CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background of the Study
The falling standard of education especially since the end of the Nigerian civil war, it has been the talk of the day, this have immensely to the poor performance of biology students in secondary schools Most people have not settled down to think of the causes of the poor performance Some lay blames on state schools, others on the moral laxity existing in tour homes
In education today “Biology” is a very important issue of education that plays an important issue of education that plays an effective role in facilitating and improving learning conditions and also aids man to control his environment. A major aim of science is to teach generalization that can be used by students in overcoming challenges they come across in their daily used in teaching, methods of teaching and learning biology has changed from traditional lecture method or note memorization to enquiry, experimentation method which includes problem solving active involvement of students in the laboratory.
Biology is a science subject that requires equipments, infrastructures, instructional materials to make sure that there is effective teaching and learning and this equipment is indispensible because without it the teaching and learning biology will be an expression of purely oral or bookish knowledge whose education values are vital to human life. any secondary school laboratories are inadequately equipped due to economic constraints, unconcerned attitude of the government and poor training of the school child
According to Obasi (2005), in recent times it has been observed that most of these infrastructures have degenerated in standard while the number of students has increased compared to the facilities provided hence affecting students academic performance. The quality of education delivered by teachers and academic achievements of students of any school is dependent on several factors of which school facilities are material resources that enhance teaching and learning thereby making the process meaningful and purposeful. In order to give the students proper and adequate knowledge, those who are involved in the education of the student must provide a conclusive physical, social intellectual environment which enhance teaching and learning process.
The physical environment emphasis that adequate teaching and learning facilities like classroom, instructional materials, qualified teachers and supportive services should be provided in the school. Some others include libraries, technical workshops, laboratories, computer Et, all these are variables that affects students academic performance or achievement Ajayi (2001) and Oluchukwu (2002) hence, the school environment remains an important subject that should be studied and will managed to enhance students academic performance. Beyond the direct effects that poor facilities have on students ability to learn, the combination of poor facilities, which creates an uncomfortable and uninviting workplace for teachers, combined with frustrating behaviour by students including poor concentration and hyperactive, lethargy or apathy creates a stressful set of working conditions for teachers because stress and job dissatisfaction are common pre cursor to lowered teachers enthusiasm, it is possible that the aforementioned characteristics of school facilities have an effect upon the academic performance of students. The quality of education delivered by teachers and academic achievements of students of any school; is dependent on several factors of which school facilities are material resources that enhances teaching and learning thereby making the process meaningful and purposeful In order to give the student proper and adequate knowledge, those who are involved in the education of the students must provide a conclusive and physical and social and intellectual environment which enhance teaching and learning process must ensure availability and effective use of instructional materials The adoption of teaching methodology that stimulates the cognitive development of the students
Infrastructural facilities in secondary school for the teaching of biology includes the school buildings, school libraries, laboratory, good roads, pipe borne waters, power supplies, communication and health services etc Consequently not only the curriculum, the subject matter and the method of instruction but also the buildings related to the needs and requirement of the students for other good academic performance Good schools buildings should ideally provide models of simple beauty for the students to draw some inspirations as well as the community to coy A visit our secondary schools will reveal that some of the facilities which enhance teaching and learning of biology are lacking These differences in the availability of basic infrastructural facilities reflects on the academic performance and other school activities Therefore, this situation in our secondary schools provides an opportunity for studying the suitability of the infrastructural facilities in biology in some secondary schools and their effects on the poor academic performance of our students.
Statement of the Problem
The course of research and during our teaching practice, we observed that schools are faced with problems such as inadequate facilities like libraries, classroom, staff rooms, technical work shops, laboratories, inadequate equipment like instructional materials, teaching aids Etc.
This problem have passed great challenges to the learning and teaching process and inhibit the academic achievements of Nigerian students with condulsive environment and availability of teaching materials biology students in secondary schools will be more educated and their academic performance will be enhanced, it is not unusual to find teachers and students interacting academically under collapsed school building, like wise students are sometimes left with no option but to receive lessons under poor ventilated classroom, poor lighting and sound, because of lack of structural buildings and teachers are poorly motivated resulting to decline number of teachers in the school environment
Emphasizing the important of laboratory on the academic performance of biology and school environment to students academic performance
Olukwukwu (2002) asserted school environment is an essential aspect of educational planning, he went further to explain that unless schools are well suited buildings adequately utilized and maintained, much teaching and learning may not take place, the high level of students academic performance may not be guaranteed where instructional workshops and laboratories are structurally defective
However, little is known on the impact of school environment on students academic performance in Mbaitolu LGA Imo State. Issues on the teacher inability to handle all classroom activities such as classroom organization, methods and skills and laboratory work as a biology teacher as reflected in the performance of their duties but in the effective co-ordination of the school environment and management Ajao (2001), the biology teacher need help in carrying out his activities or job effectively to enhance the academic achievement of the school child.
Purpose of the Study
The intent of the study was to examine the influence of school environment of specifically, this study seek to:
1. Examine the relationship between school environment and the academic performance
2. Examine the impact of school facilities or infrastructure on the academic performance of biology students in secondary school.
3. Ascertain the factors or major infrastructure that hinders the academic achievement of the school child or student in biology such as laboratory.
4. Examine the extent the Government has helped to provide or put in place the necessary infrastructures
Significance of the Study
The teachers, students, guidance and counselors, schools, parents and the Government benefit from this study in the following ways:
Teachers: They will be able to make good choices lesson preparation, teaching methods and leadership pattern.
Students: They will be able to identify school environmental factors such as peers which influence their academic performance guidance and counselors; due to academic performance of students, counselors will be able to guide them to their appropriate careers
Schools: This study will enable the school to identify the importance of good infrastructure to the academic performance of students in secondary schools parents this research work will help parents to know the positive and negative effect of infrastructure to the academic performance of children.
Government: This study will show the need for the provision of adequate equipment, condulsive classrooms and infrastructural facilities and also the employment of qualified teacher in the schools
Scope of the Study
This research work will focus on poor infrastructure on the academic performance of biology students in some selected schools in Mbaitolu LGA in Imo State. However, five public secondary schools will be used as the case study
Research Questions
The following research were raised to guide the study
1. What are the relationship between environment and the student’s academic performance
2. To what extent do schools facilities affect the students performance in secondary school?
3. What are the major infrastructures that hinder the academic performance of biology student in secondary school?
4. To what extent has the Government help to put in place the necessary infrastructural materials required for the learning of biology?
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