The Effect of National Poverty on Academic Performance of Students

Poverty is seen as a key reason why children do not perform well in schools. Many students do not have basic learning materials such as core textbooks, exercise books, pens, pencils and rulers to use in school, particularly at the primary school level. This hinders a student's ability to learn successfully. The Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology in Sierra Leone realizes that it needs to move outside its normal supply of teaching and learning materials to schools to increase the quantity and coverage of the support particularly in the area of core textbooks provision.Statistics showed by ASC bring out upsetting information on the status of teachers country-wide. 41% male and 28% female teachers in 2016 were either teachings without a teaching qualification or teaching with a qualification below that required for the JSS level. At the SSS level, the circumstances are worse with 44% male and 53% female teachers having similar problems. Most of the problems explained above have led to deteriorating standards in education in both rural and urban located schools.From the findings of these studies, it was concluded that poverty influences the academic performance of students.