Abstract: This study examined School Variable and Academic Performance of Students in Business Studies. Three research questions and hypotheses respectively, were formulated to guide the study. A survey research design was adopted for the study. The population of the study comprised 2876 JSS 3 students in all the Twelve (12) public schools in the study area. From the population Size, 200 students were selected using simple random sampling technique. Instrument for data collection was a structured questionnaire and Teacher made Test. Data collected were analyzed using person product moment correlation technique.
Findings showed that school variable contributes grating to academic performance of students in business studies. It was recommended that teachers should employ more qualified teachers and provide adequate educational facilities to enhance effective teaching and learning of the various subjects in the school system.
School Variable and Academic Performance of Students in Business Studies
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study
Education is the primary agent of transformation towards sustainable development in any Nation. Education is the process by which persons intentionally guide the development of person. It is the deliberate effort to underrate race of development and general improvement of the human race (Obinagu, 2000).
Schools are established for the purpose of teaching and learning under the direction of teaching for particular objectives, (Alimi, 2004) further explained that it is also more important that teachers and learners are properly accommodated to facilitate the teaching and learning that goes on there.
Schools Variables according to Gamaron, (2001) are the common differences between people grouped families, school environment or surroundings such as Libraries, laboratory, equipments, School Buildings, Chairs, tables, administrative blocks, chalkboard, school maps, etc and they are very Crucial to high academic attainment.
The extent to which students learning could be enhanced depends on their location with the school compound, the structure of their classroom, availability of instructional facilities and accessories (Marsden, 2005) it will gear up the expected outcome toward the education which facilitate good social, political and economic emancipation, effective teaching and learning process and academic performance of the students.
Bassaert, Doumen, Buyse and Verschieren (2011). Stated that academic performance is the extent to which students, teachers or instructors has achieved the educational goals. Academic performance is commonly measured by examination, test and assignments but there is no general agreement on how it is best tested or which aspects are most important.
Oluchukwu (2000) and Ajayi (2001) stated that including the classroom, libraries, technical workshop, laboratories, teachers quality, schools managements teaching methods, peers etc are variables that can affect students academic performance. In applying the school locational planning to study and establishment of secondary level education, Ogunsaju (2000) noted that schools site in the past were arbitrary chosen with little or no consideration of creativity and co-operates planning. In another development, Madumers (2002) investigated that distribution of secondary schools in Akwa Ibom State particularly Essien Udim Local Government Area employing Locational planning techniques to carry out diagnostic and projection analysis on distribution of educational facilities to enhance academic performance of the student in the educational system, that this is a rued for renovation of acquisition of modern classroom.
Alimi, 2007), Akinfumi (2008) identified facilities as a major variables contributing forwards better academic performance in the school system. This includes classrooms, furniture, recreation facilities among others school facilities have been observed as patient variables quantitation education. According to Oni (2001) facilities constitutes a strategies Variables in Organization functioning. This is also, because they determine a very large extent in which smooth functioning of social organizational system including education.
According to Teddie, Kriby and Stroughfred spacious and fascinating schools building, well equipped classrooms, good Laboratories, adequate instructional materials, water and electricity, others are good sanitary condition, good paths and recreational facilities, discipline and qualified personal, well defined curriculum educational input and students characteristics among others.
Alimi Eludoda and Alibi (2004) asserted that the types of schools that is the condition and the physical surroundings of the school could either help or influence the students academics performance in any subject, the influence could be negative when school lack all the functional educational facilities, meanwhile, the influence could be positive when all the educational facilities are put in place and utilized in any schools, the effective educational outcome could be achieved. Based on these facts, the study is designed to investigate the extent to which the school variables could significantly relate to students academic performance in business studies in Junior Secondary Schools in Essien Udim Local Government Area.
School Variable and Academic Performance of Students in Business Studies
1.2 Statement of the Problem
Because Business studies is one of the practical subject taught in secondary schools which required for admission into tertiary institutions, but the performance of students in the subject is still poor due to lack of educational facilities, teachers motivations and inadequate quantified teachers in some schools in Essien Udim Local Government Area. School facilities are among the basic educational requirements and it is necessary to maintain safe and high quality school facilities from the perspective of maintaining and improving educational stages because schools facilities contribute to greater performance in the educational outcome of every successful child. Meanwhile, education is widely regarded as a basic human right, a key to enlightenment and a source o wealth and power (Mugenda, 1999).
All of these lie on teachers and students motivations because motivation of teachers naturally has to do with teachers attitudes to work, teachers desire to participate in the pedagogical process within the school environment. The teachers qualification in this aspect could be B.Sc, B.Ed. NCE with other higher educational attainment which could contribute to the better academic performance of the students in Business Studies in Essien Udim Local Government Area.
One should therefore wonders of these have been enough and adequate facilities, teachers motivations and qualification enhancing students academic performance in Business Studies and hence the researchers interest to investigate the relationship between schools variables and academic performance of students in Busines Studies in Essien Udim Local Government Area.
