THE SIGNIFICANCE OF EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES ON THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF STUDENTS IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN AKOKO-EDO LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF EDO STATE

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Education is man’s fundamental method of reform and progress. It can be regarded as the tool with which society brings the transmission of its own culture. Reomer (1981) refers to education as “all those experiences of the individual through which knowledge is acquired, the intellect enlightened or the will strengthened “ while Unachuka (1989) defines education as “ the process by which individuals are assisted formally or informally, though proper direction and finance, to develop their capacity for their own benefit and that of the society. Education can therefore be regarded as a social process whose purpose is to bring about certain desirable behavioural change in the total development of the individual. In the whole world education has been given more regard while in Nigeria particularly education has been seen as the main vehicle for rapid development. It is obvious that since advent of the Europeans, Nigerians have attached much importance to western education. The first type of schools according to Bab Fafunwa (2001) were the Islamic and Arabic schools which emerged as a result of the Islamic Scholars arrival into the country on the pretense of trade. They brought along with them their religion which was Islamic under which were the Arabic school.

The first set of schools were usually situated under big trees with students who were mainly normally conducted in the evenings aer their trading activities with the merchants who acted as the tutors. These teachers are called “Mallams”. It is obvious that the first type of school system didn’t have any facility apart from the slate and foreign textbooks used. Furthermore, with the arrival of western education, the uses of facilities became ivogue. Classrooms which came in small rooms now in form of schools which comprises of administrative blocks, oices with such facilities as chairs, tables, chalk and chalkboards. Textbooks were also provided to aid teaching, this ease the way knowledge was formally imparted to the students to prove for old stanions system. Walberg and Thomas (1992) shown that pupils have been noted to learn best when they can effectively explore at school environment that is rich in material, so that whenever they are given the responsibility to make meaningful choice, they aord to interact with the available facilities. This led to Adaralegbe’s (1978) statement which states that the large scale of educational programme had been embarked upon, because of increasing awareness of the country that, education pauses the way for modernization and enable one to improve oneself. Putting this into consideration in our schools presently it will be noted that, education by various government bit yet, much eorts is still required to meet up adequately. Since over fiy million people desire education presently. Classrooms are very vital in schools, the classrooms are constructed to suit the purpose of learning and also considering climate of the people. eagle Hardt (1954) emphasized that classrooms referred to as “Teaching laboratories”. Much importance should be attached to facilities to enabler an imagined educational programme to be achieved. This in short shows the importance of the provision of efficient and effective facilities to help enhance a smooth and conducive teaching and learning process to enable the production of effective manpower for the nation.

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

Inadequate facilities will surely affect the smooth teaching and learning process in all schools. There are some problems outlined below encountered in schools due to lack of adequate facilities. It is known that the academic performance of each student depends to a large extent on the facilities exposed to while learning but, when they are lacking some problems is faced. The first noted, peculiar problem would be generated when there is no inclusive teaching and learning conduction. The unconduciveness could be as a result of non availability of facilities like table and chair in the classroom. There can never be way of concentration by students. Students can not be expected to achieve any of the objectives at the end of the lesson. If pupils have to share chairs with their mates, they would be easily distracted among themselves and the class which is supposed to be actively involved in the learning process turns out to be appealing and there is enough discomfort for the day to discourage the interest of the pupils for the whole day’s work.