LEARNING READINESS AND DEPRIVATION ON ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF CHILDREN

A child's readiness to learn improves academic outcomes and could deprive access to quality education. The study objectively examined parental and delivery stages, the early environmental experiences phase, and how the transition from home to school affects learning readiness for better educational performance of children. A Maturation and Readiness Theory of Learning was adopted to explain the stages of biological and mental development of a child. A qualitative research method was used to elicit relevant information for the study. Findings revealed that parental practices and involvement have supported children's school readiness to learn with fewer behavioural problems, leading to higher grades in child academic achievement. Negative environmental education at an early age has deprived the develop environmental awareness and hinders the ability to encourage children to approach learning. Transition practices are needed to help families and schools develop congruent expectations for children to acquire knowledge and abilities in all domains of learning. The study concluded that learning readiness has made children sustain attention and increase persistence to complete academic tasks. It recommended that parental practices and involvement should be a commitment to support children's school readiness to learn to acquire higher grades on academic achievement. A review of the negative environmental education experience at an early age of children should be carried out to overcome the deprivation of environmental awareness and encourage children to approach learning. Transition practices should be sustained to help families and schools develop congruent expectations for children to acquire knowledge and abilities in all domains of learning. Key Words: Early environmental experiences, Maturation and readiness theory, Negative environmental education, behavioural problems, mental development, congruent expectations.