ECONOMICS EDUCATION AWARENESS LEVEL AMONG JUNIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN ENUGU URBAN ENUGU STATE

ABSTRACT

This study was on Economics education awareness level among secondary school students in Nsukka L.G.A of Enugu  The study adopted a survey research method. The study used 200 samples of teachers. Purposive and random sampling technique was used to choose the sample size for this study. The research employed primary and secondary sources of data. Primary data were gathered through questionnaires distributed among the Among the selected two hundred (200) respondent. The data gathered from the questionnaire were analysed and presented in frequency and percentage tables. The data were also interpreted and the chi square statistical test was used to test the stated hypothesis. The result revealed that school environment significantly influence students Economics Education awareness level;  availability of adequate teaching and learning resources significantly influence students Economics education awareness level in Nsukka LGA, Enugu State  The study also revealed that socio economic status of parents significantly influence students Economics Education awareness level. The study recommended that Social and economic policies should be put in place by government to enable children from parents of low economic status to have equal opportunity of advancing the cause of education of their children.

 

CHAPTER ONE

GENERAL INTRODUCTION

• INTRODUCTION

The chapter includes an explanation on why this topic will be important, research problem, the purpose and significance and the specific research questions along with the delimitations of the study.

• BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Over the years, there have been growing concerns about the attitude of students towards the study of Economics in secondary schools.  The need to adapt our education to the needs of the Nigerian society started before and after independence.  Many educational elites began to recognize that the functional inadequacies of the educational system inherited from the colonial education failed to develop positive values, attitudes and habits in our society because the Economics they taught was British oriented and has nothing to offer to the Nigerian child.

Fafunwa (1974) observed that the present educational system instead of developing positive values in the society which the African child lives, tends to alienate him from his cultural environment.  This was the reason behind the re-evaluation of the educational system and the curriculum of the school and objectives that are relevant to the society.

The major ideas and philosophies behind the curriculum innovation in the 1969 National Curriculum Conference according to Akinlaye (2001) were:

1. The need to make education more relevant to the needs of the individuals and the society.
2. The need to use education for national integration and socio-economic development.
3. The need to develop the right societal value and;
4. The need to make an individual responsible to the society in which he lives.

This has been the case; the National Policy on Education (2004) has in recognition the important role Economics will play towards the achievement of the country’s educational aims and objectives.  Thus, Economics was made a core subject. Hence, there is a greater responsibility for Economics teachers in Nigeria today than the days before independence; this is because the Nigerian youths now live in an environment characterized by social ills and moral decadence which have to be curbed at all cost.  The youths therefore need Economics education which focuses on the problems and issues of human beings in their changing environments and seeks to develop desirable habits, values, attitudes and skills in order to solve them.

Researchers have concentrated much on the cognitive aspect of teaching in our secondary schools because of the importance attached to success in public examinations; however, there is interplay between the cognitive and affective areas of teaching.  For example, Taylor (2001) and Gunsch (2005) have shown that there is a relationship between interest and developments in different school subjects, therefore, it is believed that favourable attitude towards Economics may influence to a considerable extent the uptake of knowledge in Economics.

Studies relating to specific aspects of students’ awareness of Economics and other related subjects have been undertaken by several researchers.  Jekayinfa (2007) has reported that high grade in Economics at lower forms is a factor that can pull students to history in the secondary schools in Nigeria.  In the study of awareness level with interest in science, Ormerod and Dukworth (2000) have also identified a number of factors like personality, home and other environmental factors among American and British High School students.

 

1.2     Statement of the Problem

The level of students’ awareness towards the study of Economics in secondary schools in Nsukka Local Government is in an unsatisfactory state of affairs and imbalance in the educational sector in particular and the nation’s development in general.

Economics as a core subject in the secondary school level suggest the importance the government, parents and students themselves attach to the study.

The phenomena increase in students’ attitude towards the study of Economics in junior secondary schools should not be allowed to remain for too long unattended to.

The need to motivate students to develop positive attitude towards the study of Economics in secondary school and to create a conduciveenvironment for studying Economics is not disputable and cannot be over-emphasized.

The unfortunate thing is that students’ attitude towards the study of Economics in schools is fraught with a lot of problems.  There is a general belief that whenever students perform poorly in their courses the teacher has not really taught them well.  People hardly look at the problem from the point of view of the student’s attitude towards the courses; the problem of this study therefore is to ascertain the level of students’ awareness of Economics in secondary schools.

• RESEARCH QUESTIONS

The research questions for this work include:

• Does school environment influence students awareness level of Economics in  Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State?

1. Does availability of teaching resources influence students awareness level of Economics in  Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State?

• Does parents socioeconomic status influence students awareness level of Economics in  Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State?

1.4 HYPOTHESIS

This study identified the following hypothesis to achieve the study objective:

Hypothesis One

H₀:       School Environment Significantly  Influence Students awareness level of Economics in  Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State.

H₁:         School Environment Does Not Significantly Influence Students awareness level of Economics in  Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State.

 

Hypothesis Two

H₀:       Availability of Teaching Resources Significantly Influence Students awareness level of Economics in  Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State.

H₁:       Availability of Teaching Resources Does Not  Significantly Influence Students awareness level of Economics in  Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State.

Hypothesis Three

H₀:       Socio economic status of Parents Significantly  Influence Students awareness level of Economics in  Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State.

H₁:         Socio economic Status of Parents Does Not Significantly Influence Students awareness level of Economics in  Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State.

• PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

The general objective of this study is to know the factors associated with mass failure of students in Economics in primary schools. The following specific objectives are to guide the study:

• To determine the influence of school environment on students awareness level of Economics in  Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State.

1. To determine the influence of availability of teaching resources on students awareness level of Economics in  Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State.

• To determine the influence of parents socioeconomic status on students awareness level of Economics in  Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State.
  • SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

As  Nigeria is still a developing nation, it is hoped that the findings of this research will encourage various governments to provide conducive environment, teaching aids and qualified teachers for effective study of Economics in secondary schools.

This study is of educational importance because it is believed that if Economics teachers in secondary schools understand the factors which stimulate the growth of interest and awareness ofEconomics, such knowledge may provide bases not only to make Economics popular but also to make the teaching of Economics humanizing.

Re-orient students with negative attitude towards the study of Economics in secondary schools. Assist the government to identify students’ attitude towards the study of Economics in secondary schools. Serve as a basis for other researchers who are carrying out investigation on similar problems facing the development of education in Nigeria. Help teachers and educational planners to acquire knowledge of solving problems associated with the attitude of students towards the study of Economics in secondary schools.

 

 

1.7     SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The scope of this study is to ascertain the Economics Education awareness level of secondary school students Case Study of Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State.

1.8     LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

A research of this nature requires adequate time to ensure thorough work, but the time allowed for this study was limited.

Some respondents may not have provided accurate and sincere answers that represent the true situation required for some of the questions in the questionnaire.

The researcher experienced a lot of problems during the process of this study which are as follows:

• Delay in administration of questionnaire due to public holidays.
• Typing and administration of extra copies of questionnaire because some respondents did not return their copies.
• Appealing to the principals of some of the schools used for the study due to interruption of lectures.

 

1.9     DEFINITION OF CONCEPTS

The following concepts were defined:

Economics: the study of the physical features of the earth and its atmosphere, and of human activity as it affects and is affected by these, including the distribution of populations and resources and political and economic activities.

Environment: The Sun Mobile Dictionary defines Environment as “surrounding, things, conditions, etc.” The Oxford Advanced learner’s dictionary defines it as “the conditions that affects the behaviour and development of somebody or something; the physical conditions that somebody or something exists in”.

Academy: The Sun mobile dictionary refers to the concept academy as a “school”. A school on the other hand is a place of learning. A school is a place where children are thought (Oxford mini School Dictionary: 2007). A primary school can therefore be called an Academy.

Awareness: Awareness is the ability to directly know and perceive, to feel, or to be cognizant of events. More broadly, it is the state of being conscious of something.

Socio status: This is the total state of an individual based on inequality in terms of occupation, level of education and other societal issues defined by the environment.

Education: This is a formal instruction or training given to a child in school. According to the 6th edition of the Oxford dictionary, it is a process of teaching, training and learning, especially in schools or colleges to improve knowledge and develop skills.

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