CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background
to the study
The school environment,
which include the classrooms, libraries, technical workshops, laboratories,
teachers’ quality, school management, teaching methods, peers, etc are
variables has role to play when it comes to students’ academic achievement
(Ajayi, 2001 and Oluchukwu, 2000). Hence, the school environment remains
an important area that should be studied and well managed to enhance students’
academic performance.
School’s physical environment in the other
hand includes the school building and the surrounding grounds, such as noise,
temperature, and lighting as well as physical, biological, or chemical
agents. The alarming increase in the
number of students with asthma is one problem that may, in part, be affected by
poor physical conditions in schools.
Instructional
spaces planning, administrative places planning, circulation spaces planning,
spaces for conveniences planning, accessories planning, the teachers as well as
the students themselves are essential in teaching-learning process especially
business studies. The extent to which
student learning could be enhanced depends on their location within the
school compound, the structure of their classroom, availability of
instructional facilities and accessories. It is believed that a well planned
school will gear up expected outcomes of education that will facilitate good
social, political and economic emancipation, effective teaching and learning
process and academic performance of the students.
The
physical characteristics of the school have a variety of effects on teachers,
students, and the learning process. Poor lighting, noise, high levels of carbon
dioxide in classrooms, and inconsistent temperatures make teaching and learning
difficult. Poor maintenance and ineffective ventilation systems lead to poor
health among students as well as teachers, which leads to poor performance and
higher absentee rates (Frazier, 2002 Lyons, 2001; and Ostendorf, 2001). These
factors can adversely affect student behavior and lead to higher levels of
frustration among teachers, and poor learning attitude among student.
Beyond the direct
effects that poor facilities have on students’ ability to learn, the
combination of poor facilities, which create an uncomfortable and uninviting
workplace for teachers, combined with frustrating behavior by students
including poor concentration and hyperactivity, lethargy, or apathy, creates a
stressful set of working conditions for teachers. Because stress and job
dissatisfaction are common pre-cursors to lowered teacher enthusiasm, it is
possible that the aforementioned characteristics of school facilities have an
effect upon the academic performance of students.
Previous studies have
investigated the relationship of poor school environment including problems
with student-teacher ratio, school location, school population, classroom
ventilation, poor lighting in classrooms, and inconsistent temperatures in the
classroom with student health problems, student behavior, and student
achievement (Crandell & Smaldino, 2000; Davis, 2001; Johnson, 2001; Lyons,
2001; Moore, 2002; Stricherz, 2000; Tanner, 2000). To complement these studies,
the present research will examine the aforementioned areas of school variables as
it affect students performance in business studies.
1.2 Statement
of the Problem
In Lagos State of Nigeria, some school
environment dotted with dilapidated building, equipped with outdated facilities
and teachers at times work under unsafe condition. It is not unusual to find
teachers and student interacting academically under collapsed school building.
Likewise student are sometime left with no option but to receive lessons under
poor ventilated classroom, poor lighting and sound system, large class size,
because of lack of structures (building) and teachers are poorly motivated
resulting to decline number of teacher in the school environment.
The issue of poor
academic performance of students in business studies in Nigerian schools has
been of much concern to the government, parents, teachers and even student
themselves. The quality of education not only depends on the teachers as
reflected in the performance of their duties, but also in the effective coordination
of the school environment (Ajao 2001).
Emphasizing the
importance of school resources to students academic performance, Oluchukwu,
(2000) asserted school environment is an essential aspect of educational
planning, he went further to explain that “unless schools are well suited,
buildings adequately constructed and equipment adequately utilized and
maintained, much teaching and learning may not take place.
The high levels of
students’ academic performance may not be guaranteed where instructional space
such as classrooms, libraries, technical workshops and laboratories are
structurally defective. However, little is known on the impact of school variables
on students’ academic performance in business studies in L.G.A of Lagos State.
1.3
Purpose of the Study
The main purpose of
the study is to examine school environment and on the academic performance of students
in secondary school in…. L.G.A of …… Lagos State. specifically, this study
seeks to examine:
- The relationship between school climate
and the student academic performance
- The impact of school facilities on
the academic performance of students in the secondary school
- the factors such as class size
that have been perceived to promote or inhibit students learning in the
academic process of students in secondary school
- whether
teacher use of instructional materials enhance students academic
performance.
1.4
Research Questions
- Is there any relationship between
school climate and the student academic performance?
- To what extent do school facilities
affect student performance in secondary school?
- What effect does class size has on
the academic performance of students in secondary school?
- To
what extent do instructional materials influence academic performance
students?
1.5
Research Hypothesis
i. There is no significant relationship between
school climate and the student academic performance
ii. There is no significant relationship
between school facilities and academic performance of students
iii. There is no significant relationship
between class size and academic performance of students
iv. There is no significant relationship between
teacher’s use of instructional materials and academic performance in English
language.
1.6
Significance of the Study
It is hoped that this
study will provide information for parents, educators and school administrators
to reflect upon various factors that help students in achieving their academic
goals. In so doing, they can investigate the possibility of introducing those
factors to their school, which may consequently lead to enhancing students’
educational outcomes in school. In addition, the fact that this study is
conducted in public schools, it shares quite a lot of similarities with
many other counterparts. In this connection, this study provides a valuable
reference for other schools to reflect upon the school environment as it affect
the academic performance of student in secondary school.
1.7
Scope of the Study
This research work
focuses on school variables and academic business studies students academic performance
of secondary school students in some selected schools in ….. Local
Government Area of Lagos State. This research work covers all public
secondary schools students in ………… Local Government Area of Lagos State.
1.8 Limitation
of the Study
Apart from time-frame
and shortage of finance, the major
limitation to this research is the
inability of the researcher to cover the
whole public secondary school in ………….. Local Government Area of …….. State as
the title suggest.
1.10
Definition of Terms
School: A
school is an institution designed for the teaching of students (or
“pupils”) under the direction of teachers
School Environment: A
school’s physical environment includes the school building
and the surrounding.
Academic Achievement
–
Knowledge attained or skills developed in school subjects by test scores.
Secondary school
(also”high school”)is a term used to describe an educational institution where
the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually
compulsory up to a specified age, takes place. It follows elementary or primary
education, and may be followed by university (tertiary) education.
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