Attitude of Parent Towards Advising Their Female Child's to Study Science Subject in Ondo State

Attitude of Parent Towards Advising Their Female Child’s to Study Science Subject in Ondo State

CHAPTER ONE

Objectives of the Study

To find out the performance in science subjects at Nigeria certificate of secondary education, for the female students enrolled in science based courses in tertiaiy institutions in Ondo state Nigeria
To identify attitude of parents towards female students enrolment in Science-based courses in tertiary institutions in Ondo state Nigeria
To find out the social-economic background of the female students enrolled in Science-based courses in tertiaiy institutions in Ondo state
To investigate how students factors influence their enrolment in Science-based courses in tertiary institutions in Ondo state Nigeria

CHAPTER TWO

LITERATURE REVIEW

Review of Literature

Gender disparity has persisted in education, post-secondary education, and careers (Clariana and Schultz, 1993; Bunderson and Christensen, 1995; Bryson et al., 1996; Beckam et al., 1999; Broos, 2005). Although education and careers in Science, Technology and Science based (Simpson, 1996) are open to females and males and, more specifically, that females are as capable as males in these education and career areas (Penny and Kelly, 1990; Wilson, 1999; Cowley and Easton, 1999), low female participation persists (Fullan 1990; Gaskell, Eyre, Oberg and McLaren, 2007; Scheibinger, 2007; Wilson, 2007; Acker, 2009;Gattiker, 2009; Shakeshaft, 2009; UNS, 2009).Chen[1985] observes that although legislation and social change have been demonstrated equality is yet to be completely established. These persistence of these have been attributed to different factors.

For example in North America, the persistence of female gender disparity has been described as being connected to historical roots in regard to beliefs and gender stereotypes and bias. These beliefs have been used as justification for different education and career paths for males and females (Phillips, 2008). The historical record in Nigeria shows females are counselled away from non-traditional educational programs (Odipo, 2005), concentrated in educational fields leading to low-paid jobs (Heitlinger, 2007, Probert and Wilson, 2007), and given different curricula than males (Acker, 2009). Women have also had unequal opportunities to participate in science (Hanson, 1996). Most of these practices were documented in the late eighties and early nineties. Over two decade have passed since many of these more recent issues were documented, and yet female gender disparity persists. According to Scott (2008), similar questions need to be asked, such as “Why are young women staying away from these fields when high-tech and knowledge-based industries have a huge demand for people educated in these disciplines”? According to Shashaani (1994a), there should be serious concern for low female participation in some field. He argues that without women in these fields, we lose 50% of the available brain power when we need all the brains we can get.

Academics are not alone in the quest to answer such questions. Females were once blocked entry into even the management of technology (United Nations Publication, 1995, p. 84). Recent research has been performed and articles written on female gender disparity across multiple disciplines in areas such as: sociology (Hacker, 1990; Hall and Cooper, 1991; Fraser, 1996; Kearlsey and Lynch, 2004; Faludi, 2009), business (Kanter and Nichols, 1994), history, anthropology, and women in science (Ogilvie and Meek, 1996), education (Gaskell et al., 2007; Lawton; 2007), enrolment (Gaskell et al., 2007, Franklin, 2001), and women’s studies (Barad, 2004). Although it is now acknowledged that gender disparity persists, there is a gap in the literature as to why persistence continues.

Gender disparity has also been investigated in relation to various issues and topics including technology and employment (Sandhfi and Sandler, 1986). Analysis has been directed towards changes in the role of women in relation to the traditional role of women (Heitlinger, 2007), and changes in socially constructed norms of behaviour of women and law. Organizations have formed to support women in non-traditional occupations. Established organizations have integrated women into non-traditional occupations such as the military (Hess and Miura, 2007). The fore mentioned scholarly inquiries are highly relevant in regard to the education of females because the role of women in society, and the social struggle for equality, changed many adults’ perception of what female students’ education should consist of.

The separation of male and female students in regard to career choice appears to be an artificial boundary and yet breaking this boundary is important in order to address gender disparity as it is in relation to die education of female students, and the experiences of female students in secondary education science and mathematics. This thin veneer separating female in relation to male is moot in terms of gender but not so in terms of hierarchy of responsibility. In regard to why any males would collude against a female, as depicted by Lee (2003), raises the issue that some males deem gender a grouping sufficiently defined so that they may draw lines in the sand and discriminate against women in positions of authority, for their own self interest.

The findings of discrimination against females are serious. Academic research has already been focused on removing barriers to women’s equal participation (Newman, 1995). Academics have analyzed economic and social barriers (Benston, 1998). The removal of barriers to education and careers, it remains unclear why female gender disparity persists in schools and post-secondary education, in the physical science and mathematics subjects and technology (including ICT), which lead to careers in these fields. Whereas education precedes most careers and vocations (Heitlinger, 2007), and female gender disparity persists in physical science and mathematics, and female gender disparity has been observed concurrently in education and careers, a gap in the literature in relation to why female gender disparity persists in enrolment education, knowledge and access need to identified.

The researcher has considered this area to be a location to begin the inquiry because it is reasonable to consider that the future prospects regarding the careers of females begin, as they do for all students, during their education years. Although one may state that education is for all students equally, given the persistence of female gender disparity in science and technology, it has not been clear how female gender disparity is being manifested, and whether it is political, social, or a combination of both. Although this were not clear, it is clear that female gender disparity is an educational leadership issue that should be a priority for resolve.

CHAPTER THREE

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY

Research design

The study adopted a descriptive survey research design because such issues are best investigated through survey research design (Kerlinger, 1986) and hence the choice. The study was concerned with ascertaining factors that influence the enrolment of the female Science-based students in the tertiary level colleges in Ondo state.

Target Population

The target population constituted of all the female students enrolled in science based courses in and the of tertiary institutions in Ondo state principals of these tertiary institutions.

CHAPTER FOUR

DATA ANALYSIS AND RESULT PRESENTATION

Influence of performance of female students in Science subjects at Nigeria Certificate of Secondary Education (NECO) on their enrolment in Science- based courses in tertiary institutions in Ondo state, Nigeria

The first objective of the study was to find out the performance in science subjects at

WAEC for the female students enrolled in science based courses in tertiary institution in Ondo state, Nigeria. This was formulated into a research question stating “what is the performance in science subject at (Nigeria certificate of secondary education)

WAEC for the female students enrolled in Science based courses in tertiary institutions in Ondo state, Nigeria.

The overall performance of female students in Science subjects in relation to the expected performance in the subject in at Nigeria certificate of secondary education (NECO) is shown in the Table 4.1. The figure indicate that most of the students score C in Chemistry (68%) and Biology (63%) and grade D in Physics (50%) whole equal number of students scored grade C and D (40%) in Mathematics. On the other hand majority of the students expected to score grades B in Chemistry (50%), Biology (40%) and Physics (37%) while most of the students expected a score of C in Mathematics. When the differences in the score of students in Science subjects was subjected to statistical chi-square test, there were significant differences in the actual scores from the expected scores (x² = 19.874, df = 3, p = 0.0001). The overall trend was that most students scored lower grades in Science subjects than expected.

CHAPTER FIVE

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, DISCUSSIONS AND CONCLUSIONS

Summary of findings

The major findings from this study were:

Many female students opted for Science based courses since they liked the course, others enjoyed the prospect of being an Science based courses while the highest number of students in mechanical Science based Course decided to take the course because they believed that it was prestigious. However, this is not reflective of then- ability in the subject. All the students in the field of Science based courses undertook field attachments despite dominance of theoretical approach to learning but still had confident with the ability of the institution to provide good learning to the students. It was established that the students undertook their industrial attachments in good industries such as in Science based Course firms, Science based Course contractors and in the manufacturing industries, but also some somewhat suitable areas such as in the government offices and artisanal firms. In terms of syllabus coverage, the students believed that course in terms of coverage, theoretical content, context, time allocation and overall coverage was adequate to prepare them for the Science based courses course but doubted the practicality.

Discussion

Performance in the past exams

The problem arising from negative perception of the Science based Course fraternity stems from the perception that past performance covered in the tertiary institutions differs substantially with the practical requirement for effective Science based Course practices. In order to perform well in a course, the learner needs to be interested and understand the concepts that are dealing with (Kroft et al., 2006). First, the female students were asked why they preferred to study Science based courses at the tertiary institutions. The results indicated that many female students opted for Science based courses since they liked the course (82.1%), others enjoyed the prospect of being in a Science based courses (90.0%) while the highest number of students in Science based Course (98.0%) decided to take the course because they believed that it was prestigious. Lower percentage nevertheless opted for the Science based Course because they passed their exams (35.2%) and persuasion from the parents (44.2%). On the contrary, lower proportion of die student chose Science based Course because of: lack of alternatives (2.0%), peer pressure (3.1%) as well as a bridge to further pursue other courses (5.8%).

Conclusions of the findings

The curriculum demand was found to be suitable in tertiary colleges, yet students did not seem to have covered the past performance adequately, most of them having dealt with much theoretical aspects of the courses. This seemed to affect the competence of the local tertiary level institutions trainees.
The socio-economic factors such as father’s levels of income, number of siblings and income of the parents were the main socio-economic factors affecting the enrolment in Science based courses of Science based courses among the female
The perception of the female towards Science based courses was generally positive and many opted for the course because they had confident in
There were institutional challenges that affected the local tertiary institutions including poor management, lack of basic facilities and generally poor working environment

Recommendations for policy decision

Based on the foregoing discussion of the findings and conclusion, the following implications and recommendations are offered.* •

The government of Nigeria should establish a clear outline aimed at regulating the learning resources for Science based courses at the tertiary institutions. This will enable the tertiary institutions to have appropriate and standard resources for the teaching of the
The government should set aside a given percentage of the funds to each tertiary level college through the Ministry of Higher Education to facilitate the implementation of the practical training
The government should provide resources that will eliminate various problems constraining the effective implementation of the practical programmes in the tertiary institutions. They should strengthen the overall capacity of the training institutions to train people on implementation of the overall Science based Course
The tertiary institutions should have a capacity to develop their own Science based Course training firms that has competent authorities to run them so that they can provide practical orientation to the students in Science based courses.
The tertiary institutions should always organise exchange programmes between themselves and students from the tertiary level colleges in an open discussion and practical learning forum to enhance the practical skills of the Science based courses.

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