Academic performance and home environment of Karbi students: A correlational study in Assam, India

Abstract

A child's home is often regarded as the first educational institution, where children acquire formal, informal, and moral knowledge before entering school. A conducive home environment not only contributes to students' academic success but also lays a strong foundation for their future careers and success. The current study examines the relationship between academic performance and various aspects of the home environment among Karbi tribe students in Assam, India. This study employed a descriptive survey method using a sample of 140 Karbi students from six government-provincialized secondary schools in Kamrup (Metro), Assam. The students were given a standardized home environment questionnaire with a reliability index of split-half = 0.74 and test-retest = 0.69, which measures the quality and quantity of psychological, social, and emotional support available to the child within the home. Descriptive as well as inferential statistics were utilized to address the study objectives and test the formulated hypotheses. The results indicated that the majority of the Karbi tribe students (55%) demonstrated an average level of academic performance. The study also found a favorable level of home environment and a significant positive association between academic performance and different dimensions of the home environment. The study highlights the need for parental awareness programs, maintaining conducive home environments, and policy interventions in enhancing the academic performance of students. This, in turn, can promote improved academic outcomes for tribal students in Assam through targeted support strategies.