Abstract: The study investigated school environment and students’ academic performance in Physical and Health Education of secondary school students in Nsit Ibom Local Government Area. Two research hypotheses were formulated and tested at 0.05 level of significance. The survey design was used for the study and the sample for the study consisted of 120 junior secondary three (3) Physical and Health Education students from ten (10) selected secondary schools in Nsit Ibom Local Government Area.
The instrument for the study was questionnaire and scores of the students were from junior secondary two (2) promotion examination. Data collected were analysed using Pearson Product Moment Correlation. Results showed that availability of well equipped Physical and Health Education library and qualified Physical and Health Education teacher related significantly to good academic performance of students in Physical and Health Education. From the findings, it is recommended that parents should send their children to schools where there are well equipped library and qualified teachers in Physical and Health Education.
School Environment And Students’ Academic Performance In Physical And Health Education
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study
Education is essential to every society and individual. It is life itself but not a preparation for life (Aman, 2010). This is because living is a quality that distinguishes man from the non-living things. This living human have qualities that can be developed and this made man distinct from other living things. These qualities of individual should be developed for the improvement of the country (Aman, 2010). It is education that can enlightened an individual for social and national development.
Education is the only instrument that helps an individual to realize his highest self and goal. It plays the major role in developing the nation. Therefore, country needs to develop in born potentialities, modifying behaviour through learning, preparing citizens for the future after completion of education. This will help an individual to earn its livelihood and make some adjustment in life (Aman, 2010).
The regular education takes place in an environment called schools (Taiwa, 1981). These schools can be established by either private individuals or government and according to Bager (2008) environment has direct effect on students’ academic performance.
This study therefore, tries to study some variables within school environment and students’ academic performance in physical and health education in Nsit Ibom Local Government Area.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
Physical and health education is conceived as an important subject especially at the secondary school level. This is because regular physical activity is essential for healthy growth and development as well as boast students academic performance.
Despite huge government expenditure in training and retraining of secondary school teachers nowadays in physical and health education, there exists a downward trend in the performance of secondary school students academically both in internal and external examination.
Many studies have articulated this downward trend from experience of the teachers qualification of the teacher among other things (Okon, 2002; Akpan 2013). This study is trying to investigate whether school environment has influence on the academic performance of secondary school students in physical and health education.
1.3 Purpose of the Study
This study is trying to investigate school environment and students academic performance in physical and health education in Nsit Ibom Local Government Area. Specifically the study sought to:-
(i) Determine whether availability of well equipped library relate to high academic performance of students in physical and health education.
(ii) Determine whether availability of qualified physical and health education teacher has influence on academic performance of students in physical and health education.
School Environment And Students’ Academic Performance In Physical And Health Education
1.4 Significance of the Study
The study on school environment and students academic performance in physical and health education will be immense benefit to the following people.
(i) It will help parents to realize that environment is important in the academic growth of their children and therefore determine to send their children to schools with good environment.
(ii) It will help government to avoid lopsided and equipping of schools specifically at the secondary school.
1.5 Research Questions
The following research questions were asked to guide the study:-
(i) To what extent does availability of library relate to good academic performance?
(ii) How does availability of qualified teachers in physical and health education influences students academic performance in physical and health education?
1.6 Research Hypothesis
The following hypotheses were formulated to guide this study:-
(i) There is no significant relationship between availability of well equipped library and students academic performance in physical and health education.
(ii) The availability of qualified teachers in physical and health education does not significantly influence students academic performance.
1.7 Limitation of the Study
In writing a research of this nature, certain impediment is bound to occur:
(i) Time for the completion of this work was too short and this hinders this type of study from having a wider coverage.
(ii) Financial constraints exerted a felt influence on the study because the researcher found it tough to cover the area within the time of this study.
1.8 Delimitation of the Study
This study is carried out only on school environment as it affects students academic performance in physical and health education. The area to be covered in this study is delimited only to Nsit Ibom Local Government Area.
