Ceka International Journal of Social Sciences & Organizational Behavior Vol. 6. No. 2 pp. 81-88, March, 2019. 82 COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF SENIOR SECONDARY STUDENTS FROM BROKEN AND INTACT A PARENTS IN ETCHE LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF RIVERS STATE Sunday Nsirimobi Ordu, PhD. 1 Department of Educational Psychology, Guidance and Counselling Ignatius Ajuru University of Education Port Harcourt. Abstract The study examined the comparative study of the academic performance of secondary school students from broken and intact families in Etche Local Government Area of Rivers State. Descriptive comparative design was used for this study. Three research questions and three research hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. The population of the study comprised all the public secondary school students in the area, a sample of 300 students was selected for the study using stratified random sampling technique. A self-structured questionnaire titled "Students’ Academic Performance Scale" (SAPS) was used for data correlation. SAPS was subjected to reliability coefficient using Pearson Product Moment Correction. The instrument was administered in two different instances in Ikwerre Local Government Area, and the reliability index showed (r ~ 0.76). Mean and standard deviation were used to answer the research questions while independent t-test was used to test the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The result of the findings showed that; there was a significant difference in the academic performance of secondary school students from intact and broken homes in Etche Local Government Area, there was a significant difference in the academic performance of male students from intact and broken homes, while there was no significant difference in the academic performance of female students from intact and broken homes. Based on the following findings, recommendations were made and conclusions were reached. Introduction The family is the first place of contact with the world, the child first acquires initial education and socialization from parents and other significant persons. Agulana (1999) pointed out that the family lays the psychological, moral and spiritual foundation in the over-all 'development of the child. Family is the first institution where a child is educated and raised. As a result, family plays a fundamental role in the academic performance of children. Family functions as a center of love, security and where children develop self-confidence and self-esteem. Children who are deprived of family love and sense of security may face disorders in adolescence and may not have good academic performance in school. Every family worldwide have some basic functions or responsibilities towards their children, every parent is expected to be a model for the children to learn from and parents can only become model if they are able to fulfill the basic obligation -of preparing the children for adult life. Parents are expected to act- as models by showing competences in what they do and generally conducting themselves with respect.