THE  EFFECT OF SCHOOL PLANT ON THE ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT OF SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND OF STUDY

Most schools in the industrialized world have expanded their investment on sufficient school infrastructure throughout time. In recent years, stakeholders in the Nigerian education system have become irritated as a result of the Nigerian education system's continuing and frightening deterioration. Despite efforts by successive administrations to restore the glory of the Nigerian education system, the situation has deteriorated. A variety of issues are being faced, ranging from misuse of given resources to a deterioration in educational standards (Ajayi, 1999). According to Dada (1987), Enacsator (1995), Ajayi (1999), and Akinbuiro and Joshua (2000), the above result in declining student performance in external tests such as the Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) administered by West African Examination Council (WAEC) (2004). According to Okafor, Ugbe, Iheagwam, and Betiang (2003), the avalanche of issues in the education system leads to lowering standards and a lack of faith in the Nigerian education system. The public outcry against the deterioration of Nigerian education has had little or no effect. The government and its education policymaking machinery appear to be slap happy, as indicated by sloppy handling of the economy, with nothing to show for its efforts to address a slew of issues. Political parties profit from the increased public interest for educational system development, but they just pay lip service to this pressing issue. According to Adebayo (2009), "a casual visit to any public school in Nigeria would reveal the extent to which these educational institutions have decayed." Educational facilities at all levels are in terrible shape; schools are littered with battered structures; worn out equipment (where it is available at all); overcrowded classrooms; insufficient manpower in quantity and quality; instability in the academe. As a result, it is critical to improve the educational system's awful position in order to raise academic standards. Examining the state of deteriorating infrastructures is a sure way to accomplish this goal.

Similarly, Alimi, Ehinola, and Alabi (2012) believe that in South-West Nigeria secondary schools, instructional space such as classrooms, libraries, technical workshops, and labs are physically deficient, i.e., classrooms are not big enough." The preceding pattern clearly foreshadows dire outcomes for Nigeria's secondary school system. A situation in which facilities are drastically inadequate would almost certainly result in widespread failure in external examinations. For example, where students lack necessary learning experiences due to a lack of facilities, achievement of pre-specified curriculum objectives becomes unattainable, inevitably leading to student failure when they are assessed based on curriculum objectives that were not achieved during student teaching/learning evaluation. The sad condition in Nigerian schools is exacerbated by the fact that enrollment in schools is increasing without corresponding school expansion or provision of suitable school infrastructure. (Asiyai, 2012) Most Nigerian public schools have been in operation for a reasonably long time, with the same restricted classrooms, open space, library, laboratory, and so on, and have seen little or no remodeling over time, with little or no effort made to extend the number of facilities at such schools. To say that the school plant is at the top of the list of elements influencing student accomplishment is an understatement. In reality, the quality of teaching and learning in schools, which is a driver of student success, is dependent on the adequacy of school infrastructure (Asiyai, 2012; Odufowokan, 2011). School plants are made up of the essential systems and structures that each functional educational institution requires in order to function properly and fulfill the goals for which it was founded in the first place (Alimi, Ehinola and Alabi, 2012). They are facilities that physically and geographically facilitate teaching and learning and, as a result, aid in the production of desirable results, as indicated by strong academic performance of educational products.

1.2 STATEMENT OF RESEARCH PROBLEM

Poor academic performance of pupils in internal and external examinations has recently become a subject of worry in the educational sector and the wider population. Some ascribe the problem to teachers' lack of devotion to their jobs, while others link it to poor and insufficient physical facilities and human resources in most secondary schools. An examination of public secondary education programs. Condition's local government areas reflect a state of general deterioration, inadequate buildings and equipment, limited money, a bad maintenance culture, and poorly motivated instructors. It is often assumed that the quality of any educational system is a consequence of the quality of the input. The problem of inadequate school infrastructure is exacerbated by the fact that some principals, teachers, and students appear to take upkeep lightly. Efforts have been made to improve the learning environment and influence students' academic performance, but most of these efforts appear ineffective. Thus upon this premise that this study seeks to examine the effect of school plant on the academic achievement of secondary school students.

1.3 OBJECTIVES OF STUDY

The major purpose of this study was to examine theeffect of school plant on the academic achievement of secondary school students. Specifically the study intend to:

1. Investigate whether instructional materials as an aspects of school plant can affect the academic performance of secondary school student

2. Determine whether library facilities as an aspect of school plant can affect academic performance of secondary school students

3. Ascertain whether school building design as an aspect of school plant can affect academic performance of secondary school students.

4.  Examine whether  science laboratory as an aspect of school plant can affect academic performance of secondary school students

1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

The following research questions guided the study:

1. Does instructional materials as an aspect of school plant affect the academic performance of secondary school student?

2. Does library facilities as an aspect of school plant affect academic performance of secondary school students?

3. Does school building design as an aspect of school plant affect academic performance of secondary school students?

4. Does science laboratory as an aspect of school plant affect academic performance of secondary school students?

1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY

The importance of school plants in the educational system has necessitated the need for the provision and management of these facilities in the school. They have been found to enhance the achievement of school goals, especially the academic performance of students.  The study on the influence of school plant on the academic performance of student in SSCE will be of immense benefit to the entire secondary schools in  Esan Central  local government area of Edo state, the study will also serve as a repository of information to other researchers desire to carry out similar research on the above topic. Finally the study will contribute to the body of existing literature and knowledge in this field of study and provide a basis for further research

1.7 SCOPE OF STUDY

The study on the influence of school plant on the academic performance of student in SSCE will be limited to five (5) secondary schools in Esan Central  local government area of Edo state.

1.7 LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

Like in every human endeavour, the researchers encountered slight constraints while carrying out the study. The significant constraint was the scanty literature on the subject owing that it is a new discourse thus the researcher incurred more financial expenses and much time was required in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature, or information and in the process of data collection, which is why the researcher resorted to a limited choice of sample size covering only senior secondary school in  secondary school in Esan Central  local government area of Edo state. Thus findings of this study cannot be used for generalization for other secondary school  in other  states within Nigeria. Additionally, the researcher will simultaneously engage in this study with other academic work will impede maximum devotion to the research. Howbeit, despite the constraint  encountered during the  research, all factors were downplayed in other to give the best and make the research successful.

1.9 DEFINITION OF TERMS

Plant: Plants are mainly multicellular, predominantly photosynthetic eukaryotes of the kingdom Plantae

Academic performance: is the extent to which a student, teacher or institution has achieved their short or long-term educational goals

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