Chapter One
Introduction
School, colleges, and universities have no worth without students (Irfan & Shabana, June 2012). Students are the most essential asset for any educational institute. The social and economic development of the country is directly linked with student academic performance. The students’ performance (academic performance) plays an important role in producing the best quality graduates who were come great leader and manpower for the country thus responsible for the country’s economic and social development (Ali et.al, 2009).
Student academic performance measurement has received considerable attention in previous research, it is a challenging aspect of academic literature and science student performance are affected due to social, psychological, economic, environmental, and personal factors. These factors strongly influence student performance, but these factors vary from person to person and country to country (Ali et.al, 2009).
Moreover, in this era of globalization and technological revolution, education is considered the first step for every human activity. It plays a vital role in the development of human capital and is linked with an individual’s well-being and opportunities for better living (Battle & Lewis, 2002). It ensures the acquisition of knowledge and skills that enable individuals to increase their productivity and improve their quality of life. This increase in productivity also leads towards new sources of earning which enhances the economic growth of a country (Saxton, 2000).
The quality of students’ performance remains a top priority for educators. It is meant for making a difference locally, regionally, nationally, and globally. Educators, trainers, and researchers have long been interested in exploring variables contributing effectively to the quality of performance of learners. These variables are inside and outside school that affects students’ quality of academic performance. These factors may be termed as student factors, family factors, school factors, and peer factors (Crosnoe, Johnson & Elder, 2004). The formal investigation about the role of these demographic factors rooted back in the 17thcentury (Mann, 1985).