Abstract: This research investigated the effect of school types and academic performance of students in Economics in public secondary schools. Three research questions were formulated to guide the study while a survey research design was adopted. The population of the study comprised of eleven (11) public secondary schools in Abak Local Government Area with students population of 6,800 learning Economics. A simple size of two hundred (200) students was randomly selected for the study. A questionnaire was used for data collection while simple percentage was used to analyze the data. The findings revealed that the type of school a child enrolled has an effect on his academic performance. The findings also revealed that school facilities, the use of instructional materials and well equipped, school libraries are paramount in improving student’s academic performance in economics in secondary schools.
The recommendations made were: government should ensure that enough facilities are equitably distributed to all public secondary schools. Teachers should endeavour to use the provided instructional materials effectively in teaching and learning processes to enhance better academically performance of students in Economics.
The Effect of School Types and Academic Performance of Students in Economics in Public Secondary Schools
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the study
Schools are established for the purpose of teaching and learning. It is therefore important that teachers and learners are properly accommodated to facilitate effective teaching and learning that is suppose to take place in the schools throughout the nation. Fafunwa observed that the idea of proper accommodation is explained in the content of the provision of adequate infrastructural facilities. Alimi (2004) therefore, schools facilities are the space interpretation and physical expression of the school curriculum.
In Nigeria Educational System, irrespective of the ownership, secondary schools are expected to function to achieved the national objectives to this end, students are expected to performed brilliantly in both internal and external examination as this determines the quality of outputs of school system.
This is supported by Ikpe (2005) when he see parameters used to measure the effectiveness of a school system this means that the better quality or performance of the student capability. The system is assumed to be phallic and wan. School exists in order to prepare children for different role in the society. The main objective of schools as an institution is to bring certain describable change in the behavior of an individual through the process of learning, which began from the both of a child and continue till death.
In Nigeria, it is the general opinion that there is a great gap between secondary schools output and the natural objectively, the caused factors which attributed to inadequate or lack of human and materials resources. There is an opinion that the location of secondary schools determines the availability of both human and materials resources and this consequently influence student’s performance. Alimi and Alabi observed that poor performance is noticeable in rural schools in most subjects such as English Language, Mathematics, Chemistry, Economics, among others (Cynthia).
This disparity, in the availability of materials and time consequent effect on in most students in such rural environment, this is due to the effect facts that the child’s right out emphasize sound education to every Nigerian child irrespective of tribe, location or state of origin. It is against this background that this study carried out to determine whether school type influence students academic performance in economics in Abak Local Government Area in Akwa Ibom State.
1.2 Statement of the problem
Parents and stakeholders in education have condemned the high rate of poor academic performance of students in internal and external examination such as WAEC and NECO, Cythia and Megan (2008) opine that schools were also involves, reason range from poor teaching personnel and non-availability of school facilities therefore this study would attract attention to whether school types influence academic performance in subjects of Economics in secondary schools
1.3 Objective of the study
The main objective of this study was to examine the effect of school types on academic performance of Economics student in secondary schools in Abak Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.
In specific terms the objectives of this study are:
- To find out the influence of private schools and academic performance of students in Economics.
- To examine the influence of public schools and academic performance of students in Economics.
- To investigate the influence of boarding schools and academic performance of students in Economics.
The Effect of School Types and Academic Performance of Students in Economics in Public Secondary Schools
1.4 Significance of study
This study will be of great benefits to parent, teachers, student’s government, stakeholders and researchers in a number of ways.
- It will reveal if the type of school an individual enrolls has an influence on him/her academic performance.
- It will help parent to know the types of school to enrolls their ward as his determines their academic performance
- It will helps to re-awaken the consciousness of teachers on the effectives utilization of teaching and learning facilities in secondary school
- It will also help government in the equitable distribution of schools facilities
- The study will aid the public and perspective researchers who wish to carryout their research on the related topics
