COMPARATIVE STUDY ON ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT OF SCHOOL OF SCIENCE IN COLLEGE OF EDUCATION ILORIN

ABSTRACT

This study is on comparative study on academic achievement of school of science in college of education Ilorin. The total population for the study is 200 staff of kwara state college of education, Ilorin. The researcher used questionnaires as the instrument for the data collection. Descriptive Survey research design was adopted for this study. A total of 133 respondents made heads of department, senior lecturers, junior lecturers and nonacademic staff was used for the study. The data collected were presented in tables and analyzed using simple percentages and frequencies

 CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

• Background of the study

Colleges of Education are among the tertiary institutions that train teachers for the primary, junior and secondary schools in Nigeria. They are in greatest number among teacher training institutions in the country (Nneji, 2012). The Federal Government of Nigeria through the National Policy on Education (2004) proscribes the NCE as the minimum qualification for all teachers in our schools with the aim to produce quality teachers. This is particularly important because the success of any educational system is dependent on the quality of teachers who implement it. The Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN, 2004: 39) states that no education system may rise above the quality of the teachers who operate it. Teachers drive educational policies and curricula; if the teacher is weak or incompetent, the result will be weak or dysfunctional educational outcome (Offorma, 2012). This may be the case with the female science teachers produced in Colleges of Education in Nigeria. The implication of this if determined empirically is not good for the country. Science rules the world. Science education lays foundation to work in science-related fields in acquainting learners with certain knowledge and skills (Olatoye, 2000). The integration of science subjects such as Biology, Chemistry and Physics into the Minimum Standard of Colleges of Education is in recognition of the intrinsic values of these subjects in all spheres of human activity. Their teaching and learning should be such as to produce competent, effective and efficient teachers irrespective of gender who having acquired the requisite skills, should be able to impart same to their pupils/students. However, it has been observed (Arighabu and Mji, 2004), that gender bias is still very prevalent particularly in science. Gender is one of such factors that have considerable effects on students’ academic achievement especially in science subjects (Adigun, Onihunwa, Irunokhai, Sada, and Adesina, 2015).

• STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The importance of Science as a disciplines cannot be over stated. It lays the foundation to other subjects. However, a look at the Junior School Certificate Examination (JSCE) results of some schools in Ilorin reveals that students’ performance in Science shows unimpressive performance of students in Science. There is also the tendency to look after performance of teachers in college of education. The problem of this study therefore is: What must be done to bring about comparatively high academic achievement of school of science in college of education

• OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

1. To examine the difference in the academic achievement of students in science in the period studied.
2. To determine the difference in the academic performance of male and female students in science
3. To ascertain the relationship between academic achievement of student in science in college of education in Ilorin and the school environment
   • RESEARCH HYPOTHESES

For the successful completion of the study, the following research hypotheses were formulated by the researcher;

H₀:     there is no difference in the academic achievement of students in science in the period studied

H₁:   there is difference in the academic achievement of students in science in the period studied

H₀₂:  there is no relationship between academic achievement of student in science in college of education in Ilorin and the school environment

H₂:  there is relationship between academic achievement of student in science in college of education in Ilorin and the school environment

• SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This study will be very significant to students, ministry of education and the general public. The study will give a clear insight on comparative study on academic achievement of school of science in college of education Ilorin. The study will also serve as a reference to other researchers that will embark on this topic

• SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

The scope of the study covers comparative study on academic achievement of school of science in college of education Ilorin. The researcher encounters some constrain which limited the scope of the study;

1. a) AVAILABILITY OF RESEARCH MATERIAL: The research material available to the researcher is insufficient, thereby limiting the study
2. b) TIME: The time frame allocated to the study does not enhance wider coverage as the researcher has to combine other academic activities and examinations with the study.

1.7 DEFINITION OF TERMS

ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT: Academic achievement or performance is the extent to which a student, teacher or institution has achieved their short or long-term educational goals. Cumulative GPA and completion of educational benchmarks such as secondary school diplomas and bachelor’s degrees represent academic achievement

SCIENCE: Science is a s ystematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe

EDUCATION: Education is the process of facilitating learning, or the acquisition of knowledge, skills, values, beliefs, and habits. Educational methods include storytelling, discussion, teaching, training, and directed research