School Facilities and Academic Achievement in Government among Secondary School Students

School Facilities and Academic Achievement in Government among Secondary School Students

Abstract

The study was carried out to investigate School Facilities and Academic Achievement in Government among Secondary School Students in Eket Local Government Area. In other to realize the objectives of the study, three research questions were stated, and three null hypotheses were formulated in line with the research questions. A survey research design was used in the study while the population of the study comprises of all senior secondary school student offering Government in the study area making a total of two thousand one hundred and seventy (2170).

A simple random sampling method was used to select five schools (5) out of the seven (7) public secondary schools in the area. Also the same method was used to select fifty (50) government students from each of the schools selected for the study, making a total of two hundred and fifty (250) as sample size for the study. The student questionnaire tagged “school facilities availability impact questionnaire” which was constructed by the researcher was the instrument for data collection.

The instrument was validated by the supervisor while data collected for study was analyzed using Pearson Product Moment Correlation (PPMC) at 0.05 level of significance under 248 degree of freedom. All three research hypotheses were accepted, hence findings revealed that there is significant relationship between school library and academic achievement in government among secondary school students in Eket Local Government Area. There is significant relationship between school laboratory and academic achievement in government among secondary school students in Eket Local Government Area.

There is significant relationship between school play-ground and academic achievement in government among secondary school students in Eket Local Government Area. Based on the findings of the study, it was recommended that School administrators should ensure the availability of basic school infrastructures in their schools in other to enhance effective teaching and learning. Teachers in the process of interacting daily with the students should encourage them to make good and optimal use of the facilities provided in their schools.

School Facilities and Academic Achievement in Government among Secondary School Students

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the Study

Educationists and other well-meaning people have always maintained that education is the greatest legacy a nation can give to the citizens (Jeroh, 2007). Therefore, there is no better investment a nation could make than in education, this is why one should not remain indifferent to the lapses on our educational system. A good school facility supports the educational enterprises. Research has shown that clean air, good lighting, furniture and play-ground, quite, comfortable, and safe learning environment are important for  good academic performance of students (Cotton,2001, Schneider, 2002).

While factors such as student socio-economic status and parental involvement are among the most important predictors of the student academic performance, improving school facilities offers a feasible opportunity for improving academic performance. This has brought with it attendant problem such as inadequate school facilities and consequently poor academic performance of students. Okeke (2009), acknowledged this situation, when he asserted that with expansion of secondary schools in Nigeria, there has been a general out cry about the falling standard of education in the country as a whole.

School facilities play a vital role in the actualization of educational goals and objectives by satisfying the physical and emotional needs of the staff and students of the school. Henceforth, school facilities can be regarded as the items which makes teaching and learning possible in a school. In other words, school facilities can be referred to as the human and physical resources that are needed or used in the school in order to aid learning and teaching (Mwogka, 2015). By human resources, we mean the personal employed in the school to ensure learning.

They include the non-academic staff etc. who engage in different duties in other to make the school succeed (Nkang, 2002). On the other hand, physical facilities can be seen as those materials which can give help, support or comfort to the school organization, for example the library, chairs, textbooks, classrooms, chalkboard, sporting field, environment, etc. Here the education needs of the students are met by creating pleasant surroundings, a friendly atmosphere and an inspiring environment where academic endeavor can strive.

School Facilities and Academic Achievement in Government among Secondary School Students

1.2 Statement of the Problem

There are variations in the academic performance of secondary school students. Researchers have been trying to find out how these variations come about and what are responsible for them. The major factors that seems to contribute to poor academic performance researchers say is inadequate provision of educational facilities in schools, indeed the distinction between school facilities and academic performance of students is very thin, hence the need to carry out the study which is aimed primarily at investigating the impact of school facilities on academic performance of students in secondary schools.

1.3 Purpose of the Study

The main purpose of the study was to investigate school facilities and academic achievement in government among secondary school students in Eket Local Government Area. Specifically, the study sought to;

1. investigate the impact of school library on academic achievement among secondary school students in Eket Local Government Area.
2. Investigate the relationship between school laboratory and academic achievement among secondary school students in Eket Local Government Area.
3. Assess the relationship between school play-ground and academic achievement among secondary school students in Eket Local Government Area.

1.4 Research Questions

The study sought to provide answers to the following questions;

1. To what extent does school library impact academic achievement in government among secondary school students in Eket Local Government Area?
2. To what extent does school laboratory relate with academic achievement in government among secondary school students in Eket Local Government Area?
3. How does school play-ground relate with academic achievement in government among secondary school students in Eket Local Government Area?

1.5 Research Hypotheses

The following null hypotheses were formulated to guide the study;

1. There is no significant relationship between school library and academic achievement in government among secondary school students in Eket Local Government Area.
2. There is no significant relationship between school laboratory and academic achievement in government among secondary school students in Eket Local Government Area.
3. There is no significant relationship between school play-ground and academic achievement in government among secondary school students in Eket Local Government Area.

School Facilities and Academic Achievement in Government among Secondary School Students

1.6 Significance of the Study

The study was beneficial to the following group of people in the following ways;

1. School Administrator: School administrators would understand that essential facilities are necessary in their if meaningful academic progress is to be attained.
2. Teachers: The study would benefit teachers because they are in a better position to advice students on the ways use facilities in the school.
3. Parents: The findings of the study would help parents know those key school facilities that should be in school for proper teaching and learning of the child.
4. Students: From the findings of the study, students understand the need to use some of the facilities in their schools with the view of enhancing academic performance.
5. Researchers: The study would provide a source of literature review material for further study.

1.7 Limitation of the Study

During the process of undertaking the study, the researcher encountered the following problems which act as limitations to the study;

1. Time: the time allocated for the study was insufficient hence the researcher could not expand the scope of the study because of time constraint.
2. Fund: there was insufficient funds for the execution of the study, hence the study was limited to selected secondary schools in Eket Local Government Area.
3. Scarcity of Materials: There was insufficient materials for literature review during the study.

School Facilities and Academic Achievement in Government among Secondary School Students

1.8 Delimitation of the Study

The study investigated school facilities and academic achievement in government among secondary school students in Eket Local Government Area.

1.9 Definition of Terms

1. School: This is where students and teachers meet in a formal setting for the purpose of learning and teaching.
2. Student: This is a person who takes interest in learning some subjects in school.
3. Government: This is social science subject taught at the senior secondary school level
4. School Facilities: these are those equipment and tools which help in the facilitation of the teaching and learning process, eg. Buildings, laboratory, library, books, chalk board, etc.
5. Academic Achievement: this is the cumulative performance of students obtained through the administration of series of test.
6. School Library: this is a room within the school where books and other information seeking materials are stored for easy access by student users.
7. School Laboratory: this is secluded room within the school environment where science apparatus and chemicals are kept for students to learn practical.