Causes of Poor Academic Performance of Secondary School Students in Further Mathematics (A Case Study Ilorin Kwara State)
Chapter One
Objective of the study
The following are the specific objectives of this study:
- To determine the causes of poor performance of students in secondary schools.
- To understand the kind of orientation students receive about further mathematics.
- To recommend effective ways through which the performance of secondary school students can be improved.
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF RELATED AND RELEVANT LITERATURE
Introduction
Factors Contributing to Poor Academic Performance
A good number of factors have been pointed out for poor pupil academic performance. Kanyika (2000) postulates that learning is a product of formal schooling, communities, families and peers. Learning can be influenced by social-economic and social cultural forces hence influencing learning and consequently pupil academic performance
Pupils’ Indiscipline on Academic Performance
Ovell (2001) noted that discipline in schools is essential for effective learning, good teacher relationship and peer adjustment. A democratic form of discipline leads to a healthy classroom environment that in turn promotes respect for education and a desire for knowledge. Reports on the problem of indiscipline and unrests in schools have been a common feature in the media for a long time. For instance Babbie (1973) in his article ‘Pupils face life in prison over strikes’ gave a chronological account of protests and destruction in public schools. The issue of unrests and indiscipline in schools is of great concern and it has become a worrying trend in that it has evolved from simple protests to the destruction of property and burning of prefects. The upshot is that pupil disturbance is negatively affecting academic performance. Lewis and Ubogu (2004) emphasize that if the educators themselves are well disciplined and understand their work as well as their learners and possible challenges, there could be only good results in academic achievement. They further asserted that if educators are exemplary and know their work and understand the learners, then the learners will be in a good position to achieve academically. Sonn, Fisher and Bustello (1998) stress the fact of self-respect and respect to others. If self-respect prevails in the school 11 situation, learners will learn self-discipline. If there is self-discipline, there are more chances of having direction in the fulfilment of the learners’ goal so positive academic achievement is possible which translates to good academic performance. If the school has good facilities and the needs of the learners are well catered for, there will be good academic achievement. This can also be improved by the availability of resources, relevant educators, enough learning space which is conducive to learning, relevant teaching style and clear code of conduct. Williams (1982) stated that discipline involves all stakeholders, programmes as well as personality and school climate. Charlton and David (1993) assert that if there is no proper family environment social differences and learners are from disadvantaged social areas; this could lead to bad discipline and negative results academically. However, if the family background is not good, different social classes are present in the school, school is located in a socially disadvantaged area and there is bad influence of peer groups it will have a negative effect on discipline so academic achievement will also be negatively affected.
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Research Design
The researcher used descriptive research survey design in building up this project work the choice of this research design was considered appropriate because of its advantages of identifying attributes of a large population from a group of individuals. The design was suitable for the study as the study sought to examine the causes of poor academic performance of secondary school students in further mathematics
Sources of Data Collection
Data were collected from two main sources namely:
Primary source and Secondary source
Primary source:
These are materials of statistical investigation which were collected by the research for a particular purpose. They can be obtained through a survey, observation questionnaire or as experiment; the researcher has adopted the questionnaire method for this study.
Secondary source:
These are data from textbook Journal handset etc. they arise as byproducts of the same other purposes. Example administration, various other unpublished works and write ups were also used.
Population of the Study
Population of a study is a group of persons or aggregate items, things the researcher is interested in getting information to examine the causes of poor academic performance of secondary school students in further mathematics. A total of two hundred (200) respondents were selected randomly by the researcher from five different schools as the population of the study.
CHAPTER FOUR
PRESENTATION ANALYSIS INTERPRETATION OF DATA
Introduction
Efforts will be made at this stage to present, analyze and interpret the data collected during the field survey. This presentation will be based on the responses from the completed questionnaires. The result of this exercise will be summarized in tabular forms for easy references and analysis. It will also show answers to questions relating to the research questions for this research study. The researcher employed simple percentage in the analysis.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
Introduction
This chapter presents the summary of the study findings, conclusions drawn from the study, recommendations and suggestions for further studies.
Summary of the Study
The purpose of the study was to determine the causes of poor academic performance of students of secondary school in further mathematics. This study was guided by the following specific objectives: To determine the causes of poor performance of students in secondary schools; To understand the kind of orientation students receive about further mathematics; To recommend effective ways through which the performance of secondary school students can be improved. The study found out that there is a significant relationship between the orientation given to stdents and their performance. By this, I mean, that when students view further mathematics as tough and difficult, they develop an unusual approach which can be termed difficult towards the subject. The students begin to see the subject as “cannot” and therefore perform poorly in it. Also, the study found out that the teachers’ approach and pattern of teaching influences the learning ability of the students. If the teachers’ approach further mathematics from the angle of an easy subject to be taught and enjoyed by the students, they can as well pass this feeling to the students.
Conclusion
In line with the findings of this study on factors affecting poor academic performance of secondary school students. This study therefore concluded that the poor performance could be attributed to a number of reasons which if remain unchecked the situation may even worsen. Firstly the reporting attitude of students when school opens leaves much to be desired. The two weeks consistently missed each school term by most of the students go without recovery resulting in inadequate syllabi coverage subjecting them to massive failing in the examinations.
Performance would remain poor if schools in question take no active role in the procurement of essential teaching and learning materials. Intensifying teacher monitoring by responsible officers would arrest the situation to some extent.
Professional advice will be timed and again provided where need arises to ensure learners are given quality and standard lessons for better results. Supervising officers in the schools under review need to devise workable systems that would motivate the teaching staff Teachers need to cultivate the attitude of hard work and self-supervisory to reach the desired goal of good students’ performance in the examinations.
Teachers should equally observe prudent time utilisation and syllabus coverage. Schools and communities should have sound rapport and work together with the common good. Working in isolation and yet they are stakeholders would not improve the welfare of pupils in these learning institutions in question. Parents equally have a major role to play on the education of the child. Taking a child to be enrolled in school is just a starting point. Parental assistance in school assignments is vital and would go a long way. Parents should come on board and encourage their children to do homework given to them. Even when they cannot give guidance on how to go about the same work, checking through what the child has learnt in school would motivate the child to do more in school.
Recommendations
Based on the findings of the study, the researcher recommends that:
- School head teachers should procure teaching and learning materials. These teaching and learning materials include text books, equipment and materials for the specialized rooms like Science laboratories, home economics rooms. Design and Technology rooms, etc.
- Heads of Departments to ensure that all teaching and learning materials in their departments are secure and well accounted for. Any teacher or learner who loses a book should be made to replace within the shortest possible time.
- Both internal and external monitoring should be intensified in all schools.
- Schools to ensure that teachers are managed properly in order to improve the quality of education.
- Cases of both teacher/student absenteeism not to be condoned in all schools.
- Government to quickly send more qualified teachers in all affected secondary schools.
- Educational policy makers in the Ministry of General Education should ensure that schools are equipped with all the necessary physical and material resources. The Ministry of General Education should ensure school administrators and teachers are offered in-service training on the factors influencing school effectiveness and develop monitoring tools to evaluate school effectiveness.
- The parents and the general community should be informed through public meetings and Parents- Teachers Association meetings of the need to support the teaching/learning process and offer moral support to teachers and the school administration. The schools should ensure they hold academic clinics at the beginning of each term with parents of pupils who perform poorly to explore possible measures.
REFERENCES
- ADE A (2006). Effective Schools for Sub Saharan Africa; Libreville, Gabon: Association for the Development of Education in Africa.
- Ahmed, T.M. (2003). Education and National Development in Nigeria. Journal of Studies in Education. 10:35-46 American Federation of Teachers (2000). Indicators of low Performing schools. Retrieved from \vw\\.art.oru/pdrs/teachers/indicatorslps0704.pdf
- Anyango H. O. (2001). Influence of head teachers leadership styles on students KCSE performance in Mombasa District. Unpublished MEd Thesis, Kenyatta University.
- Babbie, E.R. (1973). Survey Research Methods. California: Wadsworth
- Beattie, N . (1987) “Homework in the Teaching and Learning of Modern Languages.” Journal of Language Teaching, Volume 4, pages 25-27 Berger, E.H. {\99\).Parents as Partners in their Children’s Education. Basingstoke:Macmillan
- Borg, W. R. & Gall, M . D. (1989). Educational Research: An Introduction .New York: Longman Inc
- Bowring-Carr, C. and West-Burnham (1999). Managing learning for Achievement: Strategies for Raising Achievement through effective learning. London: prentice hall.
