CHAPTER ONE:

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the study

In the contemporary education system, it is generally noticed that the way the learner

feels, think and acts in all situations is largely dictated by his images of past experiences.

Everything that enters into a student’s mind-set, soon gets linked up with his past

experiences, and serves to provide the guide and direction for the interpretation of the

present. The learner is a free agent, with his own mind and way of responding, to the

environment outside himself. Many things solicits students attention each moment and each

student usually makes effort to free himself from one object in his mind, in order to be

occupied with another more vital object, subject or event in his environment at a particular

point in time. A student is able to think, only when a single object is admitted into his

consciousness at a time with appropriate motivation. When a student’s consciousness is

allowed to focus on a subject and adequate motivation is being given by the teacher, there

would be the certainty of him becoming more aware of the subject and his performance will

be more attractive.

In the classroom situation, an important instructional step for the teacher is to get the

learners thought refocused from all other things to what he intends them to learn.

There is a general consensus about the importance of mathematics in the technology

development of any nation. This fact is acknowledge by the time and effort devoted to the

teaching and learning of mathematics in the secondary schools today.

According to Emovon and kuku (2012), “a nations technology is as good as her

science and hence as her mathematics”. However, the performance of students at both
internal and external examination left much to be desired. Most students in education focused

on goes on in the classroom while neglecting other important factors such as the socio-

psychological factors. The way an individual learn is not only affected by classroom work

and situation but there are other factors which determine what, why and how individual learn.

The combination of proximal and distal factors ought to be considered but little or no

consideration is given to the distal factor like the socio-psychological variable such as self-

concept, study habit, attitude, gender, home and family type, pear group, parental socio-

economic status and others which exert dominant influence on all facet of life of an

individual.

According to Yara (2010) found that students with high and positive self-concept

perform satisfactorily in mathematics. On this premise, it could be conjectured that students

who think positive about their mathematics abilities feels highly delighted in solving

mathematics problems, act promptly in learning mathematics, place high value on the benefit

accruable to them in having good grades in mathematics and evaluate themselves as being

capable of performing favorable in mathematics, are likely to perform creditably in the

subject. Moreover, students with high and positive self-concept may likely develop internal

motivation to strive for excellence in mathematics rather than being indifferent and passive.

Several studies have examined the relationship between self-concept and academic

performance or achievement. Most of these studies support the belief that self-concept is a

strong facilitator of academic achievement and that a positive or negative change in self-

concept tends to produce a commensurate change in academic performance, (Dubois &

Cooper 2004). It is also noted that, there are some factors that influence academic

performance of student are hereditary, environment, time, and some that are resident in the

student, the family, the school and the society. Those factors resident in the student include

physical, health, truancy, emotional problem, personality factor, poor study habits, self-
concept, and continued failure, lack of basic cognitive skills and examination strategies or

restiveness.

Every parent wants intelligent children and every school system value intelligent learner.

However, Locke (2007) claimed that the mind of man at birth is a “tabula rasa” that is, the

mind of man is empty at birth as such, learners tends to be driven by the information received

in the school or at home. The kind of motivation given by the teacher determines the

performance of the students. A learner who has low intelligence or performing in a subject

poorly it is the teacher’s responsibility to appreciating the learners’ condition and ensure that

he is given more time and attention that would be required for learners who are highly

intelligent. Students motivation is a key component connected to student achievement. The

degree to which the teacher utilizes motivation in the classroom determines successful

learning. As such, teachers or counsellors need to be reminded that, increasing ones self-

concept will invariably leads to high academic output. In other words, measures that are

useful in enhancing the self-concept of students need to be outlined and strengthened in the

school. These is, however a general opinion among researchers and that achievement related

to success and failure do influence self-concept through various means, it is against this

background that this study investigated self- concept and academic performance of secondary

school students in mathematics in Yala Local Government Area of Cross River State.

1.2 Theoretical framework

According to Carl Ransom Roger’s self theory which he held that, “man (Everyone) is

basically good and full of potentials to self-actualization”.

He also posits that self-concept is caused by an interaction between inner processes (past

experiences) and environmental influence. According to him, everyone is full of potential but

the kind of information received can make ones self-concept to be either positive or negative.
He demonstrated this by using people that are living around us such as relatives, brothers,

sisters, friends, and teachers etc. to teach us how one could develop a concept or habit that is

obnoxious about himself in his immediate environment through interaction which may leads

to poor academic performance.

He added that, conducive environment should be created for learners and morally accepted

habits should be rewarded so that learners can explicitly know what to hold on since their

self-concept is strengthen base on information available in their environment. I believe that

when these are judiciously utilized, the learner can be influence to think good about himself,

because a student who feels good about himself is usually a high achiever.

1.3 Statement of the problem

Schools and teachers are under attacks from different directions over what parents and

members of the society referred to as “falling standard of education” parents portion out

blames on school and teachers for the poor academic performance of students.

Emphasizing the importance of school environment and teachers to student’s academic

performance, Oluchukwu, (2000) asserted that “school environment is an essential aspect of

educational planning”.

Teachers on their part contend that the problem of what to teach, how to teach it and

examine it has to do with educational system of the world. Similarly, teachers are becoming

increasingly aware that students they teach do not learn important subject like mathematics

and other sciences that they want them to learn as much. In addition, students who although

have the ability to learned this subject fast enough do not learn as much as they should, and

consequently, perform poor in schools.

 Classroom experiences show that a good numbers of students we teach who fail to

perform, seem to hate the subject (having a negative self-concept about a subject) as such,

determine not to understand the subject as the result perform poor in school on this note

therefore, the researcher designed this study to investigate how positive or negative self-

concept affects the academic performance of secondary school students in mathematics in

Yala Local Government Area of Cross River State.

1.4 purpose of the study

The purpose of the study is to:

i. To find out whether there is any difference on the level of self-concept and academic

performance in mathematics among the male and female students.

ii. To find out whether there exist any difference between students with high self-

concept and those with low self-concept with regards to their academic performance in

mathematics.

iii To find out the difference between female students with high self-concept and those

with low self-concept in their academic performances in mathematics.

1.5 Research questions

The following research questions were asked in order to arrive at the aims and objectives of

the study:

i) What is the difference in the academic performance in mathematics of students with

high self-concept and those with low self-concept?

ii) What is the difference of the academic performance in mathematics of female

students with high self-concept and those with low self-concept?

iii) What is the difference in the academic performance in mathematics of male and female

students with high self-concept?

1.6 Research Hypothesis

In order to find answers to the research question, the following hypothesis were postulated in

both null (Ho) and alternative (Hi) forms:

1. Ho: There is no significant difference in the academic performance in mathematics of

students with high self-concept and those with low self-concept.

Hi: There is a significant difference in the academic performance in mathematics of

students with high self-concept and those with low self-concept.

2. Ho: There is no significant difference in the academic performance in mathematics of

female students with high self-concept and those with low self-concept.

Hi: There is a significant difference in the academic performance in mathematics of

female students with high self-concept and those with low self-concept.

3. Ho: There is no significant difference in the academic performance in mathematics of

male and female students with high self-concept.

Hi: there is a significant difference in the academic performance in mathematics of

male and female students with high self-concept.

1.7 Assumption of the study

Students responded willingly, honestly and earnestly to the questionnaire and that responses

were the best of each student. Their responses contribute immensely to the success of this

project.

1.8 Significance of the study

 It is the conviction of the researcher that a successful accomplishment of this study will

help the teachers, school environments, parents, upon which are some of the causes that

characterized low and high academic performance and help them rely on those measures that

produces positive results. Also, it will be of great significant to counsellors in the right choice

of theory in the counselling process also in the placement of clients in such a way that their

interest will match their abilities.

This study will be of great importance to students because it will not only help them to

identify some of the causes of low performance in their examinations but also equip them

with ideas, suggestion and recommendations on how to approach problems surrounding their

academic pursuit.

The study may also benefit other researchers as the finding of this study may help to direct

future research.

In addition, the fact that this study is conducted in public schools, it shares quite similarities

with many counterparts in private schools. In this connection, this study will equip guidance

counsellors with the knowledge on how self-concept and academic performance of secondary

school student in mathematics in Yala Local Government of Cross River State.

1.9 Limitation and delimitation of the study

Apart from time frame and shortage of finance, the major limitation is the inability of the

researcher to cover the whole public secondary schools in Yala Local Government Area,

Cross River State that offers mathematics.

The researcher work focuses on the self-concept and academic performance of secondary

school students in mathematics in Yala Local Government Area of Cross River State.

However, ten public secondary schools will be use as a case study.

1.10 Scope of the study

It’s practically impossible for the researcher to work on all the secondary schools in Yala

Local Government within the time frame available for the project. The scope of the work was

delimitated to some collected secondary schools in Yala Local Government Area of Cross

River State. The variables studied were self-concept and academic performance of students.

1.11 Definition of terms

i) Academic performance: Academic performance as used in this study means the extent of

understanding of subject in school as measured by the score assigned to student performance

base on the test administered by the researcher.

Students: Refers to a person attending educational institution in the case of this study, it

refers to those attending post primary institutions.

Self –Concept: is the extent to which an individual believes to be capable, significant,

successful and worthy.

Motivation: is a process of making someone have a strong desire of doing something.

Influence: the power that somebody has to make somebody behave in a particular way. To

have an effect on the way that somebody behaves or thinks, especially by giving them an

example to follow.
 CHAPTER TWO

LITERATURE REVIEW

This chapter is design for the discussion of literature review. In reviewing the various

literatures, the researcher was guided by the following key points:

2.1 Self-concept and academic achievement among male and female students.

2.2 High self-concept and low self-concept among students and academic achievement.

2.1 Self- concept and academic achievement among male and female students

Okporlishor (20019) defines self-concept as the perceptions that the individual assigns to

himself or as ones personal image of himself. This image of self entails a person’s way of

evaluating himself. However, student’s self-concept could be influenced from two

standpoints:

What they have learned from their environment and

In school.

According to john Locke (2007) Human mind is “Tabula Rasa” that is, every child is born an

active agent with a unique learning organism, and comes to life without any store of

experience with which to build upon, before birth he saw nothing, can only learn through

events and interaction, manifesting purpose and creates directions of actions through

exploring, interpreting his own world, and coordinates his action according to environmental

influence.
 Denga (1988) noted that, there is a continuous interaction between the learner and

environment. That is, the learner effect changes in the environment, and the environment to a

great extent influences the learners self-concept. Children learn a lot in their immediate

environment both pleasant and unpleasant self-concept by the time they get to the school age

they have already acquired imaginative lesson about themselves. By the time they go to

school, displays what they had acquired in the environment. For that reason, Babdura (2012),

rightly observed that behavior is caused by an interaction between inner processes and

environmental influence. That is, students be it female or male is different to the extent that

his/her home background is different.

Schiefelbaum and Simmons cited by Adell (2012) considered family background as the

most important and most weighty factor in determining the academic performance attend by

student. That is say; the quality of being a male or female does not affect student’s self-

concept rather the nature of experience the learner gotten from the parents. In some families,

much importance is placed to sex of the individual, in such a way that male and female are

treated differently. Males are allowed to study subject in school such as mathematics while

female are being restricted based on the information they have gotten from their parents. The

males therefore grow up to be more active, more exploratory and more inquisitive than

female and they carry these tendencies with them to school.

Carlkson & Rosenkrants (2012) observed that, in the family set up, girl’s surfer greater

limitation regarding academic achievement than males. Female and male have the same

mental capacity through which they can perform maximally the same, but the kind of

information they receive restricts females not to perform well in school, because they believe

they are weaker vessel as such female develop a stained attitude towards performing low in

school.
 Fischer and Fischer (2012) observed that, there are behaviors directed at efficient learning.

That is, students tend to believe their teachers than any other person even when they are

wrong. The kind of information the teacher relays to the learners has a tremendous effect on

the student’s self-concept. Gottfriend & Hansley (2012) rightly observed that, those who

teach in school ensure that they do not generate tension and anxiety among learners. Some

teachers with high mathematics anxiety have a significant effect on the academic

achievement of the learners. As such, a student who does not perform well in school is as a

result of the kind of information they receive from the teacher. Therefore, teachers are

expected to give adequate motivation to student in order to build up their self-concept in

regards to academic performance in mathematics in secondary school.

2.2 High Self-concept and low self-concept among students and academic

achievement

It is generally agreed that every child (learner) is born into a family. The child has a

unit of life is privy to the choice of the family he is born into. It is the family that makes him

what he develop into, what a child becomes, the quality of the mind he possesses, his self-

concept and orientations, have the imprints of the family routes his life through. Tuttel and

Tuttel (2004) observed that, the root of self-concept lies in family experiences. That is, every

child is born blank without any store of experience comes to life with a burning desire to

learn and become a product of the information he receives from the parents. Every other

experience the child may have outside his family gets linked up with his past experience and

serves to provide the guild and direction for the interpretation of the present.

Kuppuswamy (2000) in a similar view posited that, self-concept is not a finished product

at birth. But it’s something which develops from the family experiences. That is, self-concept
depends upon the family in which the individual is brought up academic success or failure of

students in determined by the parents. Some parents feed their children with a negative self-

concept about mathematics as such when getting to school age displays the same by

performing below average in the subject. This is to agree with the adage that says information

is power’.

Students with high self-concept comes from families where the parents themselves

has similar self-concepts and where adults are able to treat children responsible individuals,

parents of such students (children) are more accepting, more affectionate and more positive

towards their children. Rogers (1981) said, an infant perceives his experiences as reality. That

is to say, the experiences today’s children (learners) are having will form the basis of their

interpretation of what the future will offer. Thirty years from now the thought (self-concept)

and actions of today’s children (learners) will be a reshaping of what they are errantly passing

through. Nobody is completely new person at any given time because of continuous

interpretation of the present in the light of the past. The learner’s behavior shapes up over

time, at each point in time; his past experiences serve to shape his current pattern of behavior.

Parents, who are aware of this, tend to feed their children with positive information that

greater positive self-concept, because it is believed that a student who feels and thinks good

about himself is usually a high achiever. Female often believe they to be bad at mathematics,

in accordance with gender stereotyping, and often experience high levels of anxiety about the

subject, that anxiety appears to be driven by social influence, and may be varnishing through

adequate motivation. The issue of high and low self-concept in female students can be

viewed from two standpoints: heredity and motivation.

According to Denga (2002) heredity refers to the mechanism whereby a child is born

with or inherits certain physical and mental capacity from the immediate biological parents or

from ancestral parents. That is, heredity is established at the time of conception. Genes work
in pairs to develop hereditary traits. For any given hereditary traits half the gender comes

from the father and the other half from the mother. Some of the characteristics of the

individual that are said to be directly inherited include: height, weight, intelligence and

mental traits etc, that is, to say, what a student is to a very large extent determines by

hereditary factors.

Olayinka (1986) rightly observed that, if the father is an idiot and transmits the genes of an

idiot to the child, that child wills posses the traits. If the mother is a moron, and transmits the

genes of a moron to the child, that child will possess the trait of a moron. That is, female

students are different based on mental traits they inherits from their parents, female students

are not uniformly endowed in terms of mental ability. The extent of the giftedness of each

learner dictates hereditary traits. Female students with high self-concept come from families

where the parents themselves had similar self-concept while female students with low self-

concept come from families where the parents themselves had such.

According to Denga (2002) Motivation is define as the forces which ignite, propel,

poke, spur or energize, direct and sustain behavior toward goal attainment. Motivation makes

learners to view themselves as active and capable persons to promote changes through effort

and set higher goals which may lead to performing well in mathematics.

Rubie (2004) observed that, high self-concept plays an important role in academic

achievement. High self-concept can develop by given adequate motivation from either the

parents or teachers.

Redenbach (2001) noted that, those who have higher academic achievement in mathematics

tend to feel more confident in contrast with those who lack confidence in themselves less.

That is, a lack of motivation is manifested in individual’s differences to learning, a lack of

interest in learning generally, a week drive towards goal attainment and little identification
with school subjects. Teachers are hereby implored to identify individual differences among

female students and to encourage them to participate in all academic activities.

2.3 Summary of literature review

The summary of the literature so far reviewed self-concept and academic performance

of secondary school students in mathematics in Yala Local Government Area of Cross River

State. The work cited emphasis on the need for parents, teachers and school counsellors to

effectively feed their children and learners with positive information or adequate motivation

to enhance or develop positive self-concept towards mathematics so that their performance

may be outstanding.

There is agreement in the literature to the effect that parents and teachers are the

major factors influencing student’s performance in school. The review further shows that,

school environments, Hereditary, and motivation are factors that can also influence student

performance in mathematics.
 CHAPTER THREE

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

This chapter is concerned with the description of the research design and the procedures used

in the analyzing data collected as follow:

3.1 Research design

3.2 Area of study

3.3 Population

3.4 Sampling technique

3.5 Sampling

3.6 Instrumentation

3.7 Validity of the instrument

3.8 Reliability of the instrument

3.9 Procedure for data collection

3.10 Data presentation

3.11 Procedure for data analysis

3.1 Research design

The research design adopted for this study is the inferential survey design. The survey

design involves the collection of data to accurately and objectively describe existing
phenomenon. The adoption of this design in the study was therefore to enhance the collection

of the data because of the nature of the problem which may needs the polling of opinion from

the sample of the study then making inference to the entire population. The population

consists of all the senior secondary school students in Yala Local Government Area of Cross

River State.

3.2 Research Area

This research was carried out in yala local government area of cross river state. The area is

one of the eighteen local government areas in Cross River State. The administrative

headquarter of the research area is okpoma created on the August 27 th, 1999. This is in the

east of the area of 1,739km and a population of 210,843 (NPC 2006). The research area is

bounded by Benue state in the north, in the south by Ikom, and Obubra, then in ogoja by the

Easth and the west by Ebonyi state. This has okpoma as the counsels headquarter. There are

many educational institutions in the research area ranging from pre-primary, primary,

secondary, polytechnic, and college of health technology. Some of which were founded by

the missionaries are the pope John Paul minor seminary okpoma, Maryknol college okuku,

most of our great men attended. The area is an urban setting but inhabits people from

different socio-cultural background. English, ochumode, kukelle, igede, and Yache, language

respectively. The people in the research area are mostly farmers, Business, men and women

and civil servants, while little of the people do salt making. The indigenous people of yala

have distinct culture like the ogrinya, Ekpatuma, Akataka masquerade and the Ogamode

chieftaincy title. Akpu and Bene-side soup are widely eating by the people of the area. The

area is bounded in the north by Benue State, in the south by Ikom and Obubra, in the East by

Ogoja and in the West by Ebonyi State.

The people of the community always like to adorn themselves with native wears such as

white shirt and wrapper, egbagre put on by wealthy men. While women, adorn their selves

with gown.

3.3 Population of the study

The population of the study consist of (19) nineteen government secondary schools in the

research area. The population is made up of both male and female students. The population of

the study comprises of students from different socio-economic status. This age range from

14-19years they have different qualifications and experiences.

3.4 Sampling Technique:

A simple random sampling technique was used for the selection of the sample used for this

study. In this technique, ten schools were randomly drawn from 19 government secondary

schools in the research area from each of the schools selected, 20 students were selected for

the study summing up to a sample size of 200 respondents. In this method, names of all the

public schools were writing on pieces of paper and ten of the papers were selected randomly.

The names of the schools in the ten pieces of paper were the schools used. The same process

was used for the selection of 20 students from each schools visited.

3.5 Sample:

The sample of this study consists of 200 randomly selected secondary schools from (10) ten

selected government approved secondary schools in the research area. The sample is made up

of male and female students in secondary schools in Yala Local Government Area of Cross

River State. The sample comprises of students from different socio-cultural background and
falls within the range of 14-19 years. 20 students were selected randomly from each school

making the total of 200 students from 10 government secondary schools.

3.6 Instrumentation:

The research instrument used for data collection for this study is questionnaire. The

questionnaire was specifically designed for this study. The questionnaire was made up of two

parts while part “A” was designed to obtained information from students with specific

reference to their age and sex, part “B” contained 10 items based on two variables. A likert-

type questionnaire on a four point scale spanning from strongly agreed to strongly disagree

was developed for the study.

3.7 Validity of the instrument:

Validity refers to the degree to which an instrument measures what it is intended to measure

or the extent to which a true and accurate measure of a trait is probable (isangedigi, 2012).

Face validity was adopted for this study. This refers to the ways the questionnaire items

appear to take care of relevant content in the subject area of interest. The face validity was

established by using experts in measurement and education in the faculty of education and the

supervisor. They certified that the instrument was valid and could be used for the study.

3.8 Reliability of the instrument:

Reliability refers to the degree of consistency that an instrument demonstrates in measuring

what it does. To determine the reliability of the instrument, questionnaires were issued out to

20 students drawn from the population area to estimate and establish the reliability of the

instrument.
 The instrument was administered twice on the respondents at different intervals. In other

words, test-retest method of the reliability was used. The numbers of questions correctly

ticked in the questionnaire were correlated. This method gave the instrument reliability a

cross time.

3.9 Procedure for data collection:

In order to carefully collected data for this study, the researcher went to each of the 10

selected schools out of the 19 government secondary schools in the study area. With the help

of the principal of each schools visited, the researcher administered the questionnaire to 20

students randomly selected. Each copy of the questionnaire administer to the respondents

were retrieved by the researcher on the same day of the administration. At the end of the

exercise, the return rate was one hundred percent and the researcher collected the instrument

and coded them for analysis.

3.10 Data preparation:

A likert-type questionnaire in a four point scale spanning from strongly agree to strongly

disagree was developed for this study; section A, elicited information on respondents

personal data like name, gender, and school. Section B focused on one of the variables of the

study which is self-concept and academic achievement among male and female students.

Strongly agree (SA) - 4 points

Agree (A) - 3 points

Disagree (D) - 2 points

Strongly disagree (SD) - 1 point

3.11 Procedure for data analysis:

Hypothesis 2.1 (one)

There is the no significant difference in the academic performance in mathematic of students

with high self-concept.

Independent variable - students

Dependent variable - academic performance

Statistical tool: - independent t-test

Hypothesis 2.2 (two)

There is no significant difference in the academic achievement in mathematics of female

students with high self-concept and those with low self-concept.

Independent variable - female students

Dependent variable - academic achievement

Statistical tool - independent t-test

Hypothesis 2.3 (three)

There is no significant different in the academic performance in mathematics of male and

female students with high self-concept

Independent variable - male and female students

Dependent variable - academic performance

 CHAPTER FOUR

This chapter deal with the result of the statistical analysis of data gathered for this study as

well as their discussion and interpretation are presented. This presentation was done

following the three hypothesis directing the study.

In discussing the result of this study efforts were made to focus attention on the

hypothesis tested.

4.1. Hypothesis – By Hypothesis Presentation of Results.

In this section, each Hypothesis restated in the null form. The variable as well as the

statistical analysis technique adopted to test the hypothesis are identified and presented as

shown below. The 0.05 level of significance was used for the statistical testing of each of the

hypothesis.

4.1.1 Hypothesis one

There is no significant difference in the academic performance of students with high

self – concept and those with low self – concept.

The independent variable in this hypothesis in the self – concept while the dependent variable

is academic performance. Independent t – test analysis was considered the appropriate

statistical technique employed to test the hypothesis. The result of the analysis is presented in

table 1.

TABLE 1

The mean score in academic performance of students based on high and low – concept.

Groups N Mean SD Df t P Decision

High Self - Concept 136 55.79 16.57

198 0.331 0.741 Accept Ho

Low self - Concept 64 55.61 16.05

The first research question which was converted to hypothesis one was concerned with the

influence on self – concept on the academic performance of students in mathematics. The

result of the analysis is as presented on table one. This result indicate that 136 respondents

had high/positive self – concept while 64 respondents had low/negative self – concept. Also,

as reported on the table. The analysis indicates that 198 degree of freedom, the t – value is

0.331 white the p – value is 0.741. The analysis of the data led to the decision of accepting

the null hypothesis as the p – value is greater than the 0.05 level of significance. This implies

that self – concept has no significant influence on the academic performance of students in

mathematics.

4.1.2 Hypothesis Two

There is no significance difference in the academic performance in mathematics of female

students with high self – concept and these with low self – concept.

The independent variable in this hypothesis in the female student. While the

dependent variable is the academic performance. Independent t – test analysis was considered

the appropriate statistical technique employed to test the hypothesis. The result of the analysis

is presented in table 2
 TABLE 2

Independent t-test of significance of difference in the academic performance in mathematics

of female students with high self-concept and those with low self-concept.

Groups N Mean SO df t P Decision

High Self – Concept 64 54.92 16.05

(female)

101 0.657 512 Accept Ho

Low self – Concept 39 57.13 17.28

(female)
The second research question which access also converted to hypothesis two was concerned

with the influence of self – concept on the high academic performance of female students

with high self – concept and these with low self – concept in mathematics.

The result of the analysis is a presented on table two this result indicates that 64 respondents

was high/positive self – concept while 39 respondents had low/negative self – concept also,

as reported on the table, the analysis indicates that at 101 degree of freedom, the t – value is -

0.657 while the p – value is .512. The analysis of the data led to the decision accepting the

null hypothesis as the p – value is greater than the 0.005 level of significance. This implies

that self – concept has no significant influence on the academic performance of female

students. With either high or low self – concept in mathematics.

4.1.3 Hypothesis Three

There is no significant difference in the academic performance in mathematics

of male and female students with high self – concept.

The independent variable is the male and female students while the dependent variable is

academic performance. Independent t – test analysis was considered the appropriate statistical

technique employed to test the hypothesis. The result of the analysis is presented in table 3.
 TABLE 3

Independent t – test of significant of different in the mean score in academic performance of

male and female students with high self – concept.

Groups N Mean SO Df t P Decision

High Self – Concept 72 56.56 17.10

(male)

134 0.572 568 Accept Ho

High self – Concept 64 54.92 16.05

(female)
The third research question which converted to hypothesis three was concerned with the

influence of self – concept on academic performance of male and female students with high

self – concept in mathematics. The result of the analysis is presented on table three. The

result indicates that 72 respondents (male) had high self – concept. Also, as reported on

table,The analysis indicate that at 134 degree of freedom, the t – value is 0.572 while the p –

value is 568.

The analysis of the data led to the decision of accepting the null hypothesis as the p – value is

greater than 0.05 level of significance. This implies that self – concept has no significant

influence on academic performance of male and female students with high self – concept in

mathematics.

4.2 Discussion of Findings

This section is concerned with the discussion of findings. This discussion will be

done according to the hypothesis for the study.

4.2.1 the result of the first hypothesis revealed that self-concept has no significant

influence on the academic performance of students in mathematics the finding disagreed with

the view of Fischer and Fischar (2012) Which was of the opinion that students tends to

believe their teachers that any other person even when there are wrong and that the
information teacher give out to students & learner plays on important role on the students

self-concept which affects their academic performance.

Also Gottfriend&Harristy (2012) Observed that, those who teach in school should

ensure that they do not generate tension and anxiety among learners. It was resolved that

other things can affect academic performance like school location as in line with Omogemi

theory on school location in Cross River State as Nigeria (2004). He post that locations of

schools was not based on sound principle of distribution of population because of initial

community participation. In his theory Ogunsoju (2007) noted that schools sites in the post

were arbitrary chosen with little or no consideration for the necessary parameters such as

creativity and corporate planning.

4.2.2 The result from the second hypothesis indicates that self-concept has no

significant influence on academic performance by accepting the null (Ho) hypothesis. The

finding was in line with Hinter (2003).The results from the analysis was concerned the

influence of self – concept on the academic performance students in mathematics which

accepts the null hypothesis the findings is in line with the view of hunter (2003), we puts in

that students compete for rank and not for grade among themselves. Therefore he asserts that

there is more concrete healthy academic completion with more students than few students.

Also, Dunn (2002) insisted that the lighting of school should be considered an active element

of the total educational environment.

Bowens and Burkett (2001) found that “improper maintenance of fixtures led to lower than

average students’ performance”.

4.2.3. Third hypothesis also shown that, there is no significant difference in academic

performance in mathematics of male and female students with high self-concept. This finding

is in line with the view of Beeby C.E. (2009) theory on peer influence on academic outcomes,

he purported that extreme orientation towards peers, investing willingness to ignore parents,

rules schools workers (teachers) and one’s skill for the sake of popularity has been linked to

greater problem behavior in seventeen twelfth grade and lower academic achievement in

seventh and tenth grade. This is enhanced on the fact that the proportion of peers who drank

alcohol, drugs and skipped class is a strong predictors of problems behavior and weaker

predictor of academic performance.

 CHAPTER FIVE

SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

This chapter presents the summary and conclusion of the entire research process. This chapter

is presented under the following:

i. Summary

ii. Conclusions

iii. Recommendation

iv. Suggestion for further studies

5.1 Summary of the study

The main purpose of this study is to investigate whether self- concept influence

academic performance of Secondary School Students in mathematics in Yala Local

Government Area, Cross River State.

The researcher was motivated to embark on the research to find out the differences in the

academic performance in mathematics of students with high self-concept.

Also to find out the differences in the academic performance in mathematics by

female students with high self concept and those with low self-concept.
 Literature related to the variables under study was reviewed accordingly. Sunny research

design was adopted for the study. The research design was considered appropriate because

the research does not have direct control of the independent variables, they are inherently

manipulated.

A sample of two hundred (200) respondents was randomly selected for the study. The

selection was done through the simple random sampling technique. This was to give every

member of the population area equal and independent opportunity of being selected for the

study. Statistical tool was independent t-test method of data analysis. The findings showed

that there was a significant relationship between the variables in the hypothesis. The

hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance. Based on the results and findings, it was

recommended among others that parents, teacher and school counsellors should be concerned

about student’s self-concept. And that, there are other factors that can influence students’

academic performance in mathematics. Suggestions for further studies were made.

5.2 Conclusion

Based on the results of the study, it was concluded that;

i. There is no significant level to which students self-concept influences their academic

performance in mathematics.

ii. There is no significant different between female students with high self concept and those

with low self concept with regards to their academic performance in mathematics.

iii. There is no significant difference between male and female students with high self-

concept in regards to their academic performances in mathematics.

5.3 Recommendation
 Based on the results and conclusion of the study the following recommendations were

made;

i. Parents should adequately motivate their children.

ii. Conducive environment should be provided for students learning.

iii. Teacher should create a treat free atmosphere with students in and outside the

school.

iv. Teachers as role models to students should avail positive information and

motivation to students

v. The school counsellor should help students drive away the fear of failure using the

A,B and C therapy of Albert Ellis Rational Emotive theory.

5.4 Suggestion for Further Studies

Based on the conclusion and recommendation of the study the following suggestions

were made;

1. The replication of the study with either same or different population to assertion the

validity or reliability of the present finding.

2. A study of this nature should be conducted in the entire local government, states of

the country to make provision for generalization of result in Nigeria

3. A similar study should be conducted on variables not previously investigated.

4. An annual orientation being given to parents, teachers, students and counsellors to

equip them with the requisite knowledge about the topic.

 REFERENCE

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David, Factors Affecting the Academic Performance of the Student Nurses of BSU,

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Adediran, A.A., Ojomo, B. U. and Adayanju, E. O. (2015). Fostering national integration and

development in Nigeria through inclusive education in O. A. Adebimpe and Theo

Ajobiewe (eds.) contemporary issues in the management and administration of

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Baker, P.H. (2005). Managing student behaviour: How ready are teachers to meet the

challenge? American Secondary Education, 33(3), 51-64.

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Self-concept and academic performance of secondary school students in mathematics in
Yala Local Government Area, Cross River State.

QUESTIONNAIRE

Department of Guidance and Counselling

Faculty of education
University of Calabar,
Calabar.

Dear respondents,

I am a final year student in the above name department, conducting a research on self-concept
and academic performance of secondary School Students in mathematics in Yala local
Government Area, Cross River state. This study is basically for academic purpose, your
responds will be treated as confidential as possible.

Thanks for your cooperation yours faithfully,

Odey Sunday IGRI

(Research)

SECTION 1
(Bio data)
Name of school
Class

Location of school
Local Government Area

Gender Male ( ) Female ( )

Age (year), below ( ), 10 ( ), 10-14 ( ), 15-19 ( ), 20 and above ( )

S/N ITEM SA A D SD

1 I feel shy when in the mist of people

2 I always feel inferior because of my size

3 I have doubts that I will do well in my exams

4 Most exams are very easy

5 I do not study as much as I should do

6 I considered myself as a very good student

7 I have poor study habits

8 At times I feel like a failure

9 At times I feel university is too difficult for me

10 Others view me as very intelligent

11 I feel teachers standards are too high for me

12 It is hard for me to keep up with my class work

13 Most of my instructors think that I am of good students

14 I often expect to do poorly on exams

15 No matter how hard I try I do not do well in school

16 Must courses are very easy for me

17 I sometimes feel like dropping out of school

18 I am satisfy with the class assignments that I turn in

19 I often get discouraged about school

20 I do not study as much as I should do

Section 11

Please read the following statement and indicate degree of agreement as

follows: Agree (A) strongly Agree (SA), Disagree (D) Strongly Disagree (SD).