Influence of Child Friendly Environment and Pupils Social Development in Primary Schools

Influence of Child Friendly Environment and Pupils Social Development in Primary Schools

 ABSTRACT

The study examined the influence of child friendly environment on pupils’ social development in primary schools in Etinan Local Government Area. Three null hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. Survey research design was adopted for the study.

Simple random sampling technique was used to select one hundred respondents. A structured questionnaire was used as an instrument for data collection. The data collected from the respondents were subjected to statistical analysis using Pearson Product Moment Correlation (PPMC).

The results revealed that availability of professional teachers, school facilities and pupils’ social involvement in school activities contributed significantly to their social development in primary schools in Etinan Local Government Area. Based on the outcome of the statistical analysis, the null hypotheses were rejected at 98 degree of freedom and .05 level of significance.

A number of recommendations were made, one of which is that adequate and professional teachers should be employed by government to teach at primary school level to boost the development of social skills among pupils. 

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      Limitations of the Study

1.8       Delimitation of the Study

1.9       Definition of Terms

CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

2.1       Availability of Professional Teachers and Pupils’ Social Development in Primary Schools

2.2       Availability of Adequate Facilities and Pupils’ Social Development in Primary Schools

2.3       Pupils’ Social Involvement in Activities in Schools and their Social Development

2.4       Summary of Literature Review

CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODS

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       Analysis of Data 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 

Influence of Child Friendly Environment and Pupils Social Development in Primary Schools

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1   Background to the Study

Education all over the world is acknowledged to be the most powerful and indispensable instrument for not only economic and political advancement but also for social development. Hence, the Federal Government of Nigeria has adopted education as an instrument for nurturing productive citizenry and fostering National Development (Ukpong, 2013).

The author maintained that for education to thrive there are key factors that need to be considered. These factors include school type, family background, classroom size, school facilities and teachers characteristic. As a matter of fact, from the above mentioned factors, the environment in which the school is situated can equally affects the social development and academic performance of learners.

However, the environment in which the school is located constitutes much to the survival of the child as no educational institution can thrive well in an unconducive environment or an environment where there is youth restiveness and anti-social vices. School is an environment which constitutes all that surrounds the learners in the course of learning.

The environment embraces such provision as good roads, electricity, well equipped laboratory, library and well ventilated classroom with manageable class size. It has been noted that as future leaders of this great nation Nigeria, children should be given the type of education that is capable of transforming their dreams into reality through the use of environment that is child friendly.

The current wave of violent crime and blatant disregard for moral values by most youth in our society is evidence of formal decay and inadequacies in teaching principles in the school environment. A child friendly environment however, can stimulate the learners in that certain things that are taught in abstract could be seen in a lively environment.

In view of this, some pupils that are facing difficulties due to lack of facilities in their school environments then to have shallow understanding of some concepts and low academic performance.  Miskel (2002) has observed that the environment which the school is located consist of the internal characteristics that distinguish one school from another and influence the behavior of the pupils.

The researcher further explain Childs’ friendly school environment to constitute pupils, teachers, administrators and even the pupils within the school as they work to balance the organizational and individual aspect of the school system. Thus when the school environment is Child friendly, children will develop socially and most of the evils disrupting our society would be halted. The present research will examine some of the aforementioned areas of child friendly environment as they affect the social development of pupils in primary schools.

1.2  Statement of the Problem

The issue of anti-social behavior among various people in our society has attracted serious criticisms by citizens of our society (Ukpong, 2003). Such delinquent behavior is known to begin from home, school and then generate to the wider society. The root causes of these vices according to some researchers could be traced to greed or discontentment.

Stealing, robbery, fighting, kidnapping, prostitution, laziness among others are some of the deviant behaviors that exert significant influence on our social development. There is no doubt that apart from the aforementioned factors, child friendly environment could also affect the social development of pupils positively in schools.

 It is as a result of the above reasons that the researcher is motivated to conduct a study on child friendly environment and social development of pupils in Etinan Local Government Area.

1.3  Purpose of the Study

The main purpose of the study has been to examine the influence of child friendly environment on pupils’ social development in Etinan Local Government Area. Specifically the study intends to:

1. Ascertain the relationship between availability of professional teachers and pupils’ social development in Etinan Local Government Area.
2. Assess the extent to which availability of adequate facilities could influence Pupils’ social development in Etinan Local Government Area.
3. Examine how pupils’ involvement in school social activities affects their social development in primary schools in Etinan Local Government area.

1.4   Significance of the Study

 The study would be of immense benefits to teachers, pupils, educationists, government, and researchers in the following ways;

1. It will reveal if child friendly environment certainly affect the social development of pupils and the teaching – learning process in general. This will assist in future decision about school development.
2. If it is ascertained that a child friendly environment promotes pupils’ social development, then government will see the need to locate schools in an environment that is teaching learning friendly.
3. It will further enlighten teachers on strategies to adopt in teaching aimed at developing the social behaviors of pupils.
4. The study will also serve as a reference manual for future researches on related issues.

1.5  Research Questions

The following research questions were raised with the purpose of the study.

1. How does school social environment such as availability of professional teachers relate to pupils’ social development in primary schools in Etinan Local Government Area?
2. To what extent does availability of facilities affect pupils’ social development in primary schools in Etinan Local Government Area?
3. What effect has pupils’ social involvement in school activities on their social development in primary schools in Etinan Local Government Area?

1.6  Research Hypotheses

The understated hypotheses were formulated to guide the study.

1. There is no significant relationship between availability of professional teachers and pupils’ social development in primary schools in Etinan Local Government Area.
2. Availability of facilities has no significant relationship with pupils’ social development in primary schools in Etinan Local Government Area.
3. There is no significant effect of pupils’ social involvement in school activities on their social development in primary schools in Etinan Local Government Area.

1.7  Limitations of the Study

In the course of the study, the researcher faced certain problems which threatened the success of this investigation. These were; insufficient funds, time frame allocated for the completion of the research work and researcher’s academic work load.

1.8  Delimitation of the Study  

The study was restricted to child friendly environment which includes aspect of school environment as well as social development in the environment.

1.9  Definition of terms

The following terms used in the study were defined by the researcher as follows:

Environment: This is the physical condition that the school exists in. It constitutes all what surround the learners in the course of learning. It is an organization where several children of various homes meet, hence offering them an opportunity for interaction and cooperation among them and the wider society.

Child Friendly Environment: This refers to a favorable interaction within the environment which is capable of inculcating right or acceptable social attitude to the child.

Social Development: This is the acquisition of the ability to behave in accordance with social expectation. It is also a progressive improvement through direct activity of the individual in the comprehension of the social heritage and the formation of flexible conduct pattern in conformity to this heritage

 Professional Teacher: This is an individual who has undergone a course of study and is duly certified by an institution recognized to train teachers.

School Facilities: These are educational materials which enable a skillful teacher to achieve a level of instructional effectiveness that exceeds what is possible when they are not provided.