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RELATIVE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCES OF SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN SCHOOL CERTIFICATE MATHEMATICS & ENGLISH LANGUAGE

ABSTRACT

The study examined the relative academic performances of secondary school students in school certificate Mathematics and English language among secondary school students in Enugu North, Enugu State. Subjects for the study were fifty (50) students and fifty (50) teachers randomly drawn from four secondary schools in Enugu North Local Government Area of Enugu state. Questionnaire was used to collect relevant data for the study. Percentages and Chi-square were used to analyze the research questions. Responses of teachers showed that teachers’ qualification and students’ environment do not influence students’ poor performance but teachers’ methods of teaching influence poor academic performance. Students’ response on the other hand showed that while teaches’ qualification and students’ environment influence students’ poor performance teacher methods of teaching and learning materials do not. The implications of these findings for secondary school guidance counselors interested in counseling adolescents for good academic performance were discussed.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

The differential scholastic achievement of students in Enugu North has been and is still a source of concern and research interest to educators, government and parents. This is so because of the great importance that education has on the national development of the country. All over the country, there is a consensus of opinion about the fallen standard of education in Enugu State (Adebule, 2004).

Parents and government are in total agreement that their huge investment on education is not yielding the desired dividend. Teachers also complain of students’ low performance at both internal and external examination. The annual release of Senior Secondary Certificate Examination Result (SSCE) conducted by West African Examination Council (WAEC) justified the problematic nature and generalization of poor secondary school students’ performance in different school subject. For instance, the percentage of failure compared with students who passed English language and Mathematic between 2004 to 2008 is shown below.

Table 1: The West African Examination Council (WAEC) performance in the senior school certificate examination: May/June, 2004-2008: Mathematics.
YEAR TOTAL NO OF CANDIDATE CREDIT 
A1- C6% PASS 
P7 –P8% FAIL F9%
2004 1019524 33.97 28.16 34.47
2005 1054853 38.20 25.36 34.41
2006 1149277 41.12 31.09 24.95
2007 1249024 46.75 26.72 24.24
2008 1049172 51.10 30.10 20.92
Source: Statistics Office, WAEC, Enugu Nigeria (2009)
Table 1: The West African Examination Council (WAEC) performance in the Senior School Certificate Examination: May/June, 2004-2008: English 
YEAR CREDIT 
A1-C6% FAIL F9%
2004 29.59 37.71
2005 25.36 36.93
2006 34.48 29.65
2007 29.94 26.54
2008 32.81 29.41
Source: Statistic Office, WAEC, Enugu, Nigeria (2009)

Poor academic performance according to Aremu (2003) is a performance that is adjudged by the examinee/test and some other significant as falling below an expected standard, poor academic performance has been observed in school subjects especially Mathematics and English language among secondary school students (adesemowo, 2005). Aremu (2000) stress that academic failure is not only frustrating to the students and the parents, its effects are equally grave on the economy and politics.

Education at secondary school level is supposed to be the bedrock and the foundation towards higher knowledge in tertiary institutions. It is an investment as well as in instrument that can be used to achieve a more rapid economics, social, political, Technological, scientific and cultural development in the country.

The National policy on Education (2004) stipulated that secondary education is an instrument for national development that fosters the worth and development of the individual for further education and development, general development of the society and equality of education opportunities to all Nigerian children, irrespective of any real or marginal disabilities.

To role of secondary education is to lay the foundation for further education and if a good foundation for further education and if a good foundation is laid at this level, there are likely to be no problem at subsequent levels. However, different people at different times have pass the blame of poor performance in secondary school to students because of their low retention, parental factors, association with wrong pees, low achievement, low achievement motivation and the likes (Aremu & sokan 2003; Aremu & oluwole 2001; Aremu, 2000).

Morakinyo (2003) believe chat the falling level of academic Achievement is attributed to teacher’s non-use of verbal reinforcement strategy. Other found out that the attitude of some teaches to their job is reflected in their poor attendance to lessons. Lateness to school, unsavory comments about student’s performance that could damage their ego, poor method of teaching and the like affect pupils’ academic performance. 

The question therefore is what is the cause of this fallen standard and poor academic performance of students? Is the fault entirely that of teaches or students or both of them? Is it that students of today are non-achievers because they have low intelligent quotient and a good neural mechanism, to be able to act purposefully, think rationally and deal effectively with academic tasks? Or is it because teaches are no longer putting in much commitment as before? Or is it in teachers’ method of teaching and interactions with pupils? Or is it poor performance of students caused by parent’s neglect, separation and poverty? The present study therefore sought to find out students and teachers’ perception of the causes of poor academic performance among secondary school students in Nigeria.

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

The study sets out clearly among other things to: finding out whether there is significant difference between methods of teaching and academic performance, qualification or teachers and academic performance, and student’s environment and poor academic performance.

RESEARCH QUESTIONS

This research will attempt to answer the following questions:

1. What is the perception of teachers on students, poor academic performance and teachers qualification?

2. What is students perception on teaches, qualification and students poor academic performance? 

3. What is the perception of teachers on student poor academic performance and teaches method of teaching?

4. What is students perception on their poor academic performance and students poor performance?

5. What is the students perception on students environment and poor academic performance?