Evaluating the Factors Affecting the Performance of Fct Students in English Language
CHAPTER ONE
Objective of the Study.
In line with the above, the purpose of this study is to Evaluate the factors affecting the performance of FCT students in English language.
The specific objectives of the study include:
- To know the trend of performance of the students in English Language in NECO examination.
- To determine who is responsible for the poor performance of the students in English Language in NECO examination.
- To examine the factors responsible for students poor performance in English Language in NECO examination.
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
This chapter examines the following:
Theoretical Framework.
Track of Mass Failure
Empirical Studies.
Factors affecting Poor Performance of Students in English Language in NECO Examination.
Examination Malpractice
Effects of Poor Performance of students;
The Way Out
Government intervention in Education
The importance of English Language.
A brief look at NECO.
Summary of Reviewed Literature.
The poor performance recorded in the English Language in the secondary schools over the years is a perennial problem. The fact that English Language is the most important subject in the secondary school curriculum is uncontestable Jessica, (2011). The English Language is a basis on which students can understand his or her teacher in almost all subjects effectively. On this premise then, a secondary school student needs a firm grasp of the English Language. This becomes imperative as English is one of the core – subjects which a student must pass at credit level in any external examination such as NECO or WAEC before he or she could be granted admission into any tertiary institution.
Given the importance of English Language as a subject, common sense dictates that students should perform well in it. The statistics of results performance from NECO however revealed that only a fraction of candidates from various secondary schools across the country passed at credit level annually.
Theoretical Framework.
Two different theories are used in this study. These are: Behaviorism theory and Critical Theory
Behaviorism Theory
This investigation is based on the behaviorism theory which was first developed in the 1920s and 1930s by psychologists such as Skinner, Pavlov and Thorndike. According to Muijs and Reynolds (2007), this theory emphasizes change in behavior as the main outcome of a learning process. Muijs et al (2007) further explain that the behaviorist theory is also concerned with how external stimuli affect learning. Using experimental methods, behaviorists looked at how behavior can be conditioned, for example, by providing rewards and punishments.
This investigation was based on the belief that learning is marked by changes in behavior as the main outcomes.
As a result, the present study was preoccupied with addressing the concern of students’ poor performance in English Language in NECO Examination by first looking at some of the variables that may affect learning. As stated by Muijs et al (2007) the following are some of the variables that can bring out desired outcomes in any learning area according to the Behaviorist Theory: external stimuli, provision of rewards and punishments, thinking, planning and activation. They further argue that the learning must also have motivation, interest and assessment. The above variables are put into perspective below.
CHAPTER THREE
This work examines the following concepts: research design, area of study, population of the study, sampling and sampling techniques, instrument for data collection, validity and reliability of the instrument, and method of data analysis.
Research Design
The design that was used in this study was descriptive survey. It was used because it permitted the researcher to study small sample and later generalize the findings to the whole population. Osuala, (2001) was of the view that in survey research small sample is studied and the findings generalized to the population.
Area of the Study
This study covers AMAC which is one of the mayor urban cities in Abuja. It is the State Headquarters. AMAC comprises the following major villages: Amaenyi, Amansea, Amikwo, Umuokpu, Umuogbu.
Population of the Study
Population according to Chukwuemeka (2002) is the animate and inanimate things of which the study is focused.
Teachers of all the Public Senior Secondary Schools in AMAC constituted the population. Also all the Senior Secondary School 3 (S.S 3) students who were just promoted during the 2015/2016 academic section formed the population.
CHAPTER FOUR
PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS OF DATA
PART A: Demography
The first part of the analysis is the demographic data. This include: the gender of the respondent; the category of the respondents, the schools visited, the teaching experience of the teachers (teachers only)
The table above shows that a total number of 191 students were administered with questionnaire while 9 teachers were given questionnaires. The total number of respondents were 200 out of these, 77 representing 40.3% were male students. On the part of the teachers, two (22.2%) were male while 7(77.9) were female. The reason for disparity in gender of the male for students may not be unconnected with the male drop out syndrome in Abuja. Studies have shown that many male students prefer business to going to school.
CHAPTER FIVE
DISCUSSION, CONCLUSION, RECOMMENDATIONS, AND SUMMARY.
Discussion of Research Questions.
The study revealed a fluctuating trend of mass failure of students in English Language in NECO Examination between 2009 and 2013 with an average of 78.41% of students without at least credit passes in English Language. This implies that most of the students who wrote the examination were unable to meet the minimum entry requirements for admission in the university. This is a reflection of the poor quality of education at the secondary school level. The abysmal failure of students in NECO could be as a result of negligent of duties among the various stake- holders in secondary education in Abuja. This finding is in line with other researchers, like Judith, (2014), Adedokun, (2011) among others.
It was also found out that those responsible for the mass failure of students in English Language in NECO as perceived by the students and the teachers were the students, who took the lion share of the blame. This study again corroborate with findings from other scholars like Egede, (2014), Andy, 2010. Some of the pronounced factors on the part of the students according to this study include: addiction to the internet, un-seriousness on the part of the students, laziness and lack of adequate preparation for examination.
The teachers were equally discovered as another veritable instrument for students’ failure. Though they (the teachers) did not see any reason why they should be held responsible for the students failure, yet, they agreed that some teachers are lazy, teacher are not well equipped and do not possess the necessary qualification to teach English Language. This shows that the teachers did not shy away from the fact that they were also partly responsible for the problem. It also reflects the multi- dimensional nature of the causes of mass failure of students in public examination.
It must be emphasized that the students, teachers, government, and the school have crucial roles to play in the performance of students in NECO. Where they play their roles as expected, there is assurance and hope for good performance of students in English Language in NECO Examination, but if they are found deficient in their roles, there is high tendency for students to perform poorly in the examination.
Implications and Recommendation of Study
This study reveals once and again that student’s performance in English Language NECO Examination in the last seven years have not been very encouraging, though in the last two consecutive years (2014 and 2015) there has been a considerable positive improvement in English Language in NECO Examination. The reason for such an upward surge in excellent performance of students in English Language in NECO Examination may not be unconnected with the level of public outcry against NECO and the subsequent efforts by the Federal and State government to stern failure among Senior Secondary Schools especially in core subjects like English and Mathematics. Based on the fluctuation in the level of students’ performance in English Language in NECO examination, the following are hereby recommended:
Recommendations:
- Students activities in terms of the usage of the internet should be curbed by the students themselves
- There is need for re-orientation of the students on the implication of the social media. The teachers and the traditional media (Radio and Television) should be at the vanguard of this re-orientation.
- The students should study hard to come out in flying colors in English Language in NECO.
- Teachers should be well trained and equipped, non-English teachers (i.e. teachers who did not study English Language) should not be allowed to teach English Language in secondary school.
- A multi-dimensional approach should be employed. This means that all that stake- holders – NUT, (Nigeria Union of Teachers), PTA (Parents Teachers Association of Nigeria principal of secondary schools and the government should live up to expectation in creating enabling environment for the students to perform well in English Language in NECO Examination.
Limitations of the study
This study is limited by time frame and finance. Such work of this magnitude should have used the whole of six Educational zones in Abuja, but time constrains and finance could not make this to be so.
Suggestions for Further studies
Further studies could be done in the following areas:
- Correlation between students’ performance in English Language in NECO and WAEC.
- The effect of gender on students’ performance in English Language in NECO.
Summary and Conclusion.
This study examined poor performance of students in English Language in NECO examination among selected secondary schools in AMAC.
The study has among many issues examined the trend in students’ failure in English language in NECO examination between 2009 and 2015. It found out that the rate of students failure in English Language in NECO examination between 2009 and 2013 was high though the tide shifted as many students performed excellently well in English Language in NECO examination between 2014 and 3015.
It was discovered in the course of the study that the students had the lion share of the blame for their failure, followed by the teachers.
Moreover, many factors range from the use and abuse of the internet (social media), students attitude – (laziness, un-seriousness) and teachers factors which include laziness, lack of necessary qualifications among others. The school, government has their own share of the blame.
This study has again confirmed the results of many studies on the causes of students’ failure in English language in NECO examination. Unlike some of the studies conducted before now which have been one sided (using either students view or teachers view) this study takes a holistic view at the students and teachers perspectives on causes of students failure and therefore conclude that in view of the multi – dimensional nature of the causes of mass failure of students in English Language in NECO examination, there is need for multi – dimensional solutions to the problems.
To this end, the students in particular and all stake holders in the teaching of English language and the conduct of examination should live up to expectations in creating enabling environment for the students to perform well in English Language in NECO.
REFERENCES
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- Ajayi I.A & Ekundayo H.T (2010): Contemporary issues in educational management. Ikeja, Lagos: Bolabay.
- Andy, B. (2010): Social Networking Teachers Blames Facebook and Twitter for pupils’ poor grades. The Telegram. Retrieved September 5, 2015.
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