The Effect of School Distance on Students’ Academic Performance
Chapter One
Objectives of the Study
The main objectives of this study is to find out the effect of school distance on student’s academic performance, specifically the study intends to;
- Find out the extent to which school location affects the academic achievement of secondary school students
- Examine the influence of long distance on students lateness to school
- Analyze the effect of school distance on academic performance of secondary school students.
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
INTRODUCTION
Various studies have identified a strong bond between School- Home Distance and Students’ Academic Performance among the Secondary School learners. School- home long distance is associated or linked with students’ lack of breakfast and lunch, transport problem, inadequate students’ safety, inadequate study time, lateness, temptation and tiredness that disrupt students learning. Acham, Malde, Theron and Egal (2012) in their study on breakfast, midday meals and academic achievement in rural primary schools in Uganda found that poor performers had poor patterns of feeding due to long distances they travelled from home to school. This is due to the fact that the long distance prevented students from going back home for breakfast and lunch. Thus students found it difficult to keep on studying with empty stomachs. Adefunke (2015) observed that in Bauchi State, Nigeria distance to school made it necessary for the students to use any kind of transport like walking by foot, thus resulted in truancy among students in community secondary schools hence affecting their learning. Truancy or absenteeism affects students in the sense that when a student is absent his /her fellow students proceed with learning and leave him or her behind. Moreover, Melack (2014) established that long walking distance made students reach school very exhausted which resulted in poor concentration on the subject being taught and sometimes dozing in class hence failing to learn effectively. This is because of tiredness, students’ minds and bodies fail to work effectively and efficiently, hence poor ability to learn. Thus, circumstances like this, act as an obstacle to effective learning because learning requires calmness of mind and if by any chance the learner is stressed, disturbed, is nervous, harassed, or is worried he or she cannot learn effectively. Distance-related variables lead to tiredness and lateness among students hence reduces their time in learning. Furthermore, long distance may force students to leave from school early so as to avoid arriving home late (Human Rights Watch, 2017). This may cause students to miss the participation in extracurricular learning experiences like sports and games which take place after class hours. Muhia (2015) argue that long distance reduces the time which teachers and students could be in contact because the students have to spend a lot of time in walking instead of being at school. Therefore, the long distance to school results in smaller time used in productive learning. According to Luneja (2001), if school distance is very far from home, adolescent girls who live in rural areas tend to abandon school due to susceptibility to sexual harassment which may affect them psychologically since on the way to school, their security is not guaranteed (Human Right Watch, 2017). Therefore there is a need to come up with strategies that reduce the long school home distance experienced by the learners in secondary schools.
Theoretical Framework
This study was informed by two theories: Self-Determination Theory (SDT) which was developed by psychologists Deci and Ryan (1985), and the Motivational theory developed by Maslow (1940). The motivational theory by Maslow (1940) argues that motivation is a driving force for most of human behavior and its inherent growth and development tendencies. It emphasizes the degree to which an individual’s behavior is self-motivated and self-determined. When applied to education, the selfdetermination theory is concerned with promoting in students an interest in learning, value of education, and confidence in their own capacities and attributes. According to Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs motivational model (1940), motivational theories also explain that learners’ goals affect the way they engage with academic tasks. Motivation is concerned with the will that students bring to a task and their level of interest which guide their behavior, and their belief about the causes of their success or failure. Weiner (2004) elaborates that students’ beliefs about the causes of academic success or failure affect their emotions and motivations. For example, when students attribute failure with the lack of efforts, and efforts is perceived as controllable, they experience the emotion of guilt and consequently increase their involvement in school activities for improved performance in their examinations and general life. In this study, the researcher determined the relationship that exists between motivation theory and selfdetermination theory on location of school and academic performance of learners Individual learners‘ motivation towards education in community secondary schools should be complemented by schools‘ friendly environment to attract and motivate students for engaged learning in community secondary school. When a school is located far from where the students reside, they would drop from schools due to longer walking distance to and from the school. On the other hand, poor support from parents/guardians marked by lack of follow-up on students would demoralize students as it would be difficult for the parents to diagnose learning trends of their children. Through parents‘ follow-up on their children‘s learning progress, it would be easy to realize other needs as exercise books, paying of school fees in time, provision of means of transportation and other needs of a child.
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
INTRODUCTION
In this chapter, we described the research procedure for this study. A research methodology is a research process adopted or employed to systematically and scientifically present the results of a study to the research audience viz. a vis, the study beneficiaries.
RESEARCH DESIGN
Research designs are perceived to be an overall strategy adopted by the researcher whereby different components of the study are integrated in a logical manner to effectively address a research problem. In this study, the researcher employed the survey research design. This is due to the nature of the study whereby the opinion and views of people are sampled. According to Singleton & Straits, (2009), Survey research can use quantitative research strategies (e.g., using questionnaires with numerically rated items), qualitative research strategies (e.g., using open-ended questions), or both strategies (i.e., mixed methods). As it is often used to describe and explore human behaviour, surveys are therefore frequently used in social and psychological research.
POPULATION OF THE STUDY
According to Udoyen (2019), a study population is a group of elements or individuals as the case may be, who share similar characteristics. These similar features can include location, gender, age, sex or specific interest. The emphasis on study population is that it constitutes of individuals or elements that are homogeneous in description.
This study was carried to examine the effect of school distance on students’ academic performance. Ogun state, secondary schools in Abeokuta North LGA form the population of the study.
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS
INTRODUCTION
This chapter presents the analysis of data derived through the questionnaire and key informant interview administered on the respondents in the study area. The analysis and interpretation were derived from the findings of the study. The data analysis depicts the simple frequency and percentage of the respondents as well as interpretation of the information gathered. A total of eighty (80) questionnaires were administered to respondents of which only seventy-seven (77) were returned and validated. This was due to irregular, incomplete and inappropriate responses to some questionnaire. For this study a total of 77 was validated for the analysis.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
Introduction
It is important to ascertain that the objective of this study was to ascertain the effect of school distance on students’ academic performance. In the preceding chapter, the relevant data collected for this study were presented, critically analyzed and appropriate interpretation given. In this chapter, certain recommendations made which in the opinion of the researcher will be of benefits in addressing the effect of school distance on students’ academic performance
Summary
This study was on the effect of school distance on students’ academic performance. Three objectives were raised which included: Find out the extent to which school location affects the academic achievement of secondary school students, examine the influence of long distance on students’ lateness to school and analyze the effect of school distance on academic performance of secondary school students. A total of 77 responses were received and validated from the enrolled participants where all respondents were drawn from Ogun state, secondary schools in Abeokuta North LGA. Hypothesis was tested using Chi-Square statistical tool (SPSS).
Conclusion
Based on the findings, school stakeholders perceived that long distance travelled by students reduces teacher-students contact time, leads to stomach ulcers, headaches and related issues which reduce school attendance and completion rates and therefore hinder effective teaching and learning, hence result into low academic performance.
Recommendation
Based on the conclusions, the study recommends that parents, community, government authorities and other stakeholders should plan to build school dormitories or hostels to reduce the adverse effects of school-home distance in community schools. The study further recommends the building of more schools which are closer to where students live to avoid the long distance travelled by students to attend school.
References
- Acham, H. Kikafunda, J. K. Malde, M. K. Theron, W. H. & Egal A.A (2012).Breakfast midday meals and academic achievement in rural primary schools in Uganda; Implications for education and school health policy. Food& Nutrition Research, 56 (11), 217.
- Adefunke, S.E (2015). Truancy among public secondary school students: implication for counseling. Journal of Emerging Trends in Education Research and Policy 6(7), 331- 338.
- Bashaiza, J. (2016). Performance: Why distance to school matters. Available from http://www.newtime.co.rw/section/read/2 01440/
- Chinowaita, M. (2015).Rural teachers, pupils suffering in silence. Zimbabwe: associated newspaper of Zimbabwe (PVT).
- Debnath, M., Raydhaudhuri, A, Sen, S & Majunder, B.G. (2010) factor affecting students academic performance: A case of Agartala municipal council area. Bangladeshi-Journal of Sociology, 7(2), 34-41.
