SCHOOL TYPE AND STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN BIOLOGY AMONG SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS

SCHOOL TYPE AND STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN BIOLOGY   AMONG SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS 

ABSTRACT

The study examined school type and students’ academic performance in Biology among senior secondary school students in Uyo Local Government Area. Two null hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. The quasi-experimental research design was adopted. A sample of 180 students was selected using simple random sampling technique. Plain sheets were used in collecting the Biology Achievement Test scores of the students for statistical analysis. The Biology Achievement Test scores were subjected to statistical analysis using the t-test. The results of the analysis revealed that private senior secondary school students performed significantly better than their public school counterparts in Biology in Uyo Local Government Area. Equally, there was no difference in the academic performance of male and female students in Biology in public senior secondary schools in the study area. It was therefore recommended among others that public school teachers should be dedicated to their teaching as it is being done by their counterparts in private schools to enhance students’ performance.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION

1.1       Background to the Study

1.2       Statement of the Problem                  

1.3       Purpose of the Study                         

1.4       Significance of the Study                              

1.5       Research Questions                            

1.6       Research Hypotheses                         

1.7       Limitation of the Study                                 

1.8       Delimitation of the Study                              

1.8       Definition of Terms               

CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

2.1       The Concept of School Type 

2.2       Students’ Academic Performance in Private and

Public Secondary Schools                              

2.3              Private Schools and Students’ academic performance in

Biology                                                          

2.4       Gender and Students’ Academic Performance in Biology    -          

2.5       Summary of Literature Review                     

CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY

3.1       Area of the Study                                          

3.2       Research Design                                            

3.3       Population of the Study                                 

3.4       Sample and Sampling Technique       

3.5       Instrument for Data Collection                      

3.6       Validation of Instrument                               

3.7       Administration of Instrument                        

3.8       Method of Data Analysis                              

CHAPTER FOUR: ANALYSIS OF DATA AND DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS

4.1       Data Analysis and Results                 

4.2       Discussion of Findings                                  

CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY, RECOMMENDATIONS, AND CONCLUSION

5.1       Summary                                

5.2       Recommendations                             

5.3       Conclusion                                         

5.4       Suggestions for Further Studies        

References                                         

Appendix                                CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1       Background to the study

Education all over the world is acknowledged to be the most powerful and indispensable an instrument for not only economic and political advancement but also for progress in all spheres of human endeavor. Hence, the Federal Government of Nigeria has adopted education as an instrument for nurturing productive citizenry and fostering national development (Ukpong, 2003). These laudable and significant roles of education in the overall development led to the establishment of schools in all parts of the country as well as the initiation of the teaching-learning process which of course is the platform through which the goals and philosophy of education are promoted.

Moreover, in Nigeria before the advent of Western Education, the pattern of education was mostly informal. This system of education was often referred to as traditional or indigenous education which aims at preparing the child for social responsibilities, job orientation, political, moral, virtues and promotion of peace and order in the society. With the introduction of western education, parents expect their children to perform very high academically. Some parents prefer to send their wards to public and day schools because the cost is less while others prefer private and boarding schools which are a competitively high cost but good academic performance (Nwosu, 2003).

It is an incontrovertible fact that the type of school in which an individual enrolled exerts a great deal of influence on his/her personality, it is the general opinion of people that private schools are better in terms of the availability of human and physical facilities and consequently good students’ performance than public schools. This situation has made many parents to enroll their children in private secondary schools (Ezewu, 2003). He added that the poor academic performance of students is caused by a number of factors which cannot be divorced from the type of schools, teachers, students, parents and the government. The school has its role in imparting knowledge, inculcating moral values and skill. It is necessary therefore that what is taught in school, who it is taught and who should teach it and with what resources should meet the needs of the learners.

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Similarly, it is no exaggeration to say that critics do not see the need to improve upon students’ academic performance in boarding and day secondary schools. Professional bodies like the educationists, psychologists, sociologists, counselors and the social scientists that have a direct link with this group of individuals and their behaviours are optimistic, that there is a close link between school type and students’ academic performance in senior school certificate examination (Ibe, 2004). In this regard, therefore, there tends to be differences in the academic performance of students in private, boarding, public and day secondary schools in Biology in senior school certificate examination. However, this presents an area for investigation.

1.2       Statement of the Problem

There has been a lot of concern about the performance of our students in both internal and external examinations over the years. A number of factors have been enumerated by researchers in the past to have accounted for the dwindling nature of students’ performance in Biology in senior school certificate examination. Measures to remedy this unpleasant situation have long been proffered by scholars and researchers yet the poor performance of students in the subject has become a recurring feature in both internal and external school examinations.

However, there is no doubt, therefore, that the type of school in which an individual attained can influence his/her academic performance, thereby culminating into their poor academic performance. It is against this background that the researcher is motivated to undertake a study on school type and students’ academic performance in Biology among secondary school students in Uyo Local Government Area.

1.3       Purpose of the Study

The main purpose of this study was to examine school type and students’ academic performance in Biology among senior secondary school students in Uyo Local Government Area. Specifically, the study sought to:

1.         Examine students’ academic performance in Biology in private and public senior secondary schools in Uyo Local Government Area.

2.         Find out of there is a difference in the academic performance of male and female students in Biology in public senior secondary schools in Uyo Local Government Area.

1.4       Significance of the study

The results and findings of this study will be of immense the benefit to students, teachers, curriculum planners and researchers in the following ways:

1.         It will reveal whether the type of school an individual enrolled has an influence on his/her academic performance in senior school certificate examination.

2.         It will re-awaken the consciousness of teachers in public and day secondary schools to their professional commitment.

3.         The study will also help the public and prospective researchers that may wish to conduct research on related topics.

1.5       Research Questions

The following research questions were raised to guide the study:

1.                  What difference exists in the academic performance of students in Biology in private and public senior secondary schools in Uyo Local Government Area?

2.                  What difference exists in the academic performance of male and female students in Biology in public senior secondary schools in Uyo Local Government Area?

1.6       Research Hypotheses

The understated hypotheses were formulated to guide the study.

1.                  There is no significant difference in the academic performance of students in Biology in private and public senior secondary schools in Uyo Local Government Area.

2.                  There is no significant difference in the academic performance of male and female students in Biology in public senior secondary schools in Uyo Local Government Area.

1.7       Limitations of the Study

In the course of carrying out this research, the researcher faced certain problems which threatened the success of this investigation, these were:

Inadequate Funds: The lean financial resources at the disposal of the researcher affected the execution of the study to a wider extent.

Time: The time allocated for the completion of the project was too short and this posed a serious stress on the researcher.

Inadequate research materials: Research materials for the review of related literature regarding the topic were grossly inadequate and this affected the timely completion of the research work.

1.8       Delimitation of the Study

This study was delimited to school type and students’ academic performance in Biology among senior secondary school students in Uyo local government area, and did not extend its scope to other local government areas and subject areas.

1.9       Definition of Terms

The following terms used in the study were conceptualized by the researcher as follows;

School type: This represents private, public, boarding, day, single-sex and coeducational school

Private school: School owned by individual not government

Public school: School owned by a government

Students’ Academic Performance: This refers to the performance of students on taught the lesson as determined by their tests and examination scores