SCHOOL CHARACTERISTICS AND STUDENTS' ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN BUSINESS STUDIES IN ITU LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1      Background to the Study

School characteristic is an important factor in the teaching learning environment. School characteristics are seen as the total components of the school environment. It is the physical structure and internal facilities that contribute to academic performance of students in the school environment. School characteristics can be interchangeable with school environment factors. Several studies have been carried out on the influence of school characteristics on academic performance of students. Moreso, school characteristics such as class size, school environment, school facilities may influence students’ performances in the school. The characteristics can mar or motivate students’ performance.

According to Etokebe (2006) school characteristics such as school facilities, class size, school environment, inadequate textbooks, poor infrastructure, school location, poor school facilities and students attitude towards learning are characteristics that affect the students’ academic performance. School facilities play a vital role in the actualization of educational goals and objectives by satisfying the physical and emotional needs of the staffs and students of the school. Okeke (2007), acknowledged this situation, when he asserted that with expansion of secondary schools in Nigeria, there has been a general cry about the falling standard of education in the country as a whole. Over the years the performance of students has fallen in examination this is to say that the academic performance of most students were very poor. To achieve these goals a lot needs to be done in the academic performance of school system. To students, academic performance appears to have been affected by a myriad factor. These factors include school facilities. Henceforth school facilities can be briefly regarded to as the item which makes teaching and learning possible in a school.

Class size refers to an educational tools that can be used to describe the average number of students per class in a school (Adeyemi, 2008). As school population increases class size also increase, the performance of students becomes an issue. Kidney (2009) saw it as a tool that can be used to measure the performance of the education system.

According to Dror (2005), class size has become a phenomenon often mentioned in the educational literature as an influence of students feeling and achievement, an administration, quality and school budget.

School environment which include the classroom, libraries, technical workshops, laboratories, teachers’ quality, school management, teaching method etc. are variable that affect students’ academic performance (Ayayi, 2001 and Oluehukwu, 2001). Hence, school environment remains an important area that should be studied and well managed to enhance students’ academic performance.

1.2      Statement of the Problem

The main problem that attracted the attention of the researcher is the poor performance of students in Business Studies in Itu Local Government Area.

Experience has shown that when result of junior secondary school examination is released, it has been a mass failure in the subject of Business Studies in most of junior secondary school. One wonders what has constituted to this problem whether lack of conducive classroom, insufficient school facilities, unconducive school environment for learning among others. A good school facilities support the educational enterprises. Research has shown that clean air, good light and small quite comfortable, and safe learning environment are important for academic achievement (Cotton, 2001, Schneider, 2002).

Normal class size contribute greater to the students achievement. In relation to size, Stephaniuk (2001) reported that the rational utilization of classroom space depends upon class size. All Nigerian Conference of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPSS) recommended a maximum of forty (40) students per class for efficient and effective teaching.

A school physical environment includes the school building and the surrounding grounds, such as noise, temperature and lighting as well as physical or chemical agents. The alarming increase in the number of students with asthma is one problem that may, in part, be affected by poor physical conditions in school.

Therefore, this problem motivate the investigation into the effect of school characteristics on the academic performance of students in Itu Local Government Area.

1.3      Purpose of the Study

The main purpose was to examine school characteristics and students’ academic performance in Business Studies among junior secondary school students in Itu Local Government  Area.

Specifically, the study sought to:

(i)                  To investigate the difference in academic performance of students in Business studies in Itu Local Government Area based on class size

(ii)                 To assess the difference in academic performance of students in Business studies in Itu Local Government Area based on school library facilities

(iii)                To examine the difference in academic performance of students in Business studies in Itu Local Government Area based on learning environment.

1.4      Significance of the Study

This research work has the following significance;

(i)                  The findings of this study would guide government to motivate student’s by providing them with adequate school facilities

(ii)                 This study would be of help to the school administrators by encouraging them to improvise facilities to the students for effective learning.

(iii)                The findings would help students to be committed to their study with availability of materials and normal classroom space provided in the school.

(iv)               The study would enlighten teachers and school administrators on those motivational characteristics that affect teaching and learning process.

1.5      Research Questions

The following research questions are formulated to guide the findings;

(i)                  What is the difference in students’ academic performance in Business studies based on class size?

(ii)                 Do students differ in their academic performance in Business studies based on school library facilities?

(iii)                Do students differ in their academic performance in Business studies based on learning environment?

1.6      Research Hypotheses

The following null hypotheses were formulated to direct and guide the study;

(i)                  There is no significance difference in the academic performance in Business studies between students in small class size and those in large class size.

(ii)                 There is no significance difference in the academic performance in Business studies between students in school with well equipped library and those in poorly equipped library.

(iii)                There is no significance difference in the academic performance in Business studies between students from rural learning environment and urban learning environment.

1.7      Limitation of the Study

The limitation had to do with financial constraints which made the researcher unable to study all or a greater number of secondary school in the study area. Another constraint was time. Both the teachers and students in school studies were busy with serious academic activities which demanded their attention.

1.8      Delimitation of the Study

The study was restricted to Business studies students in junior public secondary school three (JSS3) in Itu Local Government Area. This study was covered the difference between class size, school facilities and school environment and students academic performance in Business studies in Itu Local Government Area.  

1.9      Definition of Terms

The following were defined in order for the reader to easily understand the contents of the write up:

-      School Characteristics: This refers to the total components of the school environment which include school libraries, class room, school building, instructional material among others.

-      Students Academic Performance: This is the total outcome of student effort in test, assignment and examination.

-      Secondary School: This is the next step after primary schools. It prepares post primary school students for tertiary institution.

-      School Facilities: This refers to the properties of the school such as classroom, building, library, chalkboard etc.

-      Class size: This is an educational tool that can be used to decide the average number per class in a school

-      Learning Environment: These are the physical location of the school such as rural schools environment and urban school environment.

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