Identification and Remediation of the Causes of Students Poor Performance in Mathematics and English Language in West Africa Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) in Enugu Education Zone
Chapter One
PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
The purpose of this project is to find out the factors that contributed to the student’s poor performance in Mathematics and English Language in West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) In Enugu Education Zone and to profer possible remedy.
Specifically, the Researchers Sought to:-
- Determine whether teachers of the two subjects are adequately qualified.
- Determine whether teacher’s methods of teaching affect the learning of those subjects.
- Determine whether the students are taught with teaching aids/resources to quicken their understanding.
- Determine whether student’s attitude towards these subjects is poor.
- Determine whether the books recommended to the students are appropriate.
- Determine whether the school environment is really conducive for teaching and learning.
- Determine whether the educational curriculum is effectively and properly made.
- Determine whether the teachers who teach these subjects frequently give class exercise on it to know if the specific objectives are achieved at the end of the lesson.
- Determine whether government do provide adequate materials or facilities like computer, adequate text books etc. for better teaching and learning.
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF LITERATURE
The Nature of Mathematics and English Language
The Problem of Teaching English Language and Mathematics
The Student and His Learning
Summary
The Nature of Mathematics and English Language
The nature of Nigeria’s life cannot be thoroughly understood without some knowledge of mathematics. The importance of mathematics cannot be over emphasized, in that it is a subject most applicable to every discipline and every person. Looking at the general public consciously or unconsciously, everyone is involved in mathematics process every day. The house wife as she shops, the wages earner as he estimates his labour charges.
Mathematics is a key subject in the school curriculum, because it is considered knowledge indispensable to the educated man, the rise of modern services. The desire of most countries including Nigeria for developments of egalitarian and technologically advanced societies and other desirable aspirations compel us to accord increasing weight to the teaching and learning of mathematics (Jekaml 2009).
Mathematics is already playing an important role in the field of engineering, sciences, medicine, computing, infact everyday life activities, mathematics is involved in it. Mathematics is used throughout the world as an essential tool on many fields, natural science, social science, medical sciences etc. (Douglas, 2007).
Governor F. A. Oyahdome recognizing the importance of mathematics recently awarded scholarship for all trainee teachers in River State reading for degree courses in pure mathematics (Daily Sun, April 2009).
English Language on the other hand, is an international language without it, one finds it difficult to communicate internationally among countries of the British common wealth. In support of the above statements, a staff in the use of English department, University of Nigeria Nsukka (2009) wrote, “English Language is basic to all higher education in Nigeria, England and the common wealth and the United States”. Most widely spoken language like English Language has obvious advantages for a West Africa country. It opens the door of employment in government and makes direct contact possible.
According to Lehamann (2008) English Language is the principal means of human communication. It is a tool for the transmission or exchange of knowledge, ideas, and feelings. It is used for interpersonal, inter group, international relationship and also proved better understanding among friends and co-operators. Without the knowledge of English Language effective communication would be impossible once one leaves a region for another. Seeing the importance of these two subjects then why the mass failure as were recorded in West African School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) this is precisely the objects of this research to highlight the pros and cons therein.
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
The subject of research methodology according to Isaac (2009) is where a researcher presents the types of design, in terms of whether it is a survey design archival, research or documentary design, experimental design etc. It can be defined as detailed blue-print used to guide the implementation of research study towards the realization of objective (Odo 2009). It is concerned with the sources adopted in gathering relevant information for the study including the method of investigation and how the various particular sources are selected or sampled.
RESEARCH DESIGN
The design for this study is survey design. The researcher found the survey method very useful in the primary data generation. Specifically questionnaire was designed. The questionnaire is essentially a set of questions presented to a respondent for an answers. Two sets of questionnaire were created and administered. The first set was for the teachers and the second set was for the students in the selected schools in Enugu Education Zone. The researchers used open – ended questions, this implies that the respondents were therefore given the free hand to answer the questions asked in their own words.
AREA OF STUDY
The study was carried out in Enugu Education zone precisely. For the purpose of this research, Enugu educational zone, was zoned as follows to ensure a representative sample within the zone.
POPULATION OF THE STUDY
The population of the study consists of all the mathematics and English Language students and teachers in all the Government Secondary School in Enugu Education zone that have reached SSIII.
CHAPTER FOUR
STATISTICAL ANALYSIS, INTERPRETATION AND PRESENTATION OF DATA
Data as it is said do not convey any significant meaning or information unless it is subjected to statistical application or other forms of qualitative and quantitative treatment which result in synthesizing of information. This chapter attempts to present the primary data generated for this study through two sets of questionnaire to the students and the teachers. Also included in this chapter is the computation, analysis and interpretation of data and the testing of the hypothesis, using tables and other common statistical tools. The answers from all the students and teachers in secondary schools in Enugu education zone are assembled and analyzed below.
CHAPTER FIVE
Summary and conclusion
Implication and recommendation
Suggestions for further study
Summary and conclusion
Mathematics is a subject most applicable to every discipline; the mysteries of nature cannot be thoroughly understood without some knowledge of mathematics. English Language on the other hand, is basic to all formal education in Nigeria, it is an international language and opens the door of employment, admission and makes direct contact possible.
Statistics revealed that majority of the students who sat for these two important subjects in West Africa School Secondary Certificate Examination (WASSCE) failed them. As a result, they become hopeless because they cannot go any further educationally nor secure job to help them and so cannot contribute to the development of their beloved country.
The researchers thought that the failure in these two subjects could be attributed to many factors. They were therefore motivated to carryout the research work effectively, nine (9) specific purposes were mapped out which were designed to find out whether.
- Teachers are adequately qualified
- Some teacher’s methods of teaching contribute to student’s poor performance in the two subjects.
- Student’s attitude towards the two subjects contributed to their poor performance.
- Students are taught with teaching aids.
- The environment is really conducive for teaching and learning.
- The books recommended to the students are appropriate.
- The schools have sufficient qualified teachers.
Some authors identified some common issues affecting Mathematics and English Language education in Nigeria, such issues includes inability of the teachers to use good teaching techniques, students low mentality, change of school on the part of the students, shortages of teachers, inability to reconstruct the curriculum other issues include, lack of qualified and experience teachers, communication difficulty, lack of uniform textbooks, family background etc. Others blamed students for their non-challant attitude towards learning.
Nevertheless, some useful suggestions were made on how to improve this ugly situation. Such suggestions includes:-
- Expansion of existing training facilities in colleges of education, universities and other institutions of higher learning.
- Well organization of curriculum
- Deployment of qualified teachers.
- In – service training
To achieve the nine specific purpose of this research, a sample of 80 students and 20 mathematics and English Language teachers from four secondary schools in Enugu Education Zone were selected to form the working sample.
Questionnaire was the main instrument used. Questions were designed for students and for teachers. They were all geared towards achieving the nine (9) specific purposes. The questionnaires were collected and analyzed. From the analysis, the researchers found out that:-
- Some teachers of mathematics were not qualified (see table I).
- Some teacher’s methods of teaching may have contributed to the students poor performance in these two subjects as table III and IV indicated.
- The students generally have poor attitude towards the study of mathematics and English Language. This idea is clear from table V and VII:
- The students are most of the time taught with little or not teaching aids (see table VIII).
- The number of periods allocated for the two subjects are inadequate (see table IX).
- The books recommended are appropriate.
- The schools generally lack enough qualified mathematics teachers and few English teachers as table XII indicated.
IMPLICATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
The findings of this study could imply a number of possibilities.
- Many people do not wish to study mathematics as a course for the purpose of teaching.
- Those teachers who are not adequately qualified do not know the various methods of teaching.
- Student are not motivated to study these subjects and hence the reason for their poor attitude towards the two subjects.
- There are no constant supervisions in the school.
- Teachers are not dedicated to their duties.
- The schools have no adequate teaching aids.
Consequent upon the implications, the researchers recommends as follows:-
- Government should award scholarship for all trainee teachers reading for degree or NCE course in This will ensure adequate and sufficient number of mathematics teachers in schools.
- There should be constant teacher’s supervision in the school to ensure teachers dedication to duty.
- Teachers should be encouraged to attend workshops, conferences, seminars etc to improve their
- Students should be made to know the importance of mathematics and English Language.
- The schools should be provided with enough teaching aids to ensure effective teaching and
- Government should encourage more able students in the study of mathematics by providing the special incentives to those who would be committed to their
- Government should only employ adequately qualified teachers in the field.
SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER STUDY
For further studies, the researchers suggest that a repetition of this study should be made as indicated.
- Increase the number of towns and possibly use larger sample size for each town.
- Since some factors such as (background, age, transfer of students from one school to another intelligent quotient) are not revealed by this It is suggested that a similar study be carried on them.
- A research into the causes of failure in mathematics and English Language should be carried out in primary schools.
REFERENCES
- Adepoju J. A. (2009) “Factors and problems in the teaching and learning of Mathematics in Nigeria. A journal of Educational Management and Planing Lagos, Nigeria No. 3 vol. 1 (40 – 49)
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- Ale, S. O, (2007) Mathematics Education in Nigeria Report and Addree, April. Lagos. Academic press
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