FACTORS RESPONSIBLE FOR STUDENTS LOW CHOICE OF PHYSICS IN WASSCE EXAMINATIONS

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to identify factor responsible for students’ low choice of physics at West Africa senior secondary certificate examinations in Kano, Kano state, Nigeria. The instrument used for the research was a researcher-developed questionnaire consisting of two sections which was designed to elicit information from respondents 100 students from ten schools were involved in the study. They responded to a questionnaire including checklist designed by the researcher matching each questions. Data analysis involved the use of simple percentages. In all, about 7% of the total students’ said that they have one or two problems with physics especially in the areas of calculations. 50% have problems with their teachers and teaching methods, 15% felt that they lacked adequate science equipments and about 10% showed signs of hatred for science in general and in physics in particular.

Recommendations in this project is purely based on the proper and adequate provisions and also management of available of human and material resources necessary for achievements and maximizations of goals sets by the sampling schools. Without the adequate science materials, the needed deductive inferences may not be distinctly observed and understood by the students. With proper background understanding of science, physics in particular, it becomes difficult for students to cope with subject as it can not be easily crammed like arts subjects. This therefore may be one of this reasons why students refuse to offer the subjects after the initial attempt. It is therefore recommended that Federal Government should provide good physics laboratories in all the secondary schools so that the students will be able test and prove physical truth by themselves.