ABSTRACT

The study examined the relationship between parental roles and early childhood education and its development. A detailedliterature was  reviewed in relevant subheadings. The descriptive research design was used in order to assess the opinions of the respondents using the questionnaire and the sampling technique. A total of 300 (Three Hundred) respondents (made up of 150 males and 150 females) were selected and used in this study as the sample of the study which represented the entire population of the study. Four research questions were raised in the study and were analyzed together with the bio-data of the respondents using the simple percentage frequency counts, while four null hypotheses were formulated and tested using both the Pearson's Product Moment Correlation Coefficient and the  independent t-test statistical tools at 0.05 level of significance. At the end of the data analyses, the following results emerged: there is a significant relationship between parental role and children’s academic performance, there is a significant difference between the academic performance of children reared by intact parents and those reared by single parents, there is a significant gender difference in the academic performance of children reared by intact parents hose reared by single parents and finally, there is a significant difference between the attitudes of children reared by intact parents and those reared by single parent. With the above results, it is summarized that there is a positive relationship between parental role and children's academic achievement. Based on the conclusions of this study, the researcher recommended certain number of measures to the parents,  government, teachers and the society that will be useful in promoting the early childhood education programme that will breed a healthy future leader of the Nation.