SOCIAL CLASS AND EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES: A STUDY OF IKOT EKPENE LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, AKWA IBOM STATE, NIGERIA.

Children who live in low-income or informal housing may have limited access to educationalresources, including schools, libraries, and technology. In addition, the neighbourhood maynot be conducive for educational success, with limited safety and violence that affectlearning. These disparities in educational opportunities may result in lower educationalachievement and diminished future prospects for individuals, families and the society atlarge. This study examined the effect of social class and educational opportunities in IkotEkpene Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State. Anchored on class conflict theory, thestudy employed survey research design, primary and secondary source were used incollecting data from the population of 178697. The sample size used for this study was 342gotten from Taro Yamani formula. The study adopted stratified sampling techniques. Theinstrument for data collection was a structure items of questionnaire, designed in line withthe objective of the study. The data collected were analyzed using frequency tables, simplepercentages, Pearson Product Moment Correlation (PPMC) was used in testing thehypotheses. Findings from the study revealed that; there is a significant influence of incomestatus on educational opportunities in Ikot Ekpene Local Government; also, there is asignificant occupation on educational opportunities in Ikot Ekpene Local Government; thefinding also revealed that there is a significant influence of neighbourhood on educationalopportunities in Ikot Ekpene Local Government. The study recommended among others that,local governments and educational institutions should develop and promote financial aidprogrammes, scholarships, and grants specifically targeting low-income families. This canhelp alleviate the financial burden on parents and students, enabling them to pursueeducation without the fear of insurmountable costs.