ABSTRACT
Economics is the bedrock of all social science and
management-based subjects. The poor performance of students in economic and
economics related subjects is therefore an issue of great concern to all
stake-holders such as parents, teachers and government. This research therefore
focuses on the influence of factors such as availability and unavailability of
physical facilities ( i.e. textbooks), parental control, students’ interest as
well as teachers’ level of competency on the academic achievement of senior
secondary school students in economics. The researcher found out that students’
performance in economics and economics related in senior secondary certificate
examination (S.S.C.E) in 2011 was poor. While descriptive survey design was
employed since the study aims at considering the relationship between students’
academic performance in WASCCE 2011 and the aforementioned factors, the study
randomly selected thirty (30) respondents of twenty-five senior secondary
school students and five teachers from each of the five sample schools
selected, making up a total of 150 sample subjects. A self-constructed
questionnaire titled:
Analysis/Evaluation of students’ performance in economics and other
related, was constructed and personally administered by the researcher.
Responses to the research instrument were coded and scored by the researcher to
ensure correctness. Data analysis was however done using mean item score tool
(MIS). Proper recommendations were made to government and educational planners
to have at the back of their mind when planning economics curriculum, the
importance of factors such as the availability of physical facilities, parental
control and discipline, students’ interest as well as the competency level of
teachers, as they will go a long way either to make or mar the performance of
students.
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
Pages
Title Page i
Certification ii
Dedication iii
Acknowledgement iv
Abstract v
Table of Content vi
Chapter One 1
Introduction 1
1.1 Background
to the Study 2
1.2 Statement
of problem
3
1.3 Purpose
of the Study 4
1.4 Research
Methodology
5
1.5 Research
Question
6
1.6 Research
Hypotheses
7
1.7 Significance
of the Study
7
1.8 Limitations
of the Study
8
1.9 Expected
Contribution to knowledge 8
1.10
Operational
definition of terms 9
Chapter Two Literature Review 2.1
Introduction
11
2.2 Students’ Interest and Performance 11
2.3 Sex and Academic Performance 12
2.4 School Location
and Performance 13
2.5 School Type and
Performance 13
2.6 Socio – Economic
status as it influences Performance
13
2.7 Effect of Home
Environment on Students’ Achievement
21
2.8 Empirical
Evidence on Academic Performance and Attitude of Learning 24
2.9 Background on
Attitude to Learning 28
Chapter Three
Research Methodology 3.1
Introduction
30
3.2 Research
Design
31
3.3 Population of the Study 31
3.4 Sample and Sampling Procedures 32
3.5 Research Instrument
33
3.6 Validity and Reliability of Instrument 33
3.7 Administration of Instrument
33
3.8 Method of Data Collection
34
3.9 Data Analysis 34
Chapter Four
Data Analysis and Interpretation
of Results 4.1
Introduction
35
4.2 Presentation of Results 35
4.2.1 Analysis of
Research Questions 37
4.3 Hypotheses Testing
52
4.4 Discussion on Findings
55
Chapter Five
Summary, Conclusions and Recommendations 5.1
Summary
58
5.2 Conclusions
59
5.3 Recommendations
61
References
Appendix
65
CHAPTER
ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND
TO THE STUDY
Economics as
a Social Science subject in the Nigerian Secondary school curriculum occupies a
pride of place. Although the much emphasis laid on Mathematics and English
language has made these subjects very important, Economics and other related
subjects have also gained a lot of popularity, especially among secondary
school leavers seeking admission to higher institution of learning where there
are very few spaces for the very many candidates sitting for the various annual
entrance examinations.
Generally, tertiary
institutions nowadays places their requirements as credit passes in Mathematics
and English language and any other three of Economics, Commerce, Account,
Government and/or Geography for students seeking admission into faculty of
Social Science or Management Sciences. This fact therefore, places a lot of
importance on Economics and other related subjects. It should however be noted
that the level of achievement in these subjects areas largely depends on
availability of physical school facilities as well as materials such as
textbooks, parental discipline and control, the level of interest shown by the
students, the level of competency on the path of the teachers, school location and type, among other things. Since
the average Nigerian child does not get formal education until age six, it is
expected that his/her behaviour and attitude should be patterned by the socialization
received from home; this is where parental influence affects the academic
performance of the child. The child’s level of interest in subject increases
when he/she has been prepared towards the challenges and with the help of
competent teachers who are already on ground to continue from where the parents
stopped as well as the availability of teaching materials, the student is expected
to excel, not only in Economics but in all other subjects.
From the
limited evidence available, Henderson and Map (2002) draw convincing conclusion
as to the qualities of successful school effort to engage families. These
qualities (such as building a foundation of trust and respect, correcting
parent-engagement strategies to learning objectives in Economics and reaching
out to engage parents beyond the schools) are found in schools where parental
involvement is measurably high. Swap (1993) concluded that effective parental
engagement must be comprehensive in nature, with the schools consistently
interacting with parents at many venues, over the course of the schooling
years.
Adeyemi
(2000) noted that the level of students in subjects such as Economics is
perhaps the most important factor to success in the WASSC examination. He went
further to say that if a child develops interest in Economics from the first
senior secondary class, i.e. S.S.1 where the rudiments of the subject is
taught, such a child would have gotten a good grasp of the subject matter and
as such will excel at WASSCE level. Adeyemi also stated that the other factors
such as the teacher’s level of competency in Economics, availability of
facilities and teaching materials also have great roles to play.
The factors
stated above all have positive and/or negative effects on the child’s
performance when he/she sits for the final West African Senior Secondary
Certificate Examination in Economics. Owing to the awareness and attraction the
WASSCE has drawn coupled with the fact that economics and other related
subjects cannot be over-looked, it therefore becomes significant to evaluate
and analyze the effects of these militating factors to the outcome of students’
performance in WASSCE 2011 Economics. Irrespective of the natural ability
of a child in subjects related to
calculation which is seen to positively give rise to good grades in Economics
and related subjects, parental influence, availability of school facilities,
teaching and learning materials (textbooks) all have significant influence in
shaping the overall performance of the child as far as WASSCE Economics is
concerned.
1.2 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
Researchers
have observed a downward trend in academic performance of senior secondary school
students particularly in economics with reasons not far-fetched.
1.
Improper
teaching aids as well as inadequate teaching materials as provided by the
government of many state schools.
2.
Poor
parental influence which does not encourage the child to want to give in
his/her best to improve academic performance.
3.
Inadequate/
poor physical facilities in schools as a major factor to the decrease in grades
of students.
4.
The
problem of incompetent, inexperienced and unqualified teaching staff.
1.3
PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
The academic
performance of students in Economics and other related subjects is of great
concern to the parents, teachers, educational administrators and the government
as a whole. The purposes of this study therefore consist of the following;
· To examine the relationship between
students’ academic achievements and some of the militating factors such as
non-availability of teaching materials, parental control and discipline as well
as students’ interest and teachers’
competency.
· To evaluate and analyze the performance
of students, not just in Economics, but in other related subjects in WASSCE
2011.
·
To
make recommendations, where necessary, on the impact of non-availability of
proper teaching aids, poor parental control and discipline as well as students’
interest and teachers’ competency on the academic performance of students in
economic.
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
The study is
designed to investigate the following questions:
1.
How
will the non-availability of proper teaching aids such as textbooks as well as
other physical facilities affect the performance of students in economics in
WASCCE 2011?
2.
How
will proper parental discipline and control as well as students’ interest
affect the performance of students in economics in WASCCE 2011?
3.
How
will the employment of competent hands by schools affect students’ performance
in economics
1.5
RESEARCH HYPOTHESES
The following
null hypothesis will serve as guide in the course of the study:
Ho1: There is no significant relationship
between the availability or non-availability of proper teaching aids such as
textbooks and other physical facilities and good performance in economics in
WASCCE 2011.
Ho2: There is no significant relationship
between parental discipline and control as well as increased students’ interest
and good performance in Economics in WASCCE 2011.
Ho3: There will be no significant
relationship between improved performance in WASCCE 2011 and employment of
competent teachers.
1.6 SIGNIFICANCE
OF THE STUDY
This research project is aimed
at analyzing and evaluating the performance of students in the WASCCE 2011
Economics and other related subjects in Yaba Local Government Area of Lagos
State. Hence, the study will be of immense benefit to researchers, teachers,
counselors, government and parents on how to help students improve on their
academic performance particularly in Economics in the following ways:
1.
It examines the
roles that should be played by the government, school administrator, teachers
as well as the family on how best to help the student achieve better grades in
Economics and other related subjects
2.
It will help
parents to know the level of their child/ward’s performance vis-à-vis their
influence
3.
The study will
finally broaden the knowledge of students on the importance of improved
academic performance
4.
The study will
further enlighten analysts on the importance of economics as a tool for
analyzing basic economic problems of the society.
1.7 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY
This study is
limited to some secondary schools in Yaba Local Government Area of Lagos State.
The schools are;
·
Aje
Comprehensive High School, Sabo-Yaba.
·
Mobolaji
Bank-Anthony Senior Secondary School, Yaba.
·
Birrel
Avenue High School, Sabo-Yaba, Lagos.
·
Onike
Girls’ High School, Onike, Yaba.
·
Western
College, Yaba.
1.8 EXPECTED CONTRIBUTION TO KNOWLEDGE
The research
will, among other things, make the following contributions to knowledge: -
1.
It
will serve as encouragement for students to strive hard so as to achieve better
grades in Economics and other related subjects in WASSCE.
2.
The
project will help educational administrators to begin to look for ways of
helping students achieve better grades, not just in mathematics and English
language alone, but in subjects like Economics, commerce e.t.c.
3.
For
teachers, the research work will encourage them to want to go for further
teacher training courses which will help improve their abilities and build up
new and effective teaching styles.
4.
Finally,
the research will serve as a reference text for authors intending to embark on
research work of this nature in future.
1.9 OPERATIONAL
DEFINITION OF TERMS
The following
terms are operationally defined for the purpose of this research;
Academic Performance: This research considers academic
performance as the performance of the students in Economics in their continuous
assessment as well as in S.S.C.E.
Result:
In this research, results refer to the outcome of students’ performance
in S.S.C.E examination.
Evaluation: To form an opinion of the quality
level of success in the S.S.C.E in economics after carefully analyzing it.
Analysis: This research defines analysis as a
detailed study of the S.S.C.E examination in economic to understand it better.
WAEC: An acronym for West African Examination Council.
WASSCE: An abbreviation for West African
Senior Secondary Certificate Examination, an examination organized by WAEC.
SSCE: An acronym for Senior Secondary Certificate Examination
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