COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT OF STUDENTS IN BIOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS
COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT OF STUDENTS IN BIOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS
ABSTRACT
The study investigated on “The Comparative Analysis of the Academic Achievement of Students in Biology and Chemistry in Secondary Schools in Nsit Ubium Local Government Area.” Two research hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. Survey research design was adopted for the study. The population of the study comprised of all senior secondary school one (SSS1) students is the research area.
Simple Random Sampling Technical was used in selecting the sample size of 200 students. Students’ Test/Examination Scores (STES) was the instrument used in data collection. The method used in analyzing the data so collected was independent t-test statistical method. The result from the findings revealed that the academic achievement of biology and chemistry students in boarding schools is far better than the performance of their counterparts in Day schools.
Similarly, the academic achievement of Biology and Chemistry students in private schools is far better than that of their counterpart in public schools. Thus, it was recommended that Educational policies, programmes and implementation should be made uniform to help close the gap between private and public school as well as boarding and day schools and also government should provide trained teachers, sufficient teaching and learning aids and conducive school environment to public secondary schools.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study
The achievement of students in any academic task has always been special interest to educationist, parents and society at large. The primary concern of any educator who is entrusted with responsibility of selecting students from advanced training programme in a given field is the ability to estimate as accurately and as early as possible the probability that such candidate will succeed or fail.
The major obstacle to the development of education in Akwa Ibom State is persistence poor academic achievement of students in secondary school certificate (SSCE) and Joint Admission and Matriculation Examination (JAMB). The poor academic achievement is so great that it has become necessary for students to pass the number of required subjects for admission into tertiary institution at once (Ayayi 2001). Government, parents and guardians are complaining about this situation.
Mass failure of students in external examinations has been attributed to a number of factors such as, poor reading culture of students, peer group influence, etc.
Many parents prefer to enroll their children in boarding secondary schools than day schools where better academic achievement is guaranteed for their children. It also appears that some parents believe that children cannot perform very well academically in mixed schools.
To end this, many of them will prefer to register their children in single sex school for Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) to enhance better academic achievement according to Colemen (2001) many parents believe that the academic achievement of students in boarding schools for the Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE)
It is generally believe that, most of the public secondary Schools are not doing well in terms of students’ academic achievement as a result of their inefficiency in the provision of good learning environment, teaching effectiveness and quality and qualified teachers.
COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT OF STUDENTS IN BIOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS
1.2 Statement of the Problem
Academic achievement in science is a function of both human and environment variables. Over the years, students’ academic achievement in Biology and Chemistry was experiencing a downward surge especially in Public examinations such as the senior School Certificate Examination (NECO/WAEC) as well as Joint Admission and Matriculation Examination (JAMB).
This situation has affect many candidates who fail to secure admission into Universities, Polytechnics and Colleges of Education to read courses in medicine, micro-biology, pharmacy and other science based professions. Hence this study is carried out to investigate and compare the academic achievement of Biology and Chemistry Students in Nsit Ubium Local Government Area.
1.3 Purpose of the Study
The study comparatively studied the academic achievement of students in Boarding and Day schools as well as Private and Public schools.
The study aims at achieving the following specific objectives:
- To compare the academic achievement of Biology and Chemistry students in Boarding and Day Schools.
- To compare the academic achievement of Biology and Chemistry students in Public and Private Schools
1.4 Significance of the Study
The study will be significant in the following ways;
- It will enable the government to understand the reasons for difference in academic achievement of students in Boarding and Day schools.
- The study will provide base-data for future research.
- It will enable parents to really understand whether students taught in boarding schools would perform academically better in Biology and Chemistry that those taught in Day schools.
- It will enable educational administrators especially in science to re-strategize in their question for qualitative education and to organize Biology and Chemistry teachers both at boarding and day schools, public and private schools towards improvement of academic achievement of students in their respective schools.
1.5 Research Questions
The following research questions were formulated to guide the Study.
- Is there any significant difference in the academic achievement of Biology and Chemistry students in boarding day schools in Nsit Ubium Local Government Area.
- Is there any significant difference in the academic achievement of Biology and Chemistry students in Private and Public Schools.
1.6 Research Hypothesis
The following null hypothesis were formulated to guide the study
- There is no significant difference between the academic achievement of Biology and Chemistry students in Boarding schools and Day schools in Nsit Ubium Local Government Area.
- There is no significant difference between the academic achievement of Biology and Chemistry students in Private and Public School in Nsit Ubium Local Government Area.
1.7 Scope/Delimitation
The study focuses in comparing the academic achievement in boarding and day schools as well as private and day schools in Biology and Chemistry in Nsit Ubium Local Government Area.
1.8 Limitations of the Study
The period allocated for the completion of the study was not enough to allow the researchers to widen the scope of the study. Also finance posed a serious constraint to the study coupled with other logistics.
1.9 Definition of Terms
Day Students: These are the students who attend school from home
Boarding Students: These are the students who stay in boarding house inside the school.
Private School: a school that receives no money from the government and where the education of the students is paid for by their parents.
Public School: A free local School paid for by the government.
Academic Achievement: This refers to the formularize assessment of a student in a particular subject or the summative evaluation of students’ activities in the entire school.
