THE FACTORS AFFECTING THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF JUNIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
The junior secondary school education is the foundation of all the formal education to come. According to Friedrich Emelin (1995), it is the most important level of education in an educational system because it forms the basis or background for learning. Academic performance in all stages of education is very important. In this course of study, we shall examine the junior secondary school academics.
The children of today constitute the leaders of tomorrow, they therefore becomes the focal point of this research. This course of study is worth studying considering the importance of this level of education to the growth and development of the students. Leopoid (2000) remarked that the brilliant performance of any child motivates him/her to focus on his area of specialization and do more.
He also remarked that failure on the part of any student to perform better in the academic usually affects such a child psychologically in their next attempts. This forms the concern of teachers, parents and the government.
There is need of survey into the study of poor academic performance among junior secondary school student in Egor local government area of Edo state. Education is a tool for development area of any country in the world including Nigerian. It is this background that most modern state government usually pay much attention to education sector and allocate larger sum of money and resources in the annual budget to government effort can be supported by parent to send their children to school promptly and for the children to develop the interest to learn, so that they will become the future leader. More so, children should not pay luck worm attitude to their study, so that the aim of education will be achieved.
Therefore the junior secondary school aim is an important education which determine the performance of the child there after the policy on JSS M.P.E book. It is against this basis that the project work aimed at the study of poor academic performance among junior secondary school student in J.S.S examination. A case study of Egor Local Government Area of Edo State. the school are Edo Boys Junior Secondary High School, Uwelu Junior Secondary School and Ohonre Junior Secondary School. According to Hadelo (1979), the learner must be psychologically, physical and physiologically ready to receive instruction from the teacher.
Hove (1993) see learning as a change of behaviour which is more or less permanent in nature and which result from activity, training or observation. Gsgne, (1987), state that learning include matter but also that of habit, attitudes adjustment, preference interest, social adjustment, still of many type and ideas the first definition was limited and ideas the first definition was to capability developed, through practice or experience. The second definition is more committing because it include change in human behaviour resulting from actual experience, which may lead to attitude formation perception preference and interest. Learning also lead to social adjustment development of still and ideas. The major concept have reference to human being living in an environment other than their own. Permanently, in the above example of the road side machine the learned experience has more or less occupies a permanent state in the life of machine
Education is described, as the total large imparted faculties, trained and skill developed. The school is only an agency in which education is provided. There are other agencies of education, such as the home, the extended, churches or religion body and soon. The matter become clear when we recognized the range from in which education is provides. a study of poor academic performance among junior secondary student J.S.S examination. a case study of Egor Local Government Area of Edo State.
STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
Academic performances in all stages of education are very important and so much emphasis is being made on the academic performances of students. As regards the performances of students in junior secondary school. It is nothing to write home about due to the adverse effect o the attitude of student. Hence the researcher prompted the following reasons;
Non-challant attitude of students to learning Incompetence or poor teacher’s performance in accomplishing teaching task as well as their negative attitude to work and poor teaching habits. Lack of instructional materials and teaching aids. Over population or overcrowded classroom. Regular movement of parent from one geographical area to another as a result of work transfer.
This course of study addresses these issues and offers recommendations.
PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
The aim of this research is to;
Determine to what extent the junior secondary school students are aware of factors responsible for the poor academic performance of students. Inform and suggest possible recommendations to readdress these issues. RESEARCH QUESTIONS
To determine the adverse effects of poor academic performance on the attitudes of the students the research prompted the following research questions.
Does the non-challant attitude of the students affect their performance? Does lack of quality teachers with negative attitude to work have any effect on the poor academic performances of the students? Does lack of instructional materials and teaching aid have any effect on the academic performance of the students? Does over population or an overcrowded classroom contribute to students poor performance? Does parent regular movement from one place to another have any bearing with the poor academic performance of the students? SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
This attempt to make enquires of investigation of students performance, the benefit derived in investigation is as follows:
It is very useful to teachers, supervisor’s government policy makers and to all the students who will write in details on this topic in the future. It contributes towards better academic performance in junior secondary schools. It helps school authority to know the causes of poor academic performances of students and remedies to the problem. SCOPE OF THE STUDY
The scope of this research is limited to two junior secondary schools in Egor Local Government Area of Edo State. This study will examine just two schools. The time allowed by the study was not enough to cover other schools.
DEFINITION OF TERMS
Students can define social studies as the study of man and his social and physical environment. It is also how man influences the environment and how the environment in turn influences mankind.
UPE: Means universal primary education.
Attitude: can be defined as a relatively enduring organization of beliefs around an object, person, ideas or events, predisposing one to respond to some professional manner which could be either negative or positive.
Factors: is when one of several things that cause or influence something e.g. education factor.
Poor academic performance: poor means not good of a quality that is low or lower than expected.
Academics: in education connected with education especially studying in schools and universities.
Performance: means the act or way a person performs well in a play, concert or in education etc.
Diagnosing: the act of discovering or identifying the exact cause of an illness or a problem.
Cognitive: connected with mental processes of understanding.
Affective: Producing strong feelings of sadness and sympathy.
Personality: The various aspect of a person’s character that combine to make them different from other people.
Tremendous: Mean very great or extremely good.
Emancipation: Means to be free from somebody, especially from legal, political or social restrictions.