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A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF SCHOOL CHILDREN IN PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PRIMARY SCHOOLS

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1.    Background to the Study

          The early school in Nigeria, were established by the Christian Missionaries and the objective of the early Christian Missionaries was to convert the “Leaten” or the benighted Africans to Christianity via Education. The early Missionaries realized essential for a good orally and in uniting and also the importance of training preferably through the media of English and Local Language.

The First known school was established in 1843 by Mr. and Mrs. De Graft of the Methodist Mission in Badagry. There were fifty (50) Boys and Girls attending the school regularly. Rev. Samuel Ajayi Crowther and Rev. C.A. Gollmer accompanied Rev. Townsend back to Badagry in 1844 where they started a church, a school and a mission house. They equally started a school which was attended by 52 adults in 1846. The CMS moved to Abeokuta, thereby making it the first mission to move to the interior part of Nigeria. In Abeokuta, immediately they started two schools, for boys and the other for girls.

In 1846, the Presbyterian mission arrived at Calabar and established a station while the Southern Baptist Convention from American opened a school in Ijaye in 1853.

In 1855, another school was opened in Ogbomoso, so also, in Lagos. The Baptist mission spread to Abeokuta where elementary school was opened in 1955 under the supervision of Mrs. M.R Prest.

The Roman Catholic came in 1868 and established it’s first school and within few years had over 400 pupils.

By 1857, the Niger Mission opened a school at Gbede and Onitsha by Rev. S.A Crowther and Rev. J.C Taylor. Another at Iddo, then followed by others at Akassa and Bonny. Primary education was initially provided by the churches. Such Christian bodies include the Christ Missionary Societies, Catholic Church, Methodist Church, Seventh Day Adventist Church and the Baptist Christian Missionaries.

Immediately Nigerians got involved in their Regional Government, the interest of Local Government Authorities towards education increase and Local Authority Primary (L.A) Schools were established especially in the Western Region.

Initially, Public institutions were established by Local Authorities and they control affairs of such schools. Muslim schools were later introduced into the country and many Muslim Primary schools were established in the 50S and 60S.

It is worthy to note that some of the L.A. schools later offered free education while some non-governmental schools were paying tuition fees.

In the years, private institution becomes the common responsibility of individual and groups as government encouraged the establishment of such schools. Nowadays, in Nigeria, there are many private schools.

This research work is purposely meant to access the academic performances of learners in Public and Private Primary Schools in Isokan Local Government Area of Osun State.

1.2.    Statement of Problem

          Primary education is the foundation of all educational processes. It is a laudable level of Education aimed at producing children who would be literate especially in the 3Rs (Reading, Arithmetic and Religious Studies) plus writing.

          It is the purpose of this study to assess the academic performances of learners in both public and private primary schools in Isokan Local Government Area of Osun State.

1.3.    Purpose of the Study

          The purpose of this study is to find out and compare the academic performances of the pupils in the public and private primary schools within Isokan Local Government.

          This study will give suggestions towards what could make private and public primary schools achieve their purposes and functions effectively in the society.

          Besides, it is to suggest areas of further researches and recommendations which could later enhance successful achievement of primary schools’ aims and objectives.

1.4.    Research Questions

          To approach the study descriptively and empirically attempt will be made to address the issues raised in the following questions:

1.    Is there any significant difference between the male and female pupils’ academic performances in Private Schools?

2.    Is there any significance difference between the male and female pupils’ academic performances in Public Primary Schools?

3.    Is there any significant difference between the male and female pupils’ academic performances in Public and Private Schools?

1.5.    Hypothesis

          The following hypotheses were tested in this study:

1.    There is no significant difference between the academic performances of male and female pupils in private and public primary schools.

2.    There is no significant difference in academic performance between pupils in Private and Public Primary schools.

1.6.    Significance of the Study

          This study is of high significance because of the following reasons:

1.    It would serve as a reference point to the pupils, teachers, proprietors of schools and the Government. It is the belief of this researcher that they will accept and put into practice the recommendations by the writer for better achievement of educational goals in the public and private primary schools.

2.    The researcher also believes that the government would come in and aid the improvement of the academic performances of Private and Public Primary Schools in the Local Government Area.

3.    Apart from these, by the recommendations of the writer, the government would be able to identify problems facing either Public or Private Primary Schools and proffer relevant solutions to them.

4.    It will enable the government to formulate any policy on the establishment of primary schools.

5.    The researcher also believes that parents would equally rise up to aid the schools to enable their children to learn better.

6.    Above all, this research will enable the government to provide both financial and material assistance to enhance effective performances of pupils in our schools.

1.7.    Scope and Delimitation of the Study  

          The scope of this study is to find out the academic difference between the academic performances of male and female public and private primary schools.

          The research is limited to six randomly selected Private and Public Primary Schools in Isokan Local Government Area. In essence, the research samples three schools from Public and Private Primary Schools at least twenty pupils in each of the schools.

Definition of the Terms

          The following terms used in this report are defined connotatively.

1.    Academic Performance: This is extent to which a students has performed in his academic. The outcome of learners’ performances after learning and writing test.

2.    Assessment: This is the creating of a picture of development (Funds, Profile etc of an individual in some areas of interest up to given time).

3.    Early Childhood: Early childhood is the earliest period of childhood during which the child may be in school which means the age between 3-7 years.

4.    Public Schools: Public schools can be defined as schools owned and controlled by government either by paying tuition fees or tuition free (which is free education)

5.    Private Schools: Private school is administered by private individual or proprietor by changing tuition fees. They can also be owned by religious organizations.

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