A Comparative Study of Academic Achievement Between Students Living with Parents and parents in Foreign Employment

Abstract

: Background Academic achievement is a key indicator of students’ educational success and is influenced by multiple factors, including parental involvement, emotional support, and family structure. In Nepal, increasing foreign employment has led many children to grow up in households where one or both parents are absent, raising concerns about its possible impact on academic performance. Method This study employed a quantitative comparative research design to examine differences in academic achievement between students living with both parents and those whose parents were engaged in foreign employment. The study was conducted at Shree Tribhuwan Shanti Secondary School, Pokhara Metropolitan City-30, Kaski District, Nepal. A total of 107 secondary-level students (Grades 9 and 10) were selected using purposive sampling. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive statistics (frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation) and Pearson correlation in SPSS. Results Findings revealed that 43.9% of students lived with both parents, while 56.1% experienced parental migration. Students reported high parental encouragement (M=4.50) and strong emotional support (M=4.65), although moderate loneliness was observed (M=3.00). Academic performance was relatively stable (M=3.24). Correlation analysis showed a weak but significant negative relationship between guardianship status and academic achievement (r=-0.191, p=0.049), indicating slightly lower performance among students whose parents were abroad. Conclusion The study concludes that parental foreign employment has a mild but noticeable influence on students’ academic achievement. While students generally receive emotional and motivational support, parental absence slightly reduces academic performance. However, the overall impact is weak, suggesting that multiple factors beyond guardianship also shape academic outcomes.