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THE EFFECT OF BASIC SCIENCE ON THE ACADEMIC
PERFORMANCE OF STUDENTS IN SENIOR SECONDARY
SCHOOL SCIENCE SUBJCTS
CHAPTER ONE
1.0
Introduction
Science education plays a vital role in nation scientifically and technologically
Alebi Osu and Ifamuyiwa (2008). It is widely and generally acknowledges that the
gateway to the survival of a nation scientifically and technologically is science literacy.
In order to improve science education in Nigeria, a new basic science curriculum was
developed so as to prepare the students at the elementary level s i.e primary and
secondary level.
Basic science as an integrated science course is taught at the primary and junior
secondary level so as to prepare the child for the core science subject. Literature reveals
that science processed are hardly assessed in the Nigerian secondary schools,
Churwueneke and Chikwenze (2012). The fundamental aim of Nigerian basic science
project which is a process-oriented curriculum is to develop in students’ science oriented
skills.
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However, many factors have hindered the successive implementation of this corecurriculum in basic science Churwueneke and Chikwenze (2012). These factors include
teachers’ method of teaching learning environment, students view of the subject,
availability of instructional aids etc. these hindrances had led to the poor academic
performance of students in school.
Research has revealed that the measurement of students’ previous educational
outcomes are the most important indication of students future achievement. It is generally
assumed that the students who showed better or higher performance in the starting class
of their studies also performed better in future academic years Ali, Shoukat et al (2013).
Academic performance and gender differences has also been a controversial issue
among educationist. Some believe that boys performed better than girls in cognitive,
affective and psychomotor domain. Aguele and Uhumniah (2008), while some believe
that girls performed better than boys. Harley and Suton (2013).
Recent researchers however showed that there are no longer-distinguishing
differences in the performance of students with respect to gender. Bilesanmi-Awoderu
(2007)
1.2
Background to the Study
The term academic performance has been described as scholastic standing of a
student at a given moment. It refers to how an individual is able to demonstrate his or her
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intellectual abilities. This scholastic standing could be explained as the grades obtained in
a course or groups of course taken.
In prediction academic performance, Adeyemi (2008) emphasized the use of
grades in examination and reported that students’ performance in junior secondary
certificate examination could serves as a best predictor of senior secondary certificate
examination performance.
This ascertain was supported by Edokpayi (2011) who revealed that the
performance of students in junior secondary basic science results provided the best
predictor of senior secondary school performance in chemistry.
Basic science is a revolutionary new introductory science curriculum developed
for students considering a career in science. Basic science formally known as integrated
science is the first form of science a child comes across at the secondary school level.
Hence, basic science prepares students at the junior secondary school level for core
science subjects (Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Mathematics and Geography) at the senior
secondary school level. This implies that for students to be able to study single science
subjects at the senior secondary school level successfully, such students had to be well
grounded in basic science at junior secondary school level.
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In view of this, basic science is given great emphasis in junior secondary school
curriculum. The principal reason why Nigeria government started basic science in
Nigeria secondary schools are as follows:
1. It provides students at the junior secondary schools level a sound basic for
continuing science education either in single science subject or further integrated
science,
2. It enhances the scientific literacy of the citizenry
3. It allows students to have general view of the world of science
4. It allows students to understand their environment in its totality rather than in
fragments;
5. The process of science serves as unifying factors for the various science subjects.
It is necessary for learners to know these processes through integrated approach of
learning science (Federal Ministry of Education 1981 as stated in Journal of
Educational Research 2002).
In some of the states in Nigeria, performance in JSCE has been found to be
significantly related to the performance in SSCE. However, some researchers have found
no significant relationship between the performance in JSCE and performance SSCE.
Considering these divergent views and finding of previous researchers on the
predictive validity of junior secondary certificate examinations, this study intended to
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examine students’ performance in basic science in junior school to determine whether or
not it could effectively predict students’ performance in senior secondary science subjects
in Ogun State, Nigeria.
1.3
Statement of the Problem
Inspite of the universal recognition of the importance of science and the
tremendous efforts being made by educationists, scientists, science teachers and
researchers towards improving both the quantity and quality of teaching and learning of
science in secondary schools, yet the students achieved very poorly for many years,
different factors had been said to cause this failure in secondary school, such factors
includes inadequate facilities, insufficient training on the part of the teachers, learning
environment and inappropriate language communication. For instance, in the research on
the problems facing the implementation of integrated science curriculum. Adeniji and
Adeogun (2011) found out that most secondary schools in Nigeria had no definite
integrated science laboratory for effective teaching and learning also the language barrier
used by the teachers obstruct the assimilation of facts by the students as a means of
communication.
Another important factor is gender. According to David (2010) in his research
shows that males are better than females in science. Many researchers have provided
reports that there are no longer distinguishing differences in the cognitive, a effective and
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psychomotor skill achievement of students in respect to gender. Bilesanmi-Awoderu
(2007), Spinath (2010). However, Aguele and Uhumniah (2008) in their studies found
that male students performed better than female students in cognitive, affective and
psychomotor skill achievement
What has now remained the main focus of great concern in the field of science
education are factors that causes this failure, biases and misconceptions about women
science i.e science is a male enterprise.
The problem of this study is therefore concerned in investigating senior secondary
school performance in science subjects and gender biases in Ogun State secondary
school.
1.4
Purpose/Significance of the study in specific terms are:
i.
To examine the effect of basic science on the academic performance of
students in senior secondary science subjects
ii.
1.5
To examine gender differences in students academic performance.
Research Question
This study is intended to find answers to the following questions:
1. To what extent do the students’ academic achievements in basic science at junior
secondary school examination predict their academic performance in senior
secondary science subjects at senior secondary school examination?
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2. To what extent do boy’s academic achievements in basic science predict later
academic achievement in senior secondary science subject?
3. To what extent do girl’s academic achievement in basic science predict academic
achievement in senior secondary science subject?
1.6
Research Hypothesis
The following null hypotheses were formulated to answer the research questions
above.
Ho1:
There is significance relationship between student’s academic achievement in
basic science at junior secondary school examination and their academic achievement in
senior secondary school science subjects
Ho2:
There is no significance relationship between boy’s academic achievement in
basic science and their inter academic achievement in senior secondary school science
subjects
Ho3;
There is no significance relationship between girl’s academic achievement in
basic science and their academic achievement in senior secondary school science subjects
1.7
Limitation of the Study
The study could not be able to cover the entire state and local government due to
time factor and financial problems
1.8
Delimitation of the study
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This study is restricted to a secondary school in Ado-Odo Ota Local Government
Area, Ogun State, Nigeria. This study is also limited to two science subjects (Chemistry
and Biology); it covers JSS III and SSI of the secondary school.
1.9
Definition of Terms
Academic performance in the outcome of education i.e the extent to which a
student, teacher or institution has achieved their educational goals.
Senior secondary school: Senior secondary school can be defined as the higher division
of the secondary school as a whole in which it comprises of three phases i.e (SSI-SSIII)
Junior Secondary School: This is the first phase of secondary school and it consists of
three years educational programme from JSS1-JSSIII
Basic Science: This is an active, evolving science that combines all other science
subjects such as physics, chemistry, biology, health science, agricultural science,
geography e.t.c