLY AGREE 5 5
AGREE 10 10
DISAGREE 55 55
STRONGLY DISAGREE 30 30
TOTAL 100 100
Table 8 above shows that 5 of the respondents strongly
agreed that they hate to make friends with students from poor
family, 10 of the respondents agreed with the statement, 55 of
the total respondents disagreed while 30 strongly disagreed.
TABLE 9
I like to associate with friends from rich family
 OPTION RESPONSES PERCENTAGE (%)
STRONGLY AGREE 35 35
AGREE 40 40
DISAGREE 20 20
STRONGLY DISAGREE 5 5
TOTAL 100 100
From table 9 above where 35 of the respondents strongly
agreed with the statement, 40 agreed and 20 disagreed while 5
strongly disagreed, it can be concluded that students like to
associate with friends from rich family.

TABLE 10
I borrow textbooks from my rich friends
OPTION RESPONSES PERCENTAGE (%)
STRONGLY AGREE 30 30
AGREE 40 40
DISAGREE 15 15
STRONGLY DISAGREE 15 15
TOTAL 100 100
Table 10 above shows that 30 of the respondents strongly
agreed with the statement, 40 agreed and 15 disagreed while 15
also strongly disagreed which indicated that students borrow
textbooks from their rich friends.
TABLE 11
I have every necessary textbook

OPTION RESPONSES PERCENTAGE (%)

STRONGLY AGREE 5 5
AGREE 10 10
DISAGREE 35 35
 STRONGLY DISAGREE 50 50
TOTAL 100 100
From table 11 above where 5 of the respondents strongly
agreed to having every necessary textbooks, 10 agreed with the
statement and 35 disagreed while 50 strongly disagreed with
the statement, thus it can be concluded that secondary school
students does not have every necessary textbooks.
TABLE 12
My intelligent friends are from rich homes
OPTION RESPONSES PERCENTAGE (%)
STRONGLY AGREE 10 10
AGREE 30 30
DISAGREE 25 25
STRONGLY DISAGREE 35 35
TOTAL 100 100
From table 12 above where 10 and 30 strongly agreed
and agreed respectively to the statement while 25 disagreed and
35 strongly disagreed with the statement, it can be concluded
that peers intelligent friends are not from rich homes.
Do parents show interest in knowing the peer group association
of their children?

TABLE 13
My parents know many of my friends

OPTION RESPONSES PERCENTAGE (%)

STRONGLY AGREE 25 25
AGREE 35 35
DISAGREE 20 20
STRONGLY DISAGREE 20 20
TOTAL 100 100
From table 13 above, 25 of the total respondents strongly
agreed that their parents know many of their friends, 35 also
agreed to the statement and 20 disagreed while 20 also strongly
or totally disagreed with the statement.
NOTE: The greater percentages of agreed and strongly
agreed were in relation to the female’s responses.
TABLE 14
My parents do not like my movement with friends
OPTION RESPONSES PERCENTAGE (%)
STRONGLY AGREE 10 10
AGREE 35 35
DISAGREE 40 40
STRONGLY DISAGREE 15 15
TOTAL 100 100
From table 14 above, 10 of the respondents strongly
agreed with the statement above, 35 also agreed and 40 of the
respondents disagreed while 15 strongly disagreed with the
statement, which all in all indicate that parents like their
children movement with friends
TABLE 15
My parents love to have many friends

OPTION RESPONSES PERCENTAGE (%)

STRONGLY AGREE 50 50
AGREE 30 30
DISAGREE 10 10
STRONGLY DISAGREE 10 10
TOTAL 100 100
From table 15 above where 50 of the total respondents
strongly agreed that their parents love them to have many
friends, 30 of the respondents also agreed to the statement and
10 of the respondents disagreed while, 10 strongly disagreed
that their parents love them to have many friends.
Hence, it can be ascertained from the figures that parents
love their children to have many friends or associate with peers.
TABLE 16
My parents encourage me to move around with students who are
intelligent
OPTION RESPONSES PERCENTAGE (%)
STRONGLY AGREE 40 40
AGREE 30 30
DISAGREE 15 15
STRONGLY DISAGREE 15 15
TOTAL 100 100
From table 16 above which shows that 40 of the
respondents strongly agreed with the statement, 30 of the
respondents also agreed and 15 of the respondents disagreed
while 15 also strongly disagreed with the statement.
It can thus be concluded that parents encourage their
children in secondary school to move around with intelligent
students.
TABLE 17
My parents’ encourages me to study
OPTION RESPONSES PERCENTAGE (%)
STRONGLY AGREE 42 42
AGREE 32 32
DISAGREE 10 10
STRONGLY DISAGREE 16 16
TOTAL 100 100
The observation from table 17 above shows that 42 of the
respondents strongly agreed that parents encourages them to
study with friends, 32 also agreed but 10 disagreed while 16
strongly disagreed
Finally, the researcher concluded that parents encourage
secondary school students to study with friends based on the
data presented in table 17.
TABLE 18
My parents teach me how to relate with friends
OPTION RESPONSES PERCENTAGE (%)
STRONGLY AGREE 21 21
AGREE 38 38
DISAGREE 31 31
STRONGLY DISAGREE 10 10
TOTAL 100 100
Table 18 above shows that 21 of the total respondents
totally agree that parents teach them how to relate or associate
with friends, 38 also agree to the statement and 31 disagreed
while 10 of the respondents strongly disagreed with the
statement.
It can thus be concluded that parents teaches students on
how to relate with friends.
 CHAPTER FIVE
This chapter is concerned with conclusion, educational
implications for further studies and summary of the study. It
gives priority to the details of major finding of this study as
earlier postulated in the research questions.
5.0 CONCLUSION
Learning does not occur in isolation but through
interaction with certain factors one of which is the peer group.
It can therefore be said that the peer group, which a child
interact with will definitely affect learning. On the peer group
ensures positives or negative learning of a student.
The extent to which the peer group determines the
academic ability of students had been investigated in this study
revealed that a dull student may become study inclined when he
finds himself in a group that encourages effective learning. The
study also revealed that when students are not well monitored
they fall in bad groups. However, the study has revealed the
fact that students associated in groups with other students of the
same age and ethnic background. The study has also shown that
a high percentage of the students are more interested in relating
to their friends than to their teachers and parents.
This may be as a result of the attitude of the parents and
teachers. It is indicated in the finding that teachers may be able
to use the peer group effectively for classroom interaction and
participation. The peer group could also be used in a group to
motivate student’s class achievements.
5.1 EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATION
The findings of this study revealed the following on
education:
1.In order to change students performance positively,
more attention should be devoted to their relationship with their
classmates both in classroom and outside.
2.A child who is not brilliant my do better in school if he
is accepted by a group that is study inclined.
3.Most students from high and middles socio-economic
status home have high standard of education performance and
they should be encouraged to associate freely with children
from poor home in order for this poor children to gain and have
access to what their elites children have to improve their
education performance.
5.2 RECOMMENDATION
Based on the findings from the study, a number of
recommendations could be made as follows:
i. Teachers should understand that the peer group is an
important factor in child’s learning and therefore should use it
encourage learning.
ii.Teacher should use the peer groups a study group to
bring about effective classroom interaction. The teacher must
neither be too strict nor too permissive so as to encourage good
teacher-student relationship.
iii. Students should endeavour to form or join groups
that are study inclined and encourage learning so that their
learning would be effective or affected properly.
iv. Parents should make sure their children are well
monitored and they should encourage them to have friends that
would have a positive influence on their learning both at home
and at school.
The peer group influence is a very important
consideration in learning, so further efforts must be made both
by teachers, parents and students alike to ensure that it is
effectively used to improve learning.
5.3 SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER STUDIES
Consequent on the limitations of this study, the following
areas of further research were suggested:
1.The study should be further extended beyond Atiba
Local Government Area. If this could be done, it would make
further revelation on the peer group relationship and its
influence on the academic performance of students in schools.
2.That the study should be replicated using interview and
observation techniques for data collection, because it was
observed that in few of the questionnaire items, some of the
respondents declined true comments.
 5.4 SUMMARY OF THE STUDY
The study was designed to find about peer group
relationship and its influence on the academic performance of
students in school. The researcher has three research questions
and questionnaires were administered to the Junior Secondary
School III students in the sampled schools in Atiba Local
Government Area of Oyo state.
The result of data analysed can be summarized thus:
It is evident that the peer group that a child forms or
moves with influence his/her performance also feels free to
discuss their problems with their peers.
Also, through the research questions, it was discovered
that students are pleased to make friends with other students
from rich home and the rich students are also pleased to
associate with fellow students from poor homes.
 Finally, the result findings also show the interest of
the parents in monitoring the peer group association that their
children move with especially the female children.
EMMANUEL ALAYANDE COLLEGE OF EDUCATION OYO
SCHOOL OF VOCATIONAL AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION
DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS EDUCATION
QUESTIONNAIRE FOR STUDENTS
Dear Respondent,
The purpose of this questionnaire is to collect data for my research
work titled “INFLUENCE OF PEER GROUP RELATIONSHIP ON THE
ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF STUDENTS IN SECONDARY
SCHOOLS” A CASE STUDY OF SELECTED SECONDARY SCHOOLS
IN ATIBA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA.

Your sincere response to the questions will be highly appreciated

and every information will be given a confidential treatment.
Yours sincerely,
Ajibade Basit O.

SECTION A:
Fill the gaps with your information
Date:……………………… Age: ………………………
Sex: ……………………… Class: ………………………
Religion: ……………………… Tribe: ………………………

SECTION B:
Tick (√) any of the 4-points rating scale to indicate your level of
agreement: 4-points scale -
(SA) - Strongly Agree (A) – Agree (D) – Disagree (SD) –
Strongly Disagree
TO BE FILLED BY STUDENTS
A. Does peer group influence the academic performance of
secondary school students?
S/N SA A D SD
1. I prefer to study with my friends
2. I discuss my learning problems with friends
3. The group work helped to boost my grades
4. I love to make friends with intelligent students
alone
5. My friends assistance in group discussion
assisted to improve my grades
6. The upper grade of my friends encourage me to
work harder

B. Does the economic status of peer influence their learning and

academic performance?

S/N SA A D SD
1. My friend’s parents are educated
2. I hate to make friend with students from poor
family
3. I like to associate with friends from rich
family
4. I borrow textbooks from my rich friends
5. I have every necessary textbooks
6. My intelligent friends are from rich homes
C. Do parents show interest in knowing the peer group association of their

children?

S/N SA A D SD
1. My parents know many of my friends
2. My parents do not like my movement with
friends
3. My parents love me to have many friends
4. My parents encourages me to move around
with students who are intelligent
5. My parents encourages me to study with
friends
6. My parents teach me how to relate with
friends