(1)

Research Objectives

1. To identify the stress level of primary and secondary school teachers. 2. To compare the level of
stress among primary and secondary school teachers based on demographic factors (marital status, age,
experience of teaching and education qualification).

LITERATURE REVIEW

Encountering stress is part and parcel of an adult’s life. One of the main factors that cause stress is work.
Work life is considered to be stressful due to several reasons mainly the competitive nature of the
working environment. Hence, many people spend most of their time at work while ignoring other
aspects of life in order to produce a good outcome of their work. In the long run, it gives negative effects
in terms of their health and also their social life. Often, it effects the way they treat and communicate
with peers and family members. They may feel frustrated or “burn out” when they face problems with
peers and customers. This may lead a negative impact to the organization itself. Therefore, it is very
important for employer and employees to realize the stress and the stressor that cause all the negative
effects. Study on teachers stress, need to be endeavour in order to improve teachers performances.
There are several studies documented here on teachers stress. For instance, a study done by Antoniou,
Polychroni, Vlachakis, (2006) showed that the most highly rated sources of stress among teachers were
referred to the problems in interaction with students, lack of interest, low attainment and handling
students with “difficult” behavior. Female teachers experienced significantly higher levels of
occupational stress, specifically with regard to interaction with students and colleagues and workload.
The study done by Johari and Noornazifah (2010), showed that primary school teachers experience low
stress level and they also faced stress in terms of personality which was moderately high. This indicate
that the level of stress not influenced by the personality of the respondents. Meanwhile another study
done by Nurul Izzah (2010) in primary schools in Klang Valley showed that most of the teachers
experience moderate stress level (71.7%) and only 12.1% had low mental health status. The study
concluded that, these primary school teachers experienced stress mainly due to the students
misbehaviour and their mental wellbeing were influenced by the workload and gender. Female teacher
with heavy workload had shown significant relationship with lower mental health status.

 Statement of the Problem

Academic performance, which is measured by the examination results, is one of the major goals
of a school. Hoyle (1986) argued that schools are established with the aim of imparting
knowledge and skills to those who go through them and behind all this is the idea of enhancing
good academic performance.

 
The poor academic performance of student in financial accounting had in the past give a cause
for concern for academician and school operators and such variables that could tend to influence
the student performance. Therefore, it’s pertinent to investigate the composition of school
variables and their effect on student academic performance in Financial Accounting in school in
Calabar Municipality.

Much as the situation described here causes concern, it is not yet known why some students fail
to attain the standards expected of them. The researcher would therefore like to establish the
influence of school variables such as school size, school ownership structure, school type, and
school structure and school location on student academic performance in financial accounting in
Calabar Municipality.

1.4     Purpose of the Study

The purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of school variable on academic
performance. Specifically, the study sees to findings into the extent to which;

1. School size influences academic performance.

2. School ownership influences academic performance.

 School type (co-educational/single) influences academic performance.

1. School structure (Day/Boarding) influences academic performance.

2. School location (areas on to fringe of Calabar-suburb) influences
academic performance.

1.5     Research Questions

The following questions guided this study

1. To what extent does school size influence academic performance?

2. To what extent does school ownership influence academic
performance?

 To what extent does school type influence academic performance?

1. To what extent does school structure influence academic performance?

2. To what extent does school location influence academic performance?

1.6     Research Hypotheses

          The following hypotheses guided this study;

1. There is no significant influence of school size on academic

performance;
2. There is no significant influence of school ownership on academic
performance;

 There is no significant influence of school type on academic

performance;

1. There is no significant influence of school structure on academic

performance;
2. There is no significant influence of school location on academic
performance;

1.7     Significance of the Study

The study is highly significant in enabling parents, educationist and educational stakeholders in
measuring the effect of school variable in relationship student academic performance. The
findings of this study will help determine the relationship between school variables and student
academic performance and also this study will be of benefit to educationist who are interested in
knowing how non classroom factors/variables affect student academic performance.

This study is also germane to parents who are interested in the educational performance of their
student most especially in Financial Accounting and parents who are tending to mold their
children to become an accountant in the future as this study tends to access the effect of school
variable and student academic performance.

Also, this study will be of immense contribution to professional accounting bodies who
programed of catching the best accountant young in their fields as this study will explain the
relationship between the variables and such student performance in the field of accounting and as
such enable them to make proper plan of hunting the best student in Financial accounting and
also understand the cause-effect of school variable and student academic performance.

1.8     Scope of the Study

The study will be conducted in ten Secondary Schools in Calabar Municipality. The variables to
be cover in this study include school size, school ownership structure, school type, school
structure and school location.

This study is aimed at investigating the effect of the aforementioned variables on the academic
performance of students in financial accounting. This study is also limited to the identified
variables used in the study.
1.9     Assumptions of the Study

          The assumptions underlying this study are:

1. That schools differs in facilities availability;

2. That variables involved in this study are measurable;
3. That the effect of school variables on student performance can be
investigated;
4. That questionnaire respondent are sincere in their response;
5. That examination is the only means of judging students’ academic
excellence and ability.
 

CHAPTER TWO

LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1     School size and student academic performance

Although educational researchers and policy-makers consider a number of variables in
operationalizing school effectiveness, the community holds schools most accountable for
students’ academic achievement (Bossert, 1988). Thus, the ultimate criterion for assessing the
effectiveness of any school reform is the extent to which it improves the actual academic
achievement of students.

An optimized sized school will enjoy economies of scale on its student population and thus
enable such school to have a lower cost per student with the excess cost to be invested in other
curricular activities which will increase the student academic performance.

Sergiovani (1995) argued that, even if small schools do cost slightly more per student than do
large schools, small schools could still be more efficient if they were more productive. Thus, he
urged educational decision-makers to go beyond simple per student cost and consider the ratio of
productivity to cost. Support for Sergiovani’s argument comes from research showing that
increases in per student costs, not decreases, are generally associated with increased academic
achievement. For example, Greenwood, Hedges, and Laine (1996) conducted a meta-analysis of
60 primary studies relating input factors relating to student achievement, including per pupil
expenditures. They found that per student expenditure was positively related to student
achievement, and that a 10% increase in per pupil expenditures was related to an increase in
student achievement of one standard deviation over 12 years of schooling.

Ramirez (1992) conducted a review of the literature relating school size to student achievement
and concluded that little difference in achievement was present between large and small schools.
Cotton (1996) reviewed 31 studies of the relationship between school size and achievement and
found them about evenly divided between studies favoring small schools and studies showing no
differences in achievement based on school size. None of the studies reviewed by Cotton yielded
results in favor of large schools. Greenwald, et al. (1996) conducted a meta-analysis of 60 studies
and found that student achievement was negatively related to school size. That is, achievement
was better in small schools.

A researcher postulates that a smaller school size tends to have a better per student outcome
compared to a larger school sized. Ramirez (1992) conducted a literature review and concluded
that there is little difference in academic performance of small and large school size.

Also Forbes (1993) analyzed student performance in individual high school and state that student
in larger school are more likely to perform better in science subject than student in small school
thus, the preponderance of the evidence indicates that students’ academic achievement is better
in small schools, but there is sufficient evidence in favor of large schools to suggest that
mediating variables play a role in the relationship between school size and student academic
performance achievement.

With regard to teacher quality, Jackson (1966) found that larger schools had more highly
qualified teachers than did smaller schools, and that some small schools did not provide all
teachers with planning periods. Thus, large schools appear to have a clear advantage in terms of
teacher qualifications which thus have directly reflection on the student academic performance
unlike small school which can’t provide teachers with enough tools to work with and invariably
limiting their teaching performance and student development.

Although increased disciplinary problems in large schools is a problem in and of itself, such
increases also tend to produce negative changes in administrators’ behavior. Gregory (1992)
found that the control of student behavior becomes a primary concern of administrators in large
schools. As a result, school policy tends to become restrictive and disciplinary actions highly
punitive (Meier, 1996). So also small school tend to be highly effective in implementing
discipline on the student and a collective act of the teachers who ensure that their student tends to
behave well and thus yielding a high academic performance on such students.

2.2     School Ownership and Student Academic Performance

The ownership of schools in Nigeria which could be viewed as the controlling force in terms of
the administration of the school could be divided into two broad ownership structure which are:

 Public Ownership
 Private Ownership
 
Schools that are established and run by governments are called public schools while those
established by individuals, organizations and mission bodies are referred to as private schools.
Consequently, private schools are those schools that have the following characteristics:

 Supported by private organization or individuals rather than by the state

 Independent schools that are supported wholly by the payment of fees
 Schools that are not administered by local, state or federal governments
 They are schools that retain the right to select their students
 They are schools that do not rely on mandatory taxation through public
or government funding
 

Public ownership of schools could be traced back to the missionaries’ activities in establishing
missionary school which is purely for religious purpose. According to Abati (2009), when CMS
Grammar School was established, Nigeria did not yet exist. The school according to him was
established as part of the Church Missionary Society (CMS) plan to develop locally educated
elites that could help promote the Christian faith with the first school being established in June 6,
1859. Towards this end, Odeleye, Oyelami & Odeleye, (2012) claimed that the history of private
ownership in educational administration in Nigeria could be traced to the period when western
education was introduced to the country in the 19th century. Between 1859 and now, statistics is
not able to reveal the number of privately owned secondary schools in Nigeria. And if at all the
list is released one can be sure that many of them will be omitted.

Private participation in education could be substantiated as a result of breakdown of the public

school ownership structure and void in the educational sector due to falling level of infrastructure
and facilities, the neglect of government of the missionaries’ schools after independence and the
low morale of public schools teachers caused by lack of structural welfare from the government
with non-payment of salaries.

The breakdown of the public educational sector which reflect the falling standard of education in
Nigeria with a significant effect on the student academic performance pave an easy intervention
of the private schools which serves as a saving grace for the falling standard of education.

Most publicly owned school which are characterized by failing structures, physical dilapidated
building, teachers with outdated information, examination malpractice, lack of planning and non-
motivated teachers will have a negative effect on the students’ academic performance as they
may not be able to compete with their private counterpart. This assumptions is non-conclusive on
the performance of the public school student as some still shine against all odd against their
private counterpart.

So also, private school which serves as a correction of the failed public schools tend to aid
student learning and thus influence the academic performance for the student by making
available a conducive learning environment for the students and thus having a positive impact on
their academic performance. The only issue against the emergence of the private schools is their
rate of fees which could be viewed as outrageous compared the mostly virtually free education in
the public school.

In the past, private secondary schools were poorly funded being of very poor standard and in
some cases of six-year instead of five-year duration. The name "private" secondary school today
applies to all secondary schools owned by corporate bodies, religious organizations, individuals
or establishments like University, National Electric Power Authority, River Basin Development
Authority, that are wholly financed and controlled by these corporate bodies. Contrary to their
previous poor standard private secondary schools are today better funded, and organized and
have better academic performance than government secondary schools. There may be an
exception to this, especially in the eastern states of the country where the Catholic mission still
play a dominant role in the establishment and control of secondary education in those states.
Whatever be the merits of these private secondary schools, there are some private schools that
employ and maintain poorly paid staffs who thereby feel disgruntled. This must have adverse
effect on the overall performance of such schools.

SUMMARY OF LITERATURE REVIEW

On the basis of the controversial findings on the influence of school type, sex, location on
students’ academic performance in the Literature, the present study will ascertain whether school
type, sex, and location will significantly influence secondary school students’ academic
performance.

With several research works quoted and reviewed on the effect of school size, ownership, type,
structure and location on student academic, it can be ascertain that the aforementioned variables
has little or no effect on students’ academic performance. So also, to test the aforementioned
research questions to determine if these variables has effect on student academic performance on
Secondary Schools in Calabar Municipality, the various hypotheses will be subjected to test and
thus a conclusion will be made on the effect of school size, ownership, type, structure and
location on student academic performance.

In general, items considered by previous researchers of the effect of school variables were
generalized on overall student academic performance which may not give a clear view of such
observation and making then to suggest for further studies and thus, this study tends to
investigate the effect of school variables on a specific academic subject which is Financial
Accounting.

Some researchers like Vincent A. Anfara, Jr (2009) and Owoeye, Joseph Sunday (2010) who
carried out research works on student academic performance and school variables where either
done in other region of Nigeria or the variable were generalized and thus posing way for further
research work in other region and field and thus this study: investigation the effect of school
variables on student academic performance in Financial Accounting in Calabar Municipality.
Also, considering the level of technology and social development in the country, it’s of
importance to note that the impact of social media on students tends to affect their academic
performance, it will cannot be over emphasized the effect these social applications have on the
student even in a perfect environment of school variable, we can still denote that there is a
missing gap between these school variable and the student academic performance but little or no
researcher had venture into that angle so therefore, this study will be investigate by the sideline
the indirect effect of technology on the student academic performance in relation to the school
variables.

CHAPTER THREE

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
This chapter is focused on a detailed description of the design and methodology used in carrying
out this study. The chapter will be presented under the following sub-headings:

3.1     Research Design

3.2     Area of Study

3.3     Population of Study

3.4     Sampling Techniques

3.5     The Sample

3.6     Instrumentation
3.6.1  Validity Instrumentation

3.6.2  Reliability Instrumentation

3.7     Procedures for Data Collection

3.8     Procedure for Data Preparation

3.9     Procedure for Data Scoring

3.1     RESEARCH DESIGN

The research design for this study is descriptive survey design of the ex-post facto type. This is
because the researcher will not be able to manipulate the variables for the simple reason that they
have already occurred. Also, the research is not intended to manipulate the independent variables
(school size, ownership, structure, type & location).

Rather, it will try to assess the influence of the above variables on the dependent variable
(student academic performance in Financial Accounting) with particular study of Secondary
School in Calabar Municipal area of Cross River State.

3.2     Research Area

The area of the study is Calabar Municipal which is a Local Government Area of Cross River
State, Nigeria. Its headquarters is at Atekong in the city of Calabar. It has an area of 142 km² and
a population of 179,392 at the 2006 census. The postal code of the area is 540.

Calabar Municipal between latitude 04° 15' and 5° N and longitude 8° 25' E. in the North, the
Municipal is bounded by Odukpani Local Government Area in the North-East by the great Kwa
River. Its Southern shores are bounded by the Calabar River and Calabar South Local
Government Area. It has an area of 331.551 square kilometres.

Calabar Municipal Government Area plays a dual role. Apart from being the Capital city of
Cross river State, it also plays its role as headquarters of the Southern Senatorial District. There
are ten wards in the local government.

Two ethnic groups form the indigenous population. These are the Quas and the Efiks. However,
because of its cosmopolitan status, there abound people from all parts of the state and Nigeria in
the city.
By virtue of its location along the waterfront, the Efiks embraced Western culture. They carried
on successful trade with early Europeans. Fishing is another occupation identified with them.
The Quas on the other hand occupy the bulk of the hinterland of Calabar where farmers, hunters,
traders and blacksmiths are found.

3.3     POPULATION OF THE STUDY

The population used for this study consist of Secondary schools from Calabar Municipal in Cross
River state. There are total of 14 registered public school in the area and over 30 registered
private school in the area with and approximate of over 15,000 students from which the sample
size of 200 will be selected.

The public school are evenly distributed with the private school having high level of
concentration in a particular area.

3.4     SAMPLING TECHNIQUES

The sampling techniques adopted for this study is the Cluster Simple random sampling
technique. This is a sampling technique in which the sample is divided into different
geographical area with even sample size and the simple random sampling is carried out to select
the sample. This is used in order to enable even representation of schools across Calabar
Municipal without concentrating the sample on a particular area.

Here, the researcher divide the area into 5 clusters categorized into government and private
school separately in Calabar Municipality, he then roll out a slip of paper on which each school
had a number  allocated to it in a can and then draw two (2) schools randomly from each clusters
both government and private school for the study.

3.5     THE SAMPLE

The sample of this study is made up of one hundred (200) senior secondary school students
(because most student don’t offer financial accounting) in Calabar Municipal Local Government
area of Cross River State. A breakdown of this figure shows that ten (10) students will each be
drawn randomly from ten (10) secondary school across Calabar Municipality.

The following are the Ten (10) school randomly selected from the study area in Calabar
Municipality;

1. Government Secondary School – Ikot Ansa Qua Town

2. Army Secondary School – Odukpani Road
3. Federal Government Girls High School – Ibb Way Nyagasang
4. Pereka Model High School – Atimbo
5. Margaret Ekpo High School – Ibb way
6. De Wis School – Mcc Road
7. Clemo Schools – Ikot Ansa
8. Rima Standard School – 8th Miles
9. Bishop Etokidem Modern School – Ikot Nkebre
10. St Annest Private School – State Housing Estate.

3.6     INSTRUMENTATION  
The main instrument to be used for data collection are questionnaire and school results. The
questionnaire will be designed for students in Financial Accounting. The questionnaire will be
divided into 2 sections. Section 1 will deal with respondent Bio data while section 2 will deal
with a simple check box questions options broken into five category of: school size, school
ownership, school structure, school type, and school location which will be used to measure their
effect on academic performance. The responses in section 2 will be ranked/scaled equally given
a 4 point (checked) for each answer given; because of the closed relationship of the options.

3.6.1  Validity Instruments

Validity is the degree of how appropriate the items actually measure what they are intend to
measure or the extent to which a true and accurate measure of components of learning resources
is possible or probable (Enukoha, 2011).

For this study validity, the draft copy of the questionnaire will be given to expert to offer
constructive criticism      in order for it to be accurate.

3.6.2  Reliability Instruments

Reliability refers to the consistency with which an instrument measures whatever it is supposed
to measure. To determine the reliability of the instruments, a trial sample of 20 respondents will
be draw from the population area and split half validity method will be used to evaluate the
reliability of the instrument. The set of scores will be divided into high and low scores and
Pearson Product Moment Correlation will be use to present the consistency of the instrument.

3.7     PROCEDURES FOR DATA COLLECTION

Questionnaire will be admitted to the students after getting the right permission to do so and the
student will be encouraged to give their best opinion shot in filling the questionnaire.

The questionnaire will be administer to each of the ten (10) sample schools with more than 20
questionnaires to be issued to each schools to the student offering Financial Accounting.

3.8     PROCEDURE FOR DATA PREPARATION AND SCORING

Section 2 of the questionnaire will be scored on a 4 point grade for each question answered given
the nature of the check box questionnaire and a non-negativity of the question which just tend to
get the relationship between the posited question options.

3.10   PROCEDURE FOR DATA ANALYSIS

In analyzing the data, the researcher will make us of frequency count, percentage and chi square
(X2) test analysis will be used to test the effect of school variables on student academic
performance in financial accounting Calabar Municipality. Below are the procedures;
3.10.1         HYPOTHESIS ONE (HO)

HO: “There is no significant influence of school size on academic performance of student in

financial accounting’’

Independent Variable: School size

Dependent Variable: Student Academic performance in financial accounting.

Statistical Tool: Chi - Square Test.

 3.10.2 HYPOTHESIS TWO (HO)

HO: “There is no significant influence of school ownership on academic performance of

student in financial accounting’’

Independent Variable: School ownership

Dependent Variable: Student Academic performance in financial accounting.

Statistical Tool: Chi - Square Test

3.10.3 HYPOTHESIS THREE (HO)

HO: “There is no significant influence of school structure (day/boarding) on academic

performance of student in financial accounting’’

Independent Variable: School Structure (day/boarding)

Dependent Variable: Student Academic performance in financial accounting.

Statistical Tool: Chi - Square Test

3.10.4 HYPOTHESIS FOUR (HO)

HO: “There is no significant influence of school type (co-educational/single) on academic

performance of student in financial accounting’’

Independent Variable: School Type (co-educational/single)

Dependent Variable: Student Academic performance in financial accounting.

Statistical Tool: Chi - Square Test

3.10.5 HYPOTHESIS FIVE (HO)

HO: “There is no significant influence of school location on academic performance of student

in financial accounting’’

Independent Variable: School Location

Dependent Variable: Student Academic performance in financial accounting.

Statistical Tool: Chi - Square Test

CHAPTER FOUR

PRESENTATION ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA

4.1 General Description of Variable and Data

This chapter deals basically with the analysis of data, interpretation of data and discussion of
findings that emerge from the analysis as well as the summary of findings with all effort made to
ensure that attention is on the hypothesis tested.

4.2 Hypothesis-by-Hypothesis Presentation of Results

Here, each hypothesis is re-stated in the null hypothesis form. The variable are identified and
results of statistical analysis are presented and interpreted while 5% level of significance was
used in the statistical testing of the hypotheses.

4.2.1  Hypothesis 1
The null hypothesis states that there is no significant influence on school size and students’
academic performance in Financial Accounting. The independent variable is school size while
the dependent variable is students’ academic performance in Financial Accounting with chi-
square test used to test the hypothesis. The table of analysis is presented below

Table 1: Test of significant influence of school size on academic

performance.

NB: Expected frequencies are in parenthesis

Result/Outcome:

Calculated X2                 = 6.68

Degree of Freedom:        = 1

Level of Significance:     = 0.05

Table value of (X2)         = 3.84 at 0.05

Decision: P < 0.05 (that is 3.84 is less than 6.68).

Therefore, H is rejected which state that there is no significant influence of school size on
student academic performance. While the H is accepted that there is a significant influence of
school size on student academic performance. That is to say that school size significantly
influence student academic performance. From the table, we can deduce that a school with a
range of (300) three hundred student perform better than large student range school.

This can also be supported in a real sense that the fewer the class the more coordinated it will be
as the teacher will be able to focus on giving each student attention to boost their confidence
level but reverse is the case in  large class.

Also, in argument for big size school, there is a psychological effect on the student who are
exposed to a wide numbers of peers who share their same view and can share and deliberate on
ideals together and also the case of economics of scale which large size school possess as they
will have a strong economic base to procure expensive learning facilities to boost student
learning capacity.

4.2.2 Hypothesis 2
The null hypothesis states that there is no significant influence on school ownership and
students’ academic performance in Financial Accounting. The independent variable is school
ownership while the dependent variable is students’ academic performance in Financial
Accounting with chi-square test used to test the hypothesis. The table of analysis is presented
below

Table 2: Test of significant influence of school ownership on academic

performance.

NB: Expected frequencies are in parenthesis

Result/Outcome:

Calculated X2                 = 0.45

Degree of Freedom:        = 1

Level of Significance:     = 0.05

Table value of (X2)         = 3.84 at 0.05

Decision: P > 0.05 (that is 3.84 is greater than 0.45).

Therefore, His accepted which state there is no significant influence of school ownership on
student academic performance while the His rejected which state that there is significant
relationship between school ownership and student academic performance. This can be
substantiated from Table 2 which show a tie between the expected frequencies of both public and
private school which means that there is no clear cut-edge of private school over public school.

According to the result of the hypothesis testing which state that there is no significant influence
on school size and student academic performance can be substantiated given the level
distribution of public and private school graduates in the economy. Also, the irony of private
school is that majority of its teachers are public school product who had excel in the system.

Private school may boost of efficient and effective academic system in teaching and learning but
may lack the psychological motivation of completion the public school student possess. Even
despite the lack of proper infrastructure in the public schools, it had in the past and presently
producing great scholars. A not far fetch example is that most renowned academics are product
of the chastised public schools.

Also, another angle to boost the hypothesis results is that most private schools passes their
student (even though not performing) for economic gain, that is telling the parent what they want
to hear about their child i.e doing good in school (even dough such student is not). The overall
repercussion of this practice is exposed when such student are discharge to the economical
platform of labor market. In search for jobs, most public school student gets the job done and
dusted better dough private school student may have technological edge above the public school
student.
4.2.3  Hypothesis 3
The Null hypothesis states that there is no significant influence of school structure
(day/boarding) in student academic performance while the alternate hypothesis state that there is
a significant influence of school structure of student academic performance.

The independent variable is school structure while the dependent variable is students’ academic
performance in Financial Accounting with chi-square test used to test the hypothesis. The table
of analysis is presented below;

Table 3: Test of significant influence of school structure on academic

performance.

NB: Expected frequencies are in parenthesis

Result/Outcome:

Calculated X2                 = 0.38

Degree of Freedom:        = 2

Level of Significance:     = 0.05

Table value of (X2)         = 5.99 at 0.05

Decision: P > 0.05 (that is 5.99 is greater than 0.38).

Given the result of the testing of the hypothesis, we therefore accept the H that state that there is
no significant influence of school structure on student academic performance. And the His
rejected that state there is a significant influence of school structure on student academic
performance.

That is whether a student is a day or boarding student does not have any effect on his academic
performance. Form the data analysis above and given the data above, it can be deduce that there
is not significant difference between day and boarding student in their academic performance.
Though the economic benefit of boarding school cannot be over emphasized as its meant to
breed student to cooperative and work in harmony but it had become the a den of little criminal
called student who molest and intimidate each other through cultism and other vises.

Researchers who had research extensively into the effect of boarding and day schooling on
student academic performance had in the past posited that it has no effect on student academic
performance but encourage government in rather getting more boarding school, such cost should
be used to build more schools for children to have access to and also suggest the abolition of
boarding school.
Also, many parent rather than enroll their wards in boarding school just dump such children there
because of their non-availability. The researcher use the word “dump” here because it’s
necessary for parent to check on their children in boarding school to check on their welfare and
performance but rather, most parent never even care for such children and such children may
suffer emotional neglect from parent and such affecting their academic performance.

Also on the side effect of day student where a child had a lot of house core to do before or after
school, such time may have little or no time for personal studies and such child may in the long
run achieve little academic excellence as there is no time to study to improve himself.

4.2.4  Hypothesis 4
The Null hypothesis states that there is no significant influence of school type (single/mixed sex)
on student academic performance while the alternate hypothesis state that there is a significant
influence of school type of student academic performance.

The independent variable is school type while the dependent variable is students’ academic
performance in Financial Accounting with chi-square test used to test the hypothesis. The table
of analysis is presented below;

Table 4: Test of significant influence of school type on academic

performance.

NB: Expected frequencies are in parenthesis

Result/Outcome:

Calculated X2                 = 8.44

Degree of Freedom:        = 1

Level of Significance:     = 0.05

Table value of (X2)         = 3.84 at 0.05

Decision: P < 0.05 (that is 3.84 is less than 8.44).

The decision of the above tested hypothesis is to reject the Ho which state that there is significant
influence of school type on student academic performance and accept the H which state that
there is significant influence of school type on student academic performance. Table 4 shows
that student of mixed school performs better than student of single sex school.

To boost the outcome of the result of the hypothesis that there is significant influence of school
type on student academic performance, we examine previous literature of research of school type
and student academic performance. Research have it that male student perform better in science
and mathematics but lagging in vocabulary while female student perform better in vocabulary
but lags in science and mathematics.

Given the outcome, say given a single sex school of male, we can easily deduce that such school
will be better in mathematics but will be merely measuring average in vocabulary and vice versa
for female student single school.

Therefore, given a mixed school where but deficiency exist, the male student can get help from
the female student in vocabulary and thus helping them to meet up with their vocabulary
deficiency while also the female student can easily get help in terms of explanation to help them
curb their challenges in science and mathematics. With this setting of mixed school, a student
deficient in a subject area will be better as he can be motivated by the presence of the opposite
sex in the classroom to improve his performance.

Also, in a mixed sex school, there will be a strong competition between the male and female
student on the control of the academics of the class and thus will boost the academic
performance of the school as the ego of the boys will not want to make them succumb to second
place for the girls in academic performance while the girls will always strive hard to beat the
boys to top prize of academic performance of the class. But all these competing activities are
lagging in single sex school as the student will not be motivated but fellow sex student.

4.2.5  Hypothesis 5
The Null hypothesis states that there is no significant influence of school location (municipal
city/suburb) on student academic performance while the alternate hypothesis state that there is a
significant influence of school location on student academic performance.

The independent variable is school location while the dependent variable is students’ academic
performance in Financial Accounting with chi-square test used to test the hypothesis. The table
of analysis is presented below;

Table 5: Test of significant influence of school location on academic

performance.

NB: Expected frequencies are in parenthesis

Result/Outcome:

Calculated X2                 = 12.01

Degree of Freedom:        = 1

Level of Significance:     = 0.05

Table value of (X2)         = 3.84 at 0.05

Decision: P < 0.05 (that is 3.84 is less than 12.01)

The decision of the above tested hypothesis is to reject the Ho which state that there is significant
influence of school location on student academic performance and accept the H which state that
there is significant influence of school location on student academic performance.

The result of the analysis as presented in Table 5 show that student who attend urban school
perform better than student who attend rural (municipal suburb) school. The result therefore
means the location of school attended by student do determine their academic performance.

4.3     Discussion of Findings

The outcome of the first hypothesis which state that school size significantly influence student
academic performance is in line with Monk and Haller’s (1993) view which caveat that school
size affects different schools in different ways. A small school size will boost of quality
education to each student as there will be adequate monitoring of each student and student will
educational challenges can be monitored by the teacher in a small class compared to a large class
in which the teacher himself will fail to find his bearing or may even be intimidate by such
crowd. Dough there is a saying that says “the more the merrier” but its opposite in education as
the fewer the better way to teach.

Also, Forbes (1993) analyzed student performance in individual high school and state that
student in larger school are more likely to perform better in science subject than student in small
school thus, the preponderance of the evidence indicates that students’ academic achievement is
better in small schools, but there is sufficient evidence in favor of large schools to suggest that
mediating variables play a role in the relationship between school size and student academic
performance achievement.

Also, the result obtained from hypothesis 2 which state that there is no significant influence of
school ownership and student academic performance which means that both public and private
school student can compete on a fair ground with the outcome not been one sided. From
statistical research, it can be established that public schools is the bedrock for the establishment
of private schools and as such tend to offer better method and value in teaching. In terms of the
qualification of teachers, all public schools teacher are qualified teacher with a least of teaching
certificate while most private schools teacher are mere hustlers who had no business in education
but just seeking for survival. This effect is reflected in the long term achievement of the students
as most public school students tends to be better than the half-baked private school students
when faced with challenges of education in later stage.

Furthermore, hypothesis 3 whose findings shows that there is no significant influence of school
structure (day/boarding) on student academic performance. According to J. A. Agentha (1974),
he stated that the boarding school system had been wrongly managed and such lost its glory and
suggest that rather than invest in boarding facility, government should invest in human facilities
to provide more school for more children. Also from the menace of boarding school which is
supposed to be a fully fitted academic environment that will allow student focus and concentrate
on its studies had turned to a den on intimidating so called senior students and mostly seen as an
avenue by busy parents to dump their children whom they can’t cater for.

In addition to, hypothesis 4 which state that there is a significant influence of school type
(single/mixed sex) on student academic performance show that mixed sex school students
perform better than single sex student who are highly monotonous in their reasoning. Salomone
(2003) noted that single-sex education has been ideologically tied to racial segregation, which, in
effect, causes us to be more critical of it and demand far more of it than we do of other
“uncertain” educational innovations.

Further research show that single sex education has no clear objectives as its mostly
implemented for religious purposes and thus paving a leading edge for mixed sec education in
which the students can interact with the opposite sex student and be able to develop good morals
and also share and explain ideas together in which same sex colleague cant share.

Not forgetting the result of hypothesis 5 which state that school location has a significant effect
on student academic performance. According to Ojoawo (1989), he cited that one of the potent
factor in distributing educational resources is school location. The schools in the cities enjoy
better attention from the government and most teachers prefer to be posted to schools in the city
compared to school in rural areas where there are usually inadequate infrastructural facilities and
conducive environment. Also, government pay more attention to schools in urban area and
neglecting rural school in its educational policies.

CHAPTER FIVE

SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

5.1     Summary of the study

This study was designed to explore the influence of school variables on stident academic
performance in Financial Accounting in Calabar Municipal area of Cross River State, Nigeria.
Literature review of many authors were consulted for the purpose of the study.

A total number of two hundred respondents were drawn from ten sampled secondary schools in
the area for this study while using a simple random cluster sampling technique was used in
deriving the samples from the population.

A closed ended checked box questionnaire was designed, validated and administered on the
respondents. Five null hypotheses were postulated and tested using the chi-square test analysis at
0.05 level of significance and the findings revealed that all the null hypotheses were statistically
significant.

5.2     Conclusion
On the basis of the findings of the study, the following conclusions were drawn which the
findings of the study revealed;

1. There is significant influence of school size on students’ academic

performance in Financial Accounting in Calabar Municipal schools:
2. There is no significant influence of school ownership on students’
academic performance in Financial Accounting in Calabar Municipal
schools:
3. There is no significant influence of school structure on students’
academic performance in Financial Accounting in Calabar Municipal
schools:
4. There is significant influence of school type on students’ academic
performance in Financial Accounting in Calabar Municipal schools:
5. There is significant influence of school location on students’ academic
performance in Financial Accounting in Calabar Municipal schools:

5.3     Recommendation
Based on the findings of this study, the following recommendations have been deemed
imperative:

1. Government should provide more schools as much as possible which

will help in decongesting the over-crowded schools and also the United
Nation’s recommendation of a teacher to a maximum of thirty student
in a class should be strictly adhere to.
2. Educationist who practice in the private sector should tend to improve
the quality of their teaching be employing qualified teachers and also
strive to make the student academically independent by revealing their
real performance to them and not doctored school results.
3. Government should rather abolish boarding schools and create more
highly spread and equipped schools so that students can attend from
their location. That is government should create schools close to every
citizens to enable them to attend without stress of traveling.
 
 1. Government should discourage single sex schools and it’s mostly set up
by religious denominations on religious grounds which promote ethnic
segregation and also breed radicalism in students.
 

1. Government should extend its policy attention to school in the rural

areas and also encourage teachers to move to rural say by issuing
relocation allowances to transferred teachers and also making rural
school infrastructural wise competitive with urban schools.
 

5.4     Suggestions for Further studies

The researcher wishes to recommend the following for further studies;

1. This study with its nature should be carried out across the state and
country by professional accounting body to promotes the accounting
profession:
2. Other motivational factors affecting student academic performance
should be researched:
3. School variables should be research individually in peculiarity to
academic performance.
 

REFERENCES
Aghenta, J, A., "The Boarding System is Out Moded" Nigeria Sunday Observer, February 17,
1974, p. 7.

Global Journal of Management and Business Research Volume 12 Issue 9 Version 1.0 June
2012.
Harb, Nasri and El-Shaarwi, Ahmed. (July 2006). ‘Factors Affecting Students' Performance’.
MPRA Paper No. 1362.

Craig Erico, Ogden Georgia Southern University, A Comparison of Student Performance in

Single Sex Education and Coeducational Settings in Urban Middle Schools, Spring 2011.

Ojoawo, A.O. (1990). An Empirical Study of Factors Responsible for poor Academic
Performance in secondary Schools in Oyo State. AJEM, 4 (1 & 2) 140-148.

Ayodele, S.O. (1988). A study of the Relative Effects of the Problems of Class Sizes and
Location of Schools on Performance of Pupils. Nigerian Journal of Curriculum Studies, Vol. VI,
No. 2.

Forbes, R. H., Fortune, J. C., & Packard, A. L. (1993, February). North Carolina rural initiative
study of secondary schools: Funding effects on depth of the curriculum. Paper presented at the
annual meeting of the Eastern Educational Research Association, Clearwater, FL. (ERIC
Document Reproduction Service No. ED 360 133).

Ekanem, E. O. (2005). Classroom Management, Uyo: Inela Ventures and Publishers Limited
Etuk, L.A. (1991). Agriculture for self-reliance in Secondary School. Journal of Education,
UNICROSS, vol. 1(1) 99-105.

Nsa, E. O., Akpan, E. O. and Williams P.S. (2012). Instructional Strategies and Students’  Skills
Acquisition in Vegetable crop production. Pakistan Journal of Business and Economics Review.
Vol.3 (1) pp. 125-141.

Olaitan, S. O. and Mama, R. O. (2002). Principles and Practice of School farm Management.
Owerri-Nigeria, Cape Publishers International.

Onyekwelu, N. (2000). Availability of educational materials in the teaching of social studies in

primary schools: Implications of the Universal basic education programme. The Nigeria
Universal Basic Education Journal (1) pp. 252-257.

Salau, M. O. (2001). Significant home and school environmental factors associated with
students’ high achievement in Mathematics. Journal of the Science Teachers’ Association of
Nigeria 36(1 and 2) pp. 3742.

Shannon, W. G. (1989). Teaching Agriculture. Agricultural progress, 44 pp.16-165.

Uniuyo. Umoh, A. M. (2006). Basic Psychology of human learning. Uyo-Nigeria. MEF (Nig.)
Limited. Umoh, M. and Etuk, L.A. (2003). Principles of Curriculum Development in
Agricultural Education. AbujaNigeria. Hill-Alex Ventures.

Report this
Published by
Oluwaseun Oredein
Humanitarian Finance Officer at Save the Children International
Published • 4y
3 articlesFollow

Acute Stress. You know the feeling when you’re behind on a seemingly all-important deadline
and then you get a call from your child’s school asking you to come by or you barely miss a
serious car accident.
Your heart might race and your blood pressure might rise. Your sense of emergency might
trigger a migraine or even chest pain.
Other possible symptoms include irritability, anxiety, sadness, headaches, back pain, and gut
problems. These may appear for a short time and subside when the stress eases.
Our minds extend acute stress. A recent argument may replay in your mind, keeping you up at
night. Or you might keep worrying about the future, a deadline ahead. You might benefit from
learning techniques to calm your mind, but stress isn’t interfering with your relationships
or career.

Episodic acute stress. Some people experience these mini-crises regularly and live in a state of
tension. They may be taking on too much or simply be overburdened by their lives. If you tend to
worry, your body will be tense or angry.
The symptoms are similar but occur more often and accumulate.
Maybe your company is poorly managed and your boss is stressed out, passing along
emergencies to you. Those tight deadlines keep cropping up.
In modern life, we often can’t take big, immediate actions to solve our problems. Instead, we can
take small steps that build up over time.
You might need to spend more time getting physical exercise while rethinking your finances in
case you need to quit. You might need the help of a therapist to change your circumstances or
your responses to them.
Over time, a pattern of episodic acute stress can wear away at your relationships and work. 
That risk is greater if you turn to unhealthy coping strategies like binge drinking, overeating, or
clinging to bad relationships. Many people also slowly give up pursuing pleasurable activities or
meaningful goals.
If poorly managed, episodic acute stress can contribute to serious illnesses like heart disease or
clinical depression. 

Chronic stress. This is the grinding stress that wears us down over the years. It arises from
serious life problems that may be fundamentally beyond our control: poverty, war, or racism.
The demands are unrelenting and you don’t know when they will stop. You get by day by day.
If you had a traumatic childhood, you may experience life as chronically stressful even when the
surface appears okay. You believe you are perpetually threatened by poverty or illness even
when this is untrue.
Whether the cause lies in your mindset or difficult circumstances, many people stop fighting for
change and begin to accommodate chronic stress