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FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH MASS FAILURE OF STUDENT IN SOCIAL STUDIES IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS (A CASE STUDY OF NSUKKA LOCAL GOVERNMENT OF ENUGU STATE)
ABSTRACT
This study was on the factors associated with mass failure of students in the social studies in secondary schools in Nsukka L.G.A of Enugu State. Using simple random sampling procedures, the researchers drew 128 students and 50 teachers from nine state owned secondary school of Enugu State.
Questionnaires were used to elicit information from the respondents- Teachers and students on the problems associated with mass failure of secondary school student in social studies in WAEC Examinations. The questionnaire items included qualification and experience of the social studies teachers, the methods they adopt in teaching the subject, the materials available to them foe use in teaching the subject, the influence of the vernacular language in student learning of the subject and home environment.
In analyzing the data collected, means scores were used to answer the research questions. The results showed among other things, that the teachers knowledge of teaching the subject is not updated often times and that there is absence of teaching facilities in most of the schools while vernacular language and home environment have negative impacts, towards the students’ the findings, recommendations were made and implications were highlighted. This was followed by suggestion for further studies, summary of the study and conclusion.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title Page i
Approval Page ii
Dedication iii
Acknowledgement iv
Table of Contents v
List of Tables vii
Abstract viii
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 Introduction of “Factors Associated With Mass Failure of Student in Social studies in Secondary Schools”
1.1 Background of the Study
1.2 Statement of the Problem
1.3 Purpose of the Study
1.4 Significant of the Study
1.5 Scope of the Study
1.6 Research Question
CHAPTER TWO
2.0 Literature Review of “Factors Associated With Mass Failure of Student in Social studies in Secondary Schools”
2.1 Conceptual frame Work
2.2 Empirical Study
2.3 Summary of Literature Review
CHAPTER THREE
3.0 Research Methodology of “Factors Associated With Mass Failure of Student in Social studies in Secondary Schools”
3.1 Design of the Study
3.2 Areas of the Study
3.3 Population of the Study
3.4 Sample and Sampling Techniques
3.5 Instrument for Data Collation
3.6 Validation of Instrument
3.7 Method of Data Collection
3.8 Method of Data Analysis
CHAPTER FOUR
4.0 Data presentation and analysis of “Factors Associated With Mass Failure of Student in Social studies in Secondary Schools”
CHAPTER FIVE
5.0 Discussion, Conclusion, Implications, Recommendations and Summary of “Factors Associated With Mass Failure of Student in Social studies in Secondary Schools”
5.1 Discussion of Findings
5.2 Conclusion
5.3 Implication of Findings
5.4 Recommendations
5.5 Limitations of the Study
5.6 Suggestion for Further Research
5.7 Summary of the Study
References
Appendix
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 Background of the Study
For Nigeria to realize her dream in the development of Senior Secondary School, the citizens of the country must show outstanding performance in all secondary school subjects.
Social studies is the integrated study of the social sciences, humanities and history. Within the school program, social studies provides coordinated, systematic study drawing upon such disciplines as anthropology, archaeology, economics, geography, history, jurisprudence, philosophy, political science, psychology, religion, and sociology, as well as appropriate content from the humanities, mathematics, and natural sciences. In recent years, student academic achievement in Senior secondary school certificate examination on social studies.
The word “social study” which is a branch of the study of human society, considered as an educational discipline. It deals with logical reasoning and natural science and its environment.
Social studies as a school subject is recognized as the foundation of science and technology without which a nation will never become prosperous and economically independent. This underscores the importance of Social studies competence of all the learners al all levels of education and a reason for making Social studies compulsory and one of the leading core subject in the secondary schools curriculum. This importance accorded the recognition of the vital role it plays in contemporary society. Despite the effort put in by government, and various stakeholders of education, Social studies still remained one of the most difficult subject in schools.
There is a general impression that Social studies is difficult by its very nature, and because of this impression, there is poor performance among Senior secondary school students who are the focus of this study. This poor performance in Social studies has been attributed to two broad factors which include: Hereditary and environmental factors which can be subdivided into students, home, teachers, and school factors. Ola (1998).
However, students reason that Social studies is highly structured and is so abstract and required special intellectual attitude. Thus; students see the subject as something esoteric. Emenalo (1986) in Nwogu (1990) articulated the fact that inherent notion held by many Africans that Social studies is a very complex subject which is capable of making one “stressed” is at the centre of the phobia which students exhibits for Social studies and which had claimed many causalities over the years, Nworgu (1990:123), therefore passes the question “how them would any person in fairness expect our poor and innocent children to be as courageous as to face something which is capable of making even an adult mad? The students would prefer to study something else no matter how difficult rather than to attend Social studies classes.
Most parents do not play a crucial role in preparing their children for school. The child is expected to see the world from the perspective of these archaic values and the goodness of otherwise of his behaviour is judged as such. Opposition from the child arises from what appears to him obsolete and defense of traditionalism by the parents. For example, Whaler (1997) argues that consistent and appropriate parental reactions to the full range of a child’s response repertoire will establish a family context conducive to positive reinforcement of child compliance. In contrast, inconsistent parental reactions appear to create a chaotic family context conducive to the negative reinforcement of child opposition. He argues that based on these two forms of contexts, the parent and children seen to generate distinctive personal rules which outline the functions arrangements of contexts, behaviour and reinforcement. Parents on their part hardly requires their children to explain the problem or joy found in their Social studies s classes, And this count as one of the causes of mass failure of students in Social studies.
Teachers of Senior Social studies are hard to come-by because of the site of some schools especially the schools in Nsukka local government Area of Enugu State. The few available teachers have not been given opportunities to up-date the skill and knowledge available in-service training. Teachers have an important part to play in learning social study by students. According to Nicol (1997) “A teacher can only be seen to be effective, if the students can learn with greater ease and perform well his help than without his help.
Teacher’s attitude can hinder learning especially when one does not present oneself as a high intellectual and formidable person. “A quack doctor is capable to handle an individual as a time but a bad teacher can ruin not only the individual but also a nation. Nigeria is faced with the problem of competent teachers in social study which is the major causes of this mass failure of student in social studies.
The school administrator also has a direct role to play as if relates to discipline of both the student and the teacher supervision of teaching and learning and preparation of students well enough for examination.
According to Ekemia (2006:38) “An effective mental health for principal includes emotional, stability, maturity of character and a large capacity of frustration tolerance with the strength to withstand the strain the strain and stress inherent in running today’s Nigeria secondary school without undue fiscal or psychological disequilibria”.
Many principals are faced with managerial difficulties especially those who lack human relationship cannot execute effective administrative duties in the schools. For example, a school that lacks discipline hardly achieves the aim and objective of the educational system. Through these factors enumerated above, it could be seen that, there are many causes attributed to mass failure in social studies in Senior secondary school. The Senior secondary school certificate examination is an external examination organized and conducted by the ministry of education. The establishment of this Senior secondary school education by the state government Nsukka local government Area of Enugu State like any other states has the same aims and objectives as the national policy on education specified that secondary education is the education received after primary education and before the tertiary institution.
According to Adewale (1992), it is the only instrument that could evaluate the performance of both students and teachers at the end of Senior secondary school career. He further stated that, the success or failure of the student in examination is a clear manifestation of the student academic activities during the course. Success or good performance determines a brighter future for the student wile failure is disastrous as it always indicate a dropout which is the common effect in the area of this study.
Finally, it is obvious that the findings of the study will definitely aspire the researcher to seek for possible suggestions and recommendations to students, teachers, parents, sponsor and government to bring an end to student mass failure of social study in secondary school and to improve student performance in the future examination in these schools and other part of the country having similar educational problems.
1.1 Statement of the Problem
Perhaps not much attention has been given to the performance of students in Senior secondary school subjects in recent years. This neglect, no doubt has relegated this Senior subjects to the background in our Senior secondary certificate examination. A close look at the 2015/2016 SSCE result records, confirms that students’ performance has been very poor generally and the increase number of school dropout in the area of study is a clear pointer of the theme. The poor performance is caused by many factors such as; students ineffective study techniques, quality of teachers and method of teaching, the parent’s inability to provide useful materials like textbooks, exercise books and school fees and problem of inadequate instructional materials for teaching and learning of mathematics in schools.
In philosophical view of these causes, this study therefore is specifically designed to assess the factors associated with mass failure of student in social studies in Senior secondary school in Nsukka local government Area of Enugu State.
1.2 Purpose of the Study
The main purpose of this study is to find out the factors associated with mass failure of student in social studies in Senior secondary school in Nsukka local government Area of Enugu State. The interests of the researchers are to examine critically and identify the causes and effects of mass failure of social studies in Senior secondary school
specifically, the study sought to find out if:-
- There are sufficient numbers of qualified social studies teachers and instructional materials for teaching of social studies.
- The previous socio-economic background of the students affects them in studying social studies.
- The attitude and interest of students towards the nature of social studies contribute deeply to their mass failure in SSCE especially in social studies.
1.3 Significance of the Study
The student will be able to appreciate the importance of the effective domain like interest and motivation in improving their performance. With this awareness, the student might put up a positive attitude towards social studies which will increase their performance and enhance higher grades in Senior secondary school certificate examination. Teachers will also be able to adjust their teaching methods and offer remedial helps where they find out that students are putting up a low attitude. State government will also see the need of guidance and counseling in each schools, the ministry of education and curriculum planners for better organization of Senior subjects in education.
1.4 Scope of the Study
The scope of this study was focused on the factors associated with mass failure of student in social studies in Senior secondary school in Nsukka local government Area of Enugu State. Due to military factors such as time and other resources and the inconvenience of handling a large scope, the researchers focused only on senior student studying social study.
1.5 Research of the Study
To carry out a detailed study of the research, the following research question will guide to study:-
- Are there sufficient numbers of qualified social studies teachers and instructional materials for teaching social study?
- Does the previous socio-economic background of the students affect them in studying social studies?
- Does poor attitude and low interest of students towards the nature of social studies contribute deeply to their mass failure in SSCE especially in social studies?
