Role of Cultural Capital in Enhancing Educational Performance of Students at Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu Alike, Southeast Nigeria

Aim: This study examines cultural capital and its perceived relationship with students’ academic performance and engagement at Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu Alike (AE-FUNAI) in Southeast Nigeria. Methods: Grounded in Pierre Bourdieu’s theory of cultural capital, the research examines how non-economic social assets such as cultural knowledge, skills, participation in traditional practices, and family and community influences relate to students’ academic experiences. Using a cross-sectional descriptive survey of 400 undergraduate students selected through stratified random sampling, data were collected with a structured four-point Likert-scale questionnaire and analysed with descriptive statistics (frequencies, percentages, means and standard deviations) in SPSS. Results: Respondents reported familiarity with diverse cultural practices, including traditional customs, language, music, and dance, and perceived these cultural resources as relevant to their academic motivation, study behaviour, and classroom participation. Respondents also perceived family attitudes, community participation and societal expectations as shaping their cultural capital and educational experiences, while unequal access to resources, unfamiliarity with academic norms, and language and communication barriers were identified as challenges to academic participation. Conclusion: The study concludes that students’ cultural resources should be recognised as part of the university’s institutional support for learning. Recommendation: The study recommends culturally responsive teaching, improved orientation and academic support, and more equitable access to university resources.