AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE CAUSES OF POOR PERFORMANCE OF

STUDENTS IN CHEMISTRY IN SECONDARY SCHOOL (A CASE STUDY OF IKA

NORTH LGA

ABSTRACT

Chemistry being the branch of science which studies the nature and properties of substances

which make up the environment, with the changes they undergo, is a very important course of

study which does not only stand as a scientific study but also a very essential for the

development of any nation which must be productive and be able to stand independently in the

production of its inhabitants’ chemical consumables. However, as important as this course is, the

students who are expected to be the carriers of the necessary skills needed for a productive

application have been performing so poor persistently over some years ago. To curb this, this

research work focused on investigating the factors responsible for this persistent poor

performance at the Senior Secondary School level, using Ika North LGA, Nigeria, as study areas.

Eight (8) Secondary Schools were randomly selected, where twenty-five students were randomly

selected from six of the schools, sixteen and thirty from the other two schools respectively,

making a total of one hundred and ninety six (196) students from SSS 1 to 3. One teacher out of

the total Chemistry teachers present in each school was also selected, making a total of 8

teachers in all. Many related theses were reviewed to have a foresight of what the likely factors

responsible for this effect could be, and the factors found out were out-listed under two broad

headings called: The School-based Factors (7) and The Extrinsic Factors (5), making a total of

twelve (12) factors in all. The method of data collection employed in this thesis is the teachers’

and students’ questionnaires. The former has a total of thirtythree (33), while the latter has a total

of twenty-five (25) structured items respectively.

Chi-square and Correlation Coefficient were used in the analysis of the data collected. From the

investigations conducted, sixteen (16) hypotheses were formulated to check the validity of the

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identified factors, and the following factors were found to be affecting the performance of

students negatively: poor school background characteristics of students, wrong perception of

students about chemistry, wrong attitudes of students toward chemistry, poor learning

environment & facilities, poor/inadequate assessment of students and improper achievement test,

inadequate evaluation, poor method of teaching on the part of teachers, poor English language

comprehension ability and mathematical competence, the type of primary school attended,

performance in JSSCE Basic/Integrated Science, and old age. Meanwhile, the following factors

were speculated in the literatures reviewed, but were found to have no effect on students’

performance: gender difference, curriculum content, syllabus and workload of teachers, and

students’ rudimentary understanding of chemistry. Also, parental background of students was

found to have a very weak effect on the performance of students in chemistry. After all, reliable

recommendations were made for the concerned bodies and individuals, including ministry of

education, the school management/administration, chemistry teachers, parents, and other

stakeholders. Recommendations were also made for further studies, with all of these focused on

making positive changes to the performance of students in Chemistry right from the foundational

education level, and to effect a transformation of the education sector of the country, Nigeria, at

large.

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 CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

Chemistry has been a very important science subject whose role in the development of a nation

like Nigeria cannot be overemphasized. However, as important and significant as this subject is

among its other likes of science subjects including Physics, Mathematics and Biology in the

senior secondary school level of the nation, students have persistently, like in the aforementioned

courses or subjects above, continued to perform poorly, considering the evaluations carried out

by both internal and external examination bodies like WAEC and NECO.

“There has been wild cry each year when WAEC or NECO releases their annual

results as a result of students poor performance, especially in Science subjects” [(Salami,

Mohammed, & Ogunlade; (2012) in Ojukwu, M.O. (2016)]. “Candidates’ performance at the

Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination (SSCE) conducted by WAEC and NECO has

consistently remained poor, with chemistry having one of the worst and poorest results over the

years” (Ibe & Madusnum; 2001 in Ojukwu, M.O; 2016)

Meanwhile, the poor performance of students in any course of study, be it Sciences, Social

Sciences, or even Commercial studies would lead to a poor development of the country since

they make up the content (major) of the education sector of the country, which indeed is the

bedrock of the nation’s development, both economically,

technologically, politically and generally in the aspect of sciences.

Aside the fact that the nation as a whole is being negatively affected when there is poor

performance of students with their output in the society, it haphazardly embitters individual

student and their guardians/parents badly because education is believed and known to be the

major medium through which individuals adapt to a new environment and attain high levels in

the hierarchy of any endeavor. Thus, poor academic performance in the general education,

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regardless of whichever course of study such as chemistry or any other, usually brings about

sadness and frustrations to the individual concerned and to his/her parents, as well as the entire

family. As a matter of fact, it gives parents and students a feeling of satisfaction and enthusiasm

when children excel academically (Fehintola; 2009 in Ojukwu, M.O; 2016).

Parents and students aspiring and endeavoring to become so fulfilled in life in various careers

such as Medicine & Surgery; Dentistry; Petrochemical Engineering; Agricultural Practices; Food

Engineering; Nursing; Geology, and many more to mention but a few, find it so difficult to have

their aspirations and endeavors realized simply because of their poor and unsatisfying

performance in Chemistry which is a compulsory subject needed for any of these courses

especially in the Health Sciences. At the senior secondary school level, no student without at

least a credit pass in Chemistry would be allowed to progress for his/her University education,

and this alone can kill the dream of many potential students to become practitioners of any of the

above mentioned noble courses. This in turn affects the Educational Sector of the country,

resulting in poor socio – economic growth as it limits or restricts such victimized students to a

lower hierarchy in the economic strata if care is not taken with enough supply of courage and a

never – giving – up attitude in such students.

Considering all these, this study was focused on getting reliable facts and figures of the factors

affecting the students which therefore result in their poor performance in this so important

subject, Chemistry, at the Senior Secondary School level.

Meanwhile, Saage (2009) in Nbina, J.B. (2012) identified specific variables causing this poor

performance, such as poor primary school background in Science, lack of incentives for test, lack

of interest on the part of students, students’ laziness, incompetent teachers in the primary school,

large class sizes, psychological fear of the subject, etc. Also, Korau (2006) in Nbina, J.B (2012)

reported that such factors include students’ factors, teachers’ factors, societal factors,

governmental infrastructural problems, language-barrier problems, examination body related-

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factors, curriculum related variables, and evaluation related variables, textbook availability, and

home factors.

With all these previous theses, the focus of the study shall be to see into the genuineness of each

of these factors, its effects, and how a profound, lasting and very reliable and proficient solution

can be arrived at.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

This project work is intended to examine the causes of poor performance of senior secondary

school students in chemistry based on the fact that there has been a consistent and re-occurring,

and so baffling cases of such which is so much affecting the students’ academics/education

during and after secondary school level, to the extent that chemistry as a subject has become a

fearful masquerade in the minds of many students who offer it. As if that wasn’t enough, it has

become a nightmare to so many other students in both secondary schools and tertiary institutions

in the country and there have been cases of the students stating emphatically that they wouldn’t

want their posterity to experience these problems.

1.3 Research Objectives

The objectives of this research work are as follow: To

1. Find out the effects of students’ background characteristics on their performance in

chemistry

2. Establish the real attitudes of students and teachers toward Chemistry as they may affect

students’ performance in the subject.

3. Find out the school-based factors which might be responsible for students’ poor

performance in Chemistry.

4. Search out some extrinsic factors such as parental background in terms of profession,

who the students live with, qualifications of teachers and their experience: all of which may

affect students’ performance in Chemistry.

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5. Source out reliable strategies for curbing the persistence of students’ poor performance in

chemistry.

1.3.1 Purpose of the Study

The purpose of this study is to determine and juxtapose the causes of poor performance of senior

secondary school students in chemistry, using some selected secondary schools in Ika North

LGA, Nigeria, as a case study (both private and public schools will be used). The researcher

through findings also seeks to find solutions to the identified problems, test many hypotheses in

order to establish a highly meaningful and perfectly working set of recommendations which can

improve and facilitate a better performance in chemistry.

1.4 Research Questions

The following questions have been put forward for the purpose of this project work:

1. What are the perceived causes of students’ poor performance in chemistry?

2. How do extrinsic variables affect students’ performance in chemistry?

3. What are the strategies or methods to improve senior secondary school students’

performance in chemistry?

1.5 Research Hypotheses

In the course of making investigations about the factors responsible for the persistent poor

performance of students at the senior secondary school level in chemistry, the following null

hypotheses were postulated:

1. H0: “Gender of students does not affect their performance in Chemistry.”

2. H0: “The age of students in a particular class does not affect their performance in

Chemistry.”

3. H0: “The type of primary school (private or public) attended by the students does not

have any effect or contribution to the performance of students in Chemistry.”

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4. H0: “The performance of students in their JSSCE Basic or Integrated Science does not

have any correlation with students’ performance in chemistry.”

5. H0: “Students’ perception about chemistry does not affect their performance in

Chemistry.”

6. H0: “There is no direct relationship between students’ attitudes toward chemistry and

their performance in the subject.”

7. H0: The attitudes of chemistry teachers toward their students do not have anything to with

students’ performance in chemistry.”

8. H0: “Learning Environment of students and their school facilities for learning do not

affect or influence the performance of students in chemistry.”

9. H0: “The effectiveness of students’ assessment and achievements in their academics do

not affect their performance in chemistry.”

10. H0: “There is no significant level of relationship between students’ performance in

chemistry and their evaluation frequency.”

11. H0: “The level of students’ rudimentary understanding of chemistry is not really a

determinant factor to their performance.”

12. H0: “The relationship existing between parental background and students’ performance in

Chemistry is not insignificant.”

13. H0: “There is no positive association or direct proportionality between the availability of

learning facilities and Chemistry students’ performance.”

14. H0: “There is no significant effect on the performance of senior secondary school students

in Chemistry when their learning facilities are poor.”

15. H0: “English language comprehension capability and Mathematical competency of

students do not affect students’ performance in Chemistry.”

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16. H0: “There is no significant negating effect of curriculum content, syllabus, and teachers’

workload on the performance of students in Chemistry”

1.6 Significance of the Study

This study would be significant to students, teachers, parents/guardians, school administrators,

curriculum planners, the government, and the society at large, with the aim of helping improve;

first, the students’ ability to perform brilliantly rather than otherwise; second, the teachers’

teaching efficiency and productivity; third, the parents’/guardians’ ideologies and understanding

about their wards’ betterment and how they can help bring out the best in them; fourth, the

administrative structural styles and format; fifth, curriculum planners’ curriculum content, set up,

analysis, complexity ratio, simplicity measure; sixth, the government’s input, yielding

maximization, and their expected discretion; seventh and finally, the society’s impacts, inputs

and profits.

1.7 Limitation of the Study

The researcher’s limit of study is within the coverage of Ika North LGA, due to time & financial
constraints alongside other factors such as the need for an in-depth study of the identified
problems in those particular areas.

1.8 Scope of the Study

The following Secondary/High schools were selected for the purpose of this study within

the specified area:

1. Methodist High School, Ika North LGA

2. Ogedengbe School of Science, Ika North LGA

3. Saint Margaret High School, Ika North LGA

4. Reality High School, Ika North LGA

5. Ika North LGA Government High School, Ika North LGA

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6. Ijesha Muslim High School, Ika North LGA

7. Christ the King High School, Ika North LGA

8. Holy Vessels High School, Ika North LGA

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 CHAPTER TWO

LITERATURE REVIEW

2.0 Introduction

This chapter of the project work cites and reviews the factors earlier identified by various

researchers as having influence on or being the causes of Senior Secondary School students’

poor performance in various subjects, even apart from chemistry, but especially within the

coverage of sciences. It also cites the likely causes of students’ poor performance in chemistry in

other countries such as Kenya, South Africa and Tanzania. References are also made to various

related theses conducted in other parts of Nigeria, both for Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree

Programs and National Certificate in Education Awards.

Some of the probable factors considered as causing poor performance of Senior

Secondary School Students in Chemistry include the following:

1. The School-Based Factors:

i. The Students’ Perception & Attitude

ii. The Teachers’ Attitudes

iii. The Methods of Teaching

iv. The Teaching/Learning Materials/Curriculum

v. The Teacher’s Workload/Class Size

vi. The Learning Environment & Facilities

vii. Students’ Assessment & Achievement Tests

2. The Extrinsic Factors:

i. Mass Media/Social Network

ii. Financial Status/Background of Parents

iii. Culture/Society

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iv. Peer Group/Foundational Education

v. Parental Influences/Level of Education

The two major factors given above as: The School-based Factors and The Extrinsic Factors have

the highlighted factors or variables under them as the focus of this study and literature review.

Now, each of the factors shall be expatiated one after the other as follows:

2.1 The School Based Factors

School from this context refers to the place where the process of teaching and learning takes

place.

However, there have been various contributions toward what the components of a school are;

but basically, there are three (3) components of a school, viz:

i. The Learner (students)

ii. The content and

iii. The Teacher

These three components work hand-in-hand with utmost dependence such that one cannot exist

successfully without the other. If the teacher is available without a content (either subject or

skill) to teach when the students are available, there can be nothing called teaching or even

learning. And if students are in existence without a teacher or content to learn from, then there

can be nothing called learning or teaching in such setting.

In view of these, Zachariah K.M. (2012) in his research work perceived that there are absolutely

cases whereby the insufficient or none availability of any of these 3 major components and other

necessities such as the school plants and facilities (such as class rooms, teaching/learning

materials etc.) may hamper a good yield of students’ learning capabilities.

The following are therefore identified as the causes of students’ poor performance under the

stratum of the school.

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2.1.1 Students’ Perception & Attitude

Ojukwu M.O. (2016) in his findings and data analysis collected the following from the students

which amount to 240 in number (118 Males, 122 Females):

Students’ perceptions toward the causes of their poor performance in chemistry:

Item Agree% Disagree Mean S.D Decision

Students’ Low Retention 94.4 5.6 3.72 0.575 Accepted

Students’ Emotional Problems 88.8 11.2 3.11 0.758 Accepted

Students’ Lack of Interest in 45.0 55.0 2.35 0.104 Rejected

Chemistry

Inadequate Coverage of the 100 0.00 3.61 0.502 Accepted

Syllabus

& Failure to Conduct Practical

Difficulty Level of the Subject 88.8 11.2 3.11 0.758 Accepted

Student’ Poor Study Habits 33.3 66.7 2.33 0.752 Rejected

From the analyses shown above, according to the collection of Ojukwu M.O. (2016), it could be

inferred that the perception of students about chemistry as a difficult subject is so high and far

beyond average, with a relatively equal affirmation of low retention of the subject when taught or

studied. This confirmation however did not state or show that students have a negative attitude

towards the subject, as it is shown in the table that 66.7% of the questioned students disagreed

with poor study habits.

Zachariah K.M (2012) in his related study based on students’ poor performance in

Mathematics stated: “Students’ attitude towards Mathematics was measured using a ‘Likert

Scale’ and the results obtained indicated that they have a positive attitude towards Mathematics”.

This is in contradiction to the assumed ideology or thought that students oftentimes fear

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Mathematics and so want to avoid it at all costs. But if students have a positive attitude towards

Mathematics (being a core subject); what then should be their fear for Chemistry. Yet, the case is

not like that, as it is revealed that 88.8% confessed that Chemistry is a difficult subject.

Meanwhile, they still have a positive attitude toward the study of this acclaimed difficult-to-

understand subject by studying to understand. But the counter move to this might be due to their

low retention ability of the subject matter.

However, Mwamwenda (1995) argued that the achievement of students in a subject is

determined by their attitudes rather than their inability to study. This shows that a student with

the mindset of knowing, embedded with the will and desire to understand any subject matter can

certainly do so regardless of its difficulty. But more noteworthy is the mindblowing findings

revealed in the problem of inadequate coverage of syllabus and failure to conduct practicals

which got 100% agreement of the whole 240 students which were questioned. This can also bear

forth the fact that the students’ positive attitude toward chemistry can be killed, recollecting the

fact that the syllabus is the analytical breakdown of the content to be learned in the

teaching/learning process; this therefore makes a core component of the school absent and

consequently results in poor performance of the learners.

However, it is to be noted as well that students’ poor attitude toward the subject, probably in

form of fear, hatred of either the teacher or the subject, non-challant attitude, laziness and others

certainly do produce poor performance. Haimowitz (1989) in Ojukwu (2016) indicated the cause

of most failures in schools might not be due to insufficient or inadequate instruction but by active

resistance by the learners. This serves as a supportive ideology or knowledge to the fact that

students’ attitude in the form of resistance of the subject matter affects their performance

negatively.

2.1.2 Teachers’ Attitudes

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 Zechariah K.M (2012) in his findings showed that data obtained after analyzing teachers’

responses to items soliciting their attitude towards Mathematics indicated that they have a

positive attitude towards the subject with their overall mean perception as 4.18 out of the

maximum possible score of 5.00. This implies that they have a positive attitude towards

Mathematics (4.18 > 2.50).

Meanwhile, Ogembo (2012) stated that teachers’ attitudes and motivation play a pivotal role in

the teaching and learning process; laying emphasis on the fact that educationists and employers

know that it is essential to motivate learners and employees so that they can work diligently to

produce good results in whatever they do (Kithinji, 2007). He further stated in his findings which

was targeted towards the factors influencing the poor performance of students in chemistry, that

according to Kwale SMASSE District INSET _ 2004, “although Science and especially

Mathematics teachers may have positive attitude, yet they are beset with problems that frustrate

their efforts to teach effectively and efficiently.”

He further highlighted the following as parts of the frustrating problems which negatively affect

teachers’ attitudes, an action which bounces back on the performance of students.

i. It is possible that a number of teachers are not in the profession by choice. Although

many of them adjust and accept teaching as a profession, there are those who take too long while

others do not accept the profession at all.

ii. Inadequate number of teachers is another destructive factor of students’ performance

which does that via teachers’ abnormal workload and insufficient time for adequate preparation,

especially in the urban areas

iii. Students’ attitude, if negative, towards a particular subject will certainly without doubt

cause teachers to be discouraged

iv. Overloaded curriculum content

v. Lack of facilities to aid a reasonable teaching/learning process

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vi. Uncooperative administration, especially in the provision of required facilities

vii. Poor remuneration for teachers

With all the outlined results gotten from previous studies, it could be inferred that as there are

positive attitudes of teachers, there still exist so many factors which may hinder their (the

teachers’) maximal performance. When these hindering factors as outlined by Ogembo (2012)

above are active, the students’ performance would still be affected wrongly. A case study of such

relationship between teachers’ attitude and problem-causing factors is the poor remuneration of

secondary school teachers in Nigeria, which actually discourages them from going to class to

teach effectively. As their attitudes are being turned upside down due to non-payment of salaries

and allowances, the students are affected and this results to poor students’ performance.

In cases where teachers are expected and supposed to have a positive attitude, the students’ also

appear to portray a discouraging mindset either by their being unready to learn or otherwise;

teachers get discouraged and some have their passion to effectively and actively teach quenched.

The case of professionalization is another factor which wrongly (through teachers’ attitudes)

bastardize the output of students. Just like Ogembo (2012) mentioned, many teachers today in

Nigeria do not even have any interest whatsoever in being a professional teacher. Most of them

just venture into teaching as a job to earn for their living, probably because of job scarcity in the

country or for any other reason. There are cases of seeing a Petrochemical Engineering graduate

teaching chemistry in secondary schools, not because such graduate was trained or had passion

or even any intention to become a teacher, but primarily because he didn’t have any other means

of getting income. This goes far back to lack of enough work space or media through which such

graduate can work in the appropriate places in line with his course of study, such as the

Refineries, and other companies that may need his service.

Another part of this problem is its stem: Un-professionalization of teaching. The fact that

teaching has not been professionalized as it should be like other professions such as

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Accountancy, Medical Practices, Law and Soliciting Professions, etc. has been a major problem

which allows the untrained men to easily venture into the world of teaching – (Komolafe,

Akinsanya, & Akanmu, 2010).

Overloaded curriculum and insufficient teachers also go a very long way in

affecting the attitudes of teachers (and this consequently produces poor results or output).

Imagine a single teacher teaching three classes (SSS 1 to 3). How would the teacher be able to

cope as effectively as he/she should with his students? This can also go a long way to affect

his/her attitude towards anchoring the students’ works such as assignments, experiments and

field exercises. To mark with utmost attention the scripts or workbooks of over 40 students per

class, and 3 classes make 120, plus workbooks per day or probably at the most minimum, 1 week

cannot be as easy as it would be with that of just 1 class per day or per week. This alone prevents

the teacher from giving maximum attention to students’ lapses and academic shortcomings.

Meanwhile, a stitch in time saves nine.

Overloaded curriculum and unavailability of some required facilities are found to be a threat

under the SWOT Analysis of the teaching-learning process, as pointed out by

Ogembo (2012), but they shall be discussed in details later.

2.1.3 Methods of Teaching

Akanmu, Aluko, Akinyeye & Makinde (2015) define method of teaching as the strategies or

techniques adopted and used by teachers in transferring learning in a classroom teaching-learning

process. They further state that “It is how the teacher passes across or communicates lessons.”

The following are the attributes of a good method of teaching, as given by Okeke (1997) and

Ifeagwu (2000) in Akanmu et al (2015). It should:

1. Provide useful activities that would help learners to discover facts and contribute

effectively to the learning activities.

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2. Have consideration for all the varying groups of learners in the class; the clever, average

and below average

3. Be able to make use of educational maxims as “the lesson must start from known to

unknown” etc. make use of previous knowledge or experience to develop new facts and ideas.

4. Make learning meaningful to the learners. It should be relevant to his needs and situations

5. Prepare moderately for a lesson. It should not attempt too much or too little in any given

lesson

Just in the same vein, Ogembo (2012) states that the principles of effective teaching rest on

fundamental assumptions about optimizing curriculum and instruction.

The assumptions include:

i. The school curriculum assumes different types of learning that call for different types of

teaching. No single teaching method such as direct instruction or social construction of meaning

can be the choice method for all occasions.

ii. For any subject, chemistry inclusive, instructional needs change as the students’ expertise

develops.

Therefore, what constitutes an optimal mixture of instructional methods and learning activities

will evolve as the students’ school year, instructional units and even individual lessons progress

(Harris & Taylor, 1983; Corno & Snow, 1986; Gastel, 1991). iii. The students need to learn

effectively and progress through the curriculum. Effective instruction needs to focus on the zone

of proximal development which is the range of knowledge, concepts and skills that the students

are not yet ready to acquire on their own but can acquire with the help of their teachers. Teachers

have different styles and strategies for helping students learn; particularly chemistry concepts

and skills and there is no one right way to teach.

Garson (1988) in Ogembo (2012) says if students are to learn science, we must give them respect

for observation rather than the pronouncements of textbooks; contrary to the findings of Kwale

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SMASSE (2004) which revealed that most science teachers who enter into activity of teaching

are armed only with textbooks.

So far, from the given statements above, the choice of a good teaching method is known. But if

there is anything contrary to the characteristics and assumptions given, then such is erroneous

and produces poor outputs.

Even in cases where all these attributes and conditions are being followed or offered, Twoli

(2006) found out that some schools’ head teachers use all these primarily to make their students

pass some national or international exams instead of using them to make sure the knowledge

becomes part of the students. This was found to be in existential use because such school

administrations’ focus is on making their way to the top of the list of schools with highest

passing out students rate regardless of if the students they so produce this way are capable of

making impacts in their society after all. “This practice reduces students to passive recipients

who are supposed to imbibe knowledge from teachers, memorize it and reproduce it all in

examinations alone.” Ogembo (2012).

Furthermore, Zechariah (2012) in his analysis found out that 5.6% of teachers use lecture

method, 3.4% use project, 64.2% use discussions, 6.5% use discovery method, while 27% use

the Q & A method. According to (Costello, 1991), lecture method is ineffective in that it turns

the learners into passive participants in the learning process. However, despite the disadvantage,

lecture method allows the coverage of large content within short period (SMASSE, 2007).

Discussions, project and discovery methods create an enabling environment for the learners and

ensure that individual differences are taken care of.

With all the methods mentioned and many more that are, their use in the appropriate place and

for the appropriate subject or topic maximizes the performance of students. However, the

consistent use of a particular method which is didactic, like the lecture method, may produce

poor performance of students.

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2.1.4 Teaching-Learning Materials/Curriculum

SMASSE (2014) in Ogembo (2012) identified overloaded curriculum as part of the frustrating

factors which alter teachers’ attitudes.

A curriculum is a comprehensive plan prepared to guide and control the general educational

programs at certain level or sector of education. It is a very broad and unified plan prepared

commonly for a set of subject taught in the same level or sector of education. (Akanmu, Aluko,

Akinyeye & Makinde, 2015).

Meanwhile, teaching-learning materials refer to those objects or devices used by the teacher to

transfer or pass knowledge across to students/learners. Such include objects which are at times

used as teaching aids, educational materials, educational media, instructional media, educational

resources, learning resources, resources materials, etc. just as the case may be. (Akanmu et al)

Zachariah K.M (2012) showed in his research work that textbooks, being a teaching material,

are leading with 94.1%, followed by mathematics geometry-charts and models which take 10.5%

and 6.2% respectively.

Meanwhile, Psacharopolous and Woodhall (1985) say textbooks are a major input for

performance in examinations. This view is shared by Chepchieng (1995) who observes that

availability of quality textbooks in secondary schools is strongly related to academic

achievement among children from lower income families, especially those in rural boarding

schools and that physical facilities contribute positively to students’ academic performance

(Munda, Tanni & Kaberia, 2000). Also 43.50% of all students indicated that their schools lacked

physical facilities and the ones existing were poorly used, stating that the availability of these

facilities highly contribute positively to students’ performance. However, the absence of any or

some of these materials and facilities amount to poor performance, not of the students alone now,

but also of teachers. Aside all that, when the teaching materials are available, most teachers find

it difficult at times to cover the whole scheme of work selected from the curriculum mostly

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because of time constraints which arise from factors such as to uncalculated holidays, slow rate

of students’ understanding of the subject matter taught from a well-planned syllabus, or even the

laziness of the teachers which may have resulted in the inability to cover the syllabus, and where

possible, there may be no suitable materials to effectively teach according to the education

curriculum been stated or laid down to follow. All these consequently result to poor performance

of students.

Inappropriate use of specific materials or even the unavailability of such may forfeit the goal of

the curriculum, and this surface to affect the students not alone, but even the society at the long

run.

2.1.5 Teacher’s Workload/Class Size

Zachariah (2012) found out that 27.8% of teachers teach below 15 lessons per week, 66.7%

teach between 16 to 30 lessons, while 27.8% teach more than 30 lessons in a week. Meanwhile,

the Ministry of Education (2008) says a teacher in a secondary school is supposed to teach at

most 30 lessons in a week – a figure which I personally find too big here in Nigeria. This

indicates that 27.8% of teachers (in his findings) were overloaded. This percentage is high and

may contribute to poor students’ output.

Problematically merged with this is the factor of too much class size compared to the normal

expected size of 50 students maximally per class. There have been many reported cases of

teachers resigning from a particular school of work with such workload for a better place. This

occurrence is due to the consideration of the fact that such population per class becomes

uncontrollable many a times for the teachers or that the management of such number of students’

works and activities became cumbersome and outrageously too much for them. The resignation

of teachers results to the employment of new teachers which may bring an entirely new method,

approach or relationship different from those of the former teachers, therefore resulting in a kind

of confusion and puzzle for the students under such tutelage. The end product of such processes

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is usually the poor performance of students in such course or subject of study, with chemistry

inclusive.

2.1.6 Learning Environment & Facilities

Learning environment in the formal school setting includes the classroom, the staff personnel of

the school, the school plants and even the peer groups of the learners. Ogembo J.O. (2012)

opined that the type of classroom interaction existing between the students and their individual

teachers determines not only the effectiveness of the learning situation, but also the attitudes,

interest and in part, even the personality of the child. Gammage (1979) however argues that in

the context of classroom interaction,

personality, as it is, affects learning. The child’s reaction to success, failure, praise and blame –

relative to the interaction with the teacher, become crucial since they relate not only to the

student’s social and emotional behavior in the classroom but also to his motivation and morale.

The teacher must therefore be careful about what happens in the first few encounters with the

students as it is likely to establish the classroom environment of the particular class.

With all these earlier marked out contributions, it can be inferred clearly that the learning

environment or atmosphere found inside the classroom is of extreme importance in molding the

character of the students and determining the efficiency with which learning takes place. The

motivation of the learner may be achieved if the classroom interaction both between a student

and his/her mates and that between himself with the teacher in charge of chemistry is enhanced

and made effective. This will consequently promote an eager mindset in the students and result

in their brilliant performance, having gotten answers to their curiosity created by the virtue of

genuine interest. It is however noticeable in students with an experience of low or no effective

classroom interaction to fail in the concerned course or subject, which does not exclude

chemistry. Such learning environment is usually filled/characterized by fear in the students;

probably due to threats or an unfriendly atmosphere created by the subject teacher.

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 However, mention has been made of the learning facilities as a cogent factor related to the

learning environment – (School plants) responsible for either ills or norms in the teaching –

learning process of chemistry as a science subject. According to Maundu, Muttuwii and Sambili

in Ogembo (2012), a classroom teacher requires various kinds of teaching resources such as

textbooks, apparatus, chemicals, charts, models, motion pictures as well as laboratories and

others to enhance the effectiveness of his or her instruction. Meanwhile, a resource is defined as

any source of information, expertise, supply or support which helps in the enhancement of the

teaching – learning process by modifying the teaching and learning situation. Chemistry being a

science subject cannot do or be complete without practical and phenomena which cannot be

studied effectively through abstract or theoretical discussions. According to Gregg (1968) in

Ogembo (2012), every bit of chemical knowledge is a direct result of one or more careful and

unbiased experimental observations. Most of these observations are made by using at least one or

more of the five senses. Students’ performance in practical work is determined by proper use of

laboratory tools (glass ware, and equipment) and the correct execution of procedural techniques

(filtration, titration, preparation of certain concentration of solution (Kwale SMASSE, 2005).

According to Bhagwan (2005), a growing body of research in the cognitive science suggests that

students learn and better retain what they learn through ‘authentic’ learning tasks. In a

contradicting development to all these, Okafor (1996) reported that 5% of the post – primary

schools in Lagos, Nigeria, had no laboratory. Even the ones with laboratories were not ideally

equipped with human and material resources. These factors which are actually not peculiar to

Lagos State alone affect students’ achievements in chemistry.

ICT is another facility in the world of today that enhances the teaching/learning process.

Bhagwan (2005) outlines the following as the most important contributions of ICT: It

1. Has a positive effect on students’ attitude towards learning

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2. Makes instruction more students-centered; encourages co-operative learning and
stimulates increased teacher-students interaction

3. Provides multimedia products that graphically illustrate concepts

4. Provides challenging visual/spatial tasks which develop logical and scientific thinking

5. Enables students to develop high-order results and logical thinking by making abstract

ideas concrete.

He further stated that the implementation of ICT as a facility of study (teaching/learning) will

certainly help students’ performance. But since all these facilities are not present in many

schools here, then its effect cannot but be felt otherwise.

2.1.7 Students’ Assessment & Achievement

According to Ayot (1986), the techniques and frequency of

assessment/examination profoundly affect the content of the curriculum, how it is taught and

ultimately, the students’ performance.

Assessment includes informal classroom processes such as observing pupils

tackling a task, questioning them about their work, looking at the records of their previous works

or listening in on their discussions. More formal processes include testing and examinations.

Generally, assessment provides insights into very specific aspects of the thoughts and

performance of students (Brenner, 2004). The use of assessment to ask and answer questions

such as, the thought of students about a particular topic or why a students’ performance in certain

skilled tasks becomes deteriorating, actually improves the information available to the teacher

and makes it possible to identify and address learning difficulties (Beck & Earl, 2002; Beck,

2002).

The other issue considered necessary is how a student’s previous encounter with the assessment

outcome of the subject affects his overall performance. Embeywa (1985) opines that, to feel

positively towards a subject area, one has motivational orientation towards a subject area with

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high academic yield (high performance). Perhaps, consistent poor performance in chemistry

demotivates students, thus enabling the vicious circle of poor performance in chemistry.

The study under this attempts to consider the correlation between students’ previous

performance and their attitude toward chemistry as a subject.

Black (2002) in Ogembo (2012) identified factors that he considered to be seemingly crucial for

successful learning and other factors considered to act as hindrances. Those that enhance

learning include:

i. Regular classroom testing and the use of the results to adjust teaching and learning rather

than competitive grading.

ii. Enhanced feedback between teachers and students, which may be oral or in the form of

written comments on work.

iii. The active involvement of all the students iv. Careful attention to the motivation and self

– esteem of students, encouraging them to believe that they can learn what is being taught.

v. Time allowed for self – assessment by students, discussion in groups and dialogue between

teachers & students.

Those that hinder achievement include:

i. Tests, which encourage rote and superficial learning, even when teachers claim they wish

to develop understanding

ii. Failure by teachers to discuss and review testing methods between themselves iii.

iii. Over – emphasis on giving of marks and grades at the expense of useful advice to

students iv. Approaches that compare students in such way that persuades them that the purpose

is comparison rather than personal improvement which demotivates some other students

v. Testing, feedback and record – keeping which serves a managerial rather than learning

function He further states that:

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 i. Careful framing of the teacher’s questions encourage active students’ participation.

ii. Increasing ‘wait time’; that is, giving students time to think and contribute progressively

after questions.

iii. Comments on written tasks identify what has been done well and that which needs

improvements.

iv. Making criteria for evaluating any learning achievement transparent to students.

v. Students should be taught habits and skills of collaboration in peer – assessment.

vi. Encourage students to keep in mind the aims of their work and assess their own progress

to meet the aims.

vii. Students should be sensitized about the formative use of the summative tests.

Note: The asterisked Roman figure (iv) above is a very crucial point which is supposed to be

made known to students, but it is a pity to know that most students do not even know about any

of such criteria such as what the marking scheme says or what the marking analysis of teachers

for the assessment would be.

In view of the above, it is crystal clear that assessment has a profound effect on the teaching

process. According to Twoli (2006), assessment is an important aspect of any educational

program through which the range of realization of an objective is known. If the measure of

objective realization is therefore not known through the feedback medium that assessment gives,

then poor performance might become inevitable.

2.2.0 THE EXTRINSIC FACTORS CAUSING POOR PERFORMANCE

This segment of the literature review focuses on considering how some factors outside the

school organization affect students’ performance in chemistry at Senior

Secondary School level. The factors shall be discussed below

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2.2.1 Mass Media/Social Network

Adeyemi (2014) in Adewumi (2016) defines mass media as any means or source of public

information that educate and enlightens members of the society. The says further that it’s a very

powerful agent of education and socialization which has the capacity to either make or mar any

student exposed to it.

Akanmu (2012) in Adewumi (2016) refers to mass media as the channel through which

information and instructions are disseminated in a strategic format either electronically or in

prints via some devices such as television, radio, telephone, satellite networks or books, journals,

magazines and newspapers respectively

However, with all the intended modernization of channels via which information and messages

could be passed across to the masses, many students are found of exploiting the negativities in

mass media against themselves either directly or indirectly as it is not all the information given

through the mass media that are necessary or needful for secondary school students. Some

electronic and printed media have segments meant for games, adults only movies and all such

which when students get too used to turn out to becoming affective against them. Such segments

or offer may include porn TV show, unnecessary puzzle games and stories, an action which even

result in moral decadence in the society, apart from the academic damages it does to their lives.

Social networks/media is a firm of electronic communication media which facilitates interaction

based on certain interests and characteristics, using highly accessible and scalable publishing

techniques. Social media use web – based technologies to transform and broadcast media

monologues into social dialogues, and some of such are Facebook, Twitter, Eskimi, 2go, and

Whatsapp (Laitos Blogspot © 2017).

Each of these social networks is actually intended for communication effectiveness and

efficiency through electronic devices to meet up with the standard of technological advancement

which started well in the communications arena since the 20 th century. The effect of all these on

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academic performance of student is that many of them become uncontrollably addicted to these

social media negatively such that the time they should spend studying their academic materials,

and doing school works are sold out unto these social networks, thereby producing a poor yield

in their academics generally.

2.2.2 Financial Status/Background of Parents

Nyandwi M.D. (2014) in his research work on a very similar topic in Tanzania found out that

the financial status or background of the family in terms of income actually has a very

conspicuous influence on the performance of students in chemistry. He stated that the literature

on achievement consistently has shown that parent’s with moderate to high income and

educational background held beliefs and expectations that were closer than those of low –

income families to the actual academic performance of their children; low income families

instead had high expectations and performance beliefs that did not correlate well with their

children’s actual school performance (Alexander et al. (1994)).

Otieno & Yara (2010) asserted in Nyandwi (2014) that, earners from low economic status

families tend to value domestic activities more than schooling. Such children are subjected to

child labour and have little time for studies. They indicated that in most developing countries,

there are many families whose members despite their full day’s hard labour do not find it

possible to make their ends meet. Children of tender age in such families have to work for their

living. These coupled with little government financing of education sector makes many families

still unable to meet the requirements of their children’s education thus contributing greatly to

their poor academic performance. In Nigeria, especially Osun State, the government tried to

make education as simple and easily accessible as possible, even by providing school uniforms

for the students at a point in time, and providing them with some of the textbooks needed for

core subjects like English Language & Mathematics, yet some parents still find it difficult to

provide other important courses/subject textbooks, one of which is chemistry. When the

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government even stopped providing uniforms for students on a free basis, many of the students

whose parents could not afford the school uniform at the right and due time felt inferior

compared to their fellow students, and as such, some decided not to go to their school with

tattered uniforms amidst their colleagues. These reactions and causes contribute to the failure of

students to perform brilliantly in their school works.

2.2.3 Culture & Society

Culture in its simplest definition is considered the way of life of an individual society. Mansarya

(2001) in Adewumi (2016) defines culture as “the aggregate of the customs, arts, beliefs, and

way of life and social organization of a country or group of people.

Haralamboo and Holborn (2000) in Adewumi (2016) say, “Culture is the collection of ideas and

habits which they not only learn and share, but which is transmitted from one generation to

another.”

From the definitions given above, it could be inferred that culture is very much dependent on the

society, and the society dictates the up-standing of its culture. However, the society (group of

people who live together, share, decide, reason and work things, ideology or goals together) is

the implementer of its cultural values.

Some societies like in the case of the East part of Nigeria so much believe in their potential to

make business innovations and are committed to the art of entrepreneurship, so they tend to have

their children and wards trained and built with the inclined mindset that learning business skills

is the best way of making their living. On this basis, many students tend to focus more on

business development when they can actually focus more on many lucrative educational courses

such as office management and many science courses. Many that tend to focus more on

education in the Northern region of Nigeria are considered exceptional and as such do not feel

any push, motivation or challenge to do better in their academic pursuit. This actually may cause

a kind of degeneration in the performance of the students in the school. Since Haralambos and

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Holborn (2002) state that “culture is not just the way of life a society but that which is transferred

even to another generation”, then, there would be a transfer of the same mentality from one

generation to another. Meanwhile, this results into the deterioration of the academic potential and

value of the students in a sequential format

2.2.4 Peer Group/Foundational Education

Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary (8th Edition) defines peer group as a group of people of

the same age range or social status. This refers to the fellowship of two and mostly more than

two people who are of the same age, similar ideology, same environment and social status.

According to Cookey (1990), peer group formation arises through the inborn urge in human

being to realize themselves in the society and the basic and potent human needs to relate with

other people in various social organizations. Therefore, with the above statement it would be

agreed upon that the formation of peer group is not limited to a particular age that is it comes

naturally in individuals regardless of their age, but it mostly and majorly towards other

individuals of same age group, social views, way of life and outlook.

Spillman, (1998) says, “The peers that infants have are of relatively less importance in their

immediate development; parents, family and the immediate environment have more or greater

influence on them.”

Adeola et al (1993) adds that, “At the adolescent stage, that is at secondary school age, an

individual spends more time in a formal school environment away from home, he will therefore

spend more time with other school children not only in the classroom, but also in other types of

activities football, discussions, handcraft works, and other social involvements; by these,

important attitudes and values are formed in other words, the child in school not only learns from

his/her teachers but also from his peer group. From the quotations and citations made earlier on

above, it could be inferred that the exposure of individual student right from childhood to

adolescence would contribute not only to his/her academic orientation and knowledge make-up

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alone, but to all other areas of his/her life including his/her character set-up. It is often being said

that “a bad association corrupts good manners.” Another saying is that, “If you show me your

friend, I will tell you who you are.”

Hullen (1997) states that through peer group influence, adolescents are always anxious to do

what their peer group members do. Reading, joining societies like Boys Scout, Girls Guide, and

Choir groups etc., all these could help in boosting their academic performance. Also, the peer

interest may be sniping out of school to watch films, indulging in sexual acts, etc. - an act which

would have negative effects on students’ academic performance.

It is to be noted that the performance of all the peer group members will be the relative ratio of

the best members among them all. For example, if the best student in a particular group of peers

always come up with an aggregate of 68% in his or her academic results, there is a very high

tendency that the academic performance of the other members of that same group will never be

higher than that 68%. So, if the performing ability of the group to which an individual student

belongs is high, there would be a challenging effect on him/her to meet up with the standard of

his/her group, lest he/she conceives the feeling of inferiority.

Just as these effects are in the peer group, many effects lie in the coverage of the school an

individual attends as his/her foundational school. The phrase ‘foundational school’ here refers to

the elementary, basic or primary school that an individual student attends before reaching the

secondary school levels. Previous researchers have shown that the problems many students have

as touching their ability to read, speak and study English Language correctly is based on their

poor elementary school experience.

This inability extends to the level of their inabilities to understand other subjects such as

chemistry, physics, Geography and even Mathematics. This is considered factual because, for an

individual to perform well in anything whatsoever, there is a need for such to have a clear

understanding of such thing.

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 Bundled with the above identified problem is the poor scientific background of the Junior

Secondary Schools that many students of chemistry attended. Many of the schools (as stated in

section 2.1.6 – “The Learning Environment & Facilities”) lack proper science facilities such as a

standard laboratory for making the chemistry – related subjects such as Basic Science &

Introductory Technology, and Integrated Science, pragmatic enough for the students to develop

interest and proper knowledge of the rudimentary aspects of chemistry.

Conclusively, just like the words of the Psalmist in the Bible (Psalm 11:3) that, “If the

foundation be destroyed, what shall the righteous do?” The foundation of many has been

wounded academically, and this has made knowledge and expertise development of students in

chemistry so cumbersome and difficult. Hence, there is a need for every concerned personnel,

parents and teachers to help offer the best elementary education to their students and wards in

order to prevent a faulty future.

2.2.5 Parental Influences/Level of Education

Wole Ibikunle & Femi Oke (2015) stated in their work -“Psychology of Child Development”,

that a child’s immediate environment, the first known place at the postnatal development stage is

the greatest determinant of a child’s orientation. This is found on the basis of the philosophy that

says “a child’s brain is like a black slate” at that stage of life. So whatever it is that is paddled

therein will certainly stay glued therein. This goes along with the understanding and orientation

of the parents in breeding their young ones. Educated parents can provide such an environment

that suits best for the academic success of their children, based on the kind of understanding,

orientation and regards that they have about education, generally.

Marzano, (2003) in Nyandwi (2014) opined that the school authorities can provide counseling

and guidance to parents for creating positive home environment for improvement in students’

quality of work.

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 Many scholars pointed out that the academic performance of students heavily depend upon

parental involvement in their academic activities to attain the higher level of quality in activities

in order to attain a reasonably high level of academic quality and success (Barnard, 2004;

Shumox and Lomax, 2007). “Students with high level of socioeconomic status have a better

achievement in their academics due to their parents’ or family members’ involvements in their

education” – (Kahlenberg, 2006; Kirkup, 2008) in David Melack (2014).

Beyond all the aforementioned effects is the fact discovered that many parents with low

education standard blended with poor financial status and societal orientation do not even stop at

the level of nonchalant attitude towards their children’s education alone, but also go on to the

level of discouraging and badly hurting them even when the children themselves seek to achieve

their best capability academically.

However, some or few of the lowly educated parents who have the proper orientation of how

important education is in the world of these days seek eagerly to help their children and wards

attain their maximum academic performance. Some of these parents who have enough financial

standard go on to the extent of hiring or sponsoring teacher/their children respectively for extra

classes such as home or after – school/weekend tutorials when they seem they themselves could

not fit in for that role. But this fraction of parents is too small and scarce compared to others.

Krashen (2005) in Nyandwi (2014) concluded that “students whose parents are educated score

higher on standardized tests than those whose parents were not educated. Educated parents can

better communicate with their children regarding the school work, activities and the information

being taught at school.” They can better assist their children in their homework and participate at

school,” says – Trusty, (1999) in Nyandwi (2014). With all being said and reviewed, it could be

inferred that better educated parents help their children by facilitating everything related to their

academics, such as the provision of study materials/textbooks, workbooks, exam series and many

more, just to aid the performance of their children. This is much related to section 2.2.2 of this

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same thesis, but it combines the reaction of some uneducated parents and the educated ones and

how their separate entities affect students’ performance, not just in chemistry as a subject alone,

but in every academic course of study.

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 CHAPTER THREE

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

This chapter discusses the method used in the research work as presented under the following

sub heading:

 Research Design

 Area of the Study

 Population of the Study

 Sample and Sampling Procedure

 Research Instruments

 Validity of the Instruments

 Data Collection Procedures, and

 Data Analysis Procedures

3.1 Research Design

This study employs descriptive cross-sectional survey design. The design shall be used since it

enables the researcher collect data across the sampled population using the same instruments at

the same time. The survey design also enables the researcher obtain information concerning the

determinant factors for students’ and teachers’ performance with the assessment of their opinions

on how each of these factors contribute to their performance in chemistry (Best and Khan, 1992

in Ogembo J.O, 2012). Descriptive technique gives a vivid description of the factors identified

and how they contribute to achievements in chemistry (Robson, 2002; Mugenda and Mugenda,

2003, in Ogembo J.O. 2012).

It is also designed to show the relationship between the factors and performance, and attempts to

advance an explanation for poor performance in chemistry based on the data to be collected.

The diagrammatic illustration below gives the picture of the whole research design and

processes of the study right from the stage of research instruments construction to the final stage
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of report writing and presentation. The process includes the process of preparation of the

research instruments, pretesting and validation of the instruments, the sampling process to

identify the respondents for the study from the target population, the process of data collection,

data analysis and finally, report writing.

Stratified Sampled Schools: Research Instruments Construction:

1. Methodist High School - Students’ Questionnaire
2. Ogedengbe School of Science -Chemistry Teachers’ Questionnaire
3. Saint Margaret High School
4. Reality High School
5. Ilesa Government High School
6. Ijesha Muslim High School Pilot Study:
7. Christ the King High School
Reality High School
8. Holy Vessels High School

Respondents:
Revised Research Instruments:
- Chemistry Students
- Chemistry Teachers - Students’ Questionnaires
- Teachers’ Questionnaires

Data Collection

Data Analysis and Report Writing, Conclusion and

Interpretation Recommendation

A Diagrammatic Illustration of the Research Design and Processes of Study

3.2. Area of the Study

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 The study area or location is Ilesha West and Ilesha East Local Government Areas of

Osun State, Nigeria. Students from eight (8) of the Local Government Areas’ Schools would be

selected randomly from S.S.S 1, 2 and 3 for the purpose of this research work,

viz:

1. Methodist High School, Ika North LGA

2. Ogedengbe School of Science, Ika North LGA

3. Saint Margaret High School, Ika North LGA

4. Reality High School, Ika North LGA

5. Ika North LGA Government High School, Ika North LGA

6. Ijesha Muslim High School, Ika North LGA

7. Christ the King High School, Ika North LGA

8. Holy Vessels High School, Ika North LGA

3.3 Population of the Study

The population of students for this study includes 25 chemistry students in each of the 8 stated

schools with 1 Chemistry Teacher from each.

Note: The total number of targeted populace planned and expected for each of the out listed

schools is 25 as stated earlier. However, the ones that responded to the structured questionnaires

are as shown in the following table. The variations in the number of student respondents is due to

some unforeseen circumstances which are better explained in chapter four of this thesis. E.g.

Ilesha Government High School was divided into 3, but within the same school compound and

under the same school name, but with different

Principals and administrations due to the largeness of the student populace in the school:
School Students Principal Chemistry Teachers

1 Methodist High School 25 1 3

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 2 Ogedengbe School of 16 1 2

Science

3 Saint Margaret High 25 1 2

School

4 Reality High School 14 1 4

5 Ilesha Government High 30 3 3

School

6 Ijesha Muslim High 24 1 1

School
7 Christ the King High 25 1 1
School

8 Holy Vessels High School 16 1 1

196 10 17

Total Population

Table X: Population Index of the Schools Selected for Study

3.4 Research Assumptions

During this study, it was assumed that:

1. The syllabus coverage for the schools concerned in the local government areas chosen for

this study was uniform.

2. Both government and private schools involved met the required standards necessary

according to the nation’s Policy of Education about Science subjects and Chemistry in particular.

3. The respondents, both students and teachers were honest in answering all questions.

3.5 Criteria for Selection of Schools

The following were considered before choosing the selected schools for the

purpose of this study: that

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1. They have been offering Chemistry since the past 5 years and have been participating in

WAEC and NECO since not less than year 2012.

2. They have, at least, a standard general science laboratory, if not a separate one for

Chemistry.

3. They have at least one Chemistry teacher whose tenure with the school was not less than

one year ago.

3.6 Sample and Sampling Procedures

A sample is any number of cases less than the total number of cases in the population from

which it is drawn (Ingule & Gatumu, 1996, in Ogembo J.O. 2012). Sampling saves time and

expenses of studying an entire population (Robinson 2002).

S.S.S 1, S.S. 2 and S.S 3 students from the stratified sample of Private and Government

Secondary Schools are considered for this study. The sample size therefore goes by 25 chemistry

students per school and one of the chemistry teachers of the schools mentioned, making the

number of administered students’ questionnaires 196.

3.7 Research Instruments

The instrument used in this study to obtain information from the respondents is basically a

questionnaire:

Questionnaire: A list of structured questions was given to the respondents to answer. The

questions were structured to address the specific objectives of the study. Questionnaires were

found appropriate in enabling the researcher gather a large volume of data from many subjects

economically (Orodho, 2009 in Ogembo J.O 2012). There were two categories of these

questionnaires, viz: students’ and teachers’ questionnaires.

NOTE: The questionnaires used in carrying out this research work has its variables including

students’ performance (as the dependent variable) and others as the independent variables

including students’ attitude, teachers’ characteristics, teaching strategies, availability and list of
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resources and facilities, students’ characteristics, learning conditions in the school, parents’

factors and background; each of which stands under either of the two core factors stated in

chapter 2 of this study as: (1) School Factors and

(2) Extrinsic factors responsible for poor performance of Senior Secondary School

Students in chemistry.

3.7.1 Students’ Questionnaire

This was made of closed and open-ended questions targeted at getting the opinions of students

about the factors considered responsible for their poor performance from all facets and angles

clear to them. There were thirty three (33) items in the questionnaire having two (2) sections.

Section I is designed to get introductory information about the students with a total of 5 items,

while section II consists of 28 items which focus on getting the objective information of the

research work. Some of the statements of the questionnaire were rated on a 5-point likert type

scale ranging from “Strongly Disagree” with a score of 1 to “Strongly Agree” with a score of 5.

Reverse is the case for negative questions i.e. “Strongly Agree” carries a score of 1 while

“Strongly Disagree” has a score of 5. The students were required to tick in the box corresponding

to their option. A sample of this questionnaire is attached as Appendix I.

3.7.2 Teachers’ Questionnaire

This consists of 25 statements. Section A consists of 11 introductory statements while section B

consists of 14 statements, some of which were rated on a 5 – point Likert

Scale similar to the students’ questionnaire. The questionnaire was developed to obtain

information on the opinions and attitude of teachers toward chemistry students, their approach in

teaching, and the governments’ interventions implemented. A sample of this questionnaire is

attached as Appendix II.

3.8 Validity of Instruments

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According to Kothari (1985) in Ogembo J.O (2012), validity refers to the degree to which an

instrument measures what it is supposed to measure. Content validity can be determined by using

a panel of persons who shall judge how well the measuring instruments meets the standards. For

this thesis, content validity was measured by the research supervisors, right from the supervising

lecturer and guide to the Head of

Department, Chemistry, to the Deans of the School of Science and Education, Osun State

College of Education, Ika North LGA, Osun State, Nigeria. The experts analyzed the

instrument’s suitability in line with the research questions. The experts’ comments helped to

improve the validity of the questionnaires. The pilot test conducted also helped to improve the

students’ and teachers’ questionnaires.

3.9 Data Collection Procedure

Having gotten the permission to go on with the research work in line with the identified

problems of poor performance of students in chemistry, and to seek probable solutions to them,

the study was undertaken in two (2) stages as follow:

1. The researcher visits the participating schools in order to be introduced, to familiarize and

to gain the respondents’ consent for involvement in the study.

2. The researcher administered questionnaires to the students and chemistry teachers, with

an assurance of confidentiality to respondents as per the given information. In the course of

administering these questionnaires, the researcher observed the manner of both students and staff

personnel of the schools, especially chemistry classes.

3.10 Data Analysis Procedure

After collecting all necessary data, data analysis was carried out to show how each variable

contributed to students’ performance in chemistry. The data was analyzed both qualitatively and

quantitatively using percentages, means, and frequency distribution statistically. The data was

descriptive, therefore invariants such as percentages, means and frequencies were used. Chi-
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square and correlation coefficients measure of association were used to justify the relationships

between every factor of the study been collected.

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 CHAPTER FOUR

DATA ANALYSIS, RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

4.1 Introduction

This chapter presents an analysis of the collected data from a sample of 196 students from 5

Government and 3 Private High Schools within the coverage of Ika North LGALocal

Government Areas in Osun State, with 8 Chemistry teachers in all, and some few other

Chemistry experts who are in the line of teaching outside the involved schools were interviewed

in order to compare the relativity of the collected information from the selected schools.

4.2 Data Analysis

Data analysis and report findings were done using descriptive statistics in the form of tables,

frequencies and percentages. For analyses of the relationships between independent and

dependent variables inferential statistics were used.

4.2.1 Quantitative Data

Quantitative data analysis was done based on descriptive and inferential statistics. Data analysis

began by arranging the data according to the designed research questions. Frequency tables,

mean/average values, and percentages were used to present the information. Chi-square table and

correlation coefficients (CC) were computed in order to determine the relationship between the

dependent and independent variables – a form of inferential statistics.

4.2.2 Quantitative Data

Coding and assigning labels to variable categories was done for qualitative data. Common

themes were then obtained from the data collected and clustered in a patterned order so as to

identify variables that depicted general concepts and differences. Inferences were then drawn

from the analyses under each theme so as to arrive at conclusions that are valid as derived from

the findings.

4.3 Background Characteristics of the Students 4.3.1 Sex/Gender of Respondents

Page | 42
 School Margare Holy Reality C. Ika Ogedeng Ijesa Meth Total
t Vessels K. North be Muslim odist
LGA
Govt.
High
F %

Girls (F) 20 5 14 8 13 16 17 18 111 56.6

Boys(M) 5 11 11 17 17 9 7 8 85 43.4

Table 4.3: Gender Distribution

From the table 4.3 above which gives the analysis of the respondents’ gender, it could be seen

that a total of 111 females which amount to 56.6% of the total sampled population responded to

the questionnaires, while a total of 85 male students which equals 43.4% of the total population

responded to the questionnaire; meaning that there were less boys than girls in the sampled

population for this study.

4.3.2 Age Index and Class

Table 4.4: Respondents’ Age Range per Class

Class SS1 SS2 SS3

Frequency 48 72 76

Range (yrs) 12-15 13-18 13-18

Percentage % 24.5% 36.7% 38.8%

From the table 4.4 above, it could be inferred that there are more SS 3 students involved in the

research work compared to other classes’ respondents as they constitute

38.8% of the total population with their age range between 13 and 18 years old. SS 2 students

also have their age range as those of the SS 3 students. This shows that the average age of the SS

2 and 3 students who responded to the questionnaires of this research work is 15 while that of the

SS 1 students ranging from 12 to 15 has an average of 13 years old. From this analysis, it could

be drawn out as a statement of fact that the ideal age for a student in this century to have been in
Page | 43
his/her last level of secondary/high school education is 15 or thereabout. This finding also shows

that the students in SS 2 are of relatively equal age with those in SS 3, and this could mean that

students in Ika North LGA West and East Local Governments Areas are becoming more

progressively faster in their school entering age rate, as the SS 1 students’ age bracket of 13 – 15

overlaps that of the SS 2 (13-18), meanwhile the latter has already met up with those in SS 3.

This is an indication that there is a tendency for the age range of student who would be in SS 3 in

the next few generations to come to be below the maximum age of 18 since the maximum age of

those in SS 1 now is 15, making the highest age of their set that would be in SS 3 in the next 2

years to be 15+2 which is 17, and the minimum (13+2) to be 15. This in turn shows that boys

and girls of the next few generations might be of a sharper mind compared to now, hence

improving the performance of the generation in Chemistry, even

at a much younger age.

4.3.3 Type of Primary School Attended

School Freq. F %

Public 78 39.8

Private 118 60.2

Table 4.5: Respondents type of primary school

From the table above, 78 of 196 students, that is, 39.8% attended public/government primary

school, while 118, that is, 60.2% of the overall population sampled attended private primary

schools, showing that a higher percentage of the respondents in this wise are graduates of private

primary schools which are mostly believed according to many findings to be better in equipping

young minds for fundamental education than many public schools in Ika North LGA West and

East Local Government Areas of the State.

4.3.4 Junior Secondary School Result Statistics in Basic/Integrated Science

The table below shows the frequency distribution and percentage of the

Page | 44
respondents with their results in Basic or Integrated Science in their Junior Secondary School
Certificate Examination, basically WAEC.
Grade Freq. (F) Perc. %

A 82 41.8

B 42 21.4

C 60 30.6

D 5 2.6

Total 189 96.43

Table 4.6: Respondents’ Basic/Integrated Science Results Analysis.

The analysis reflected in the table above shows that a gross total of 184 out of the 196

respondents, that is 93.88% are qualified for science courses according to their assessment

results in Basic Science which constitutes the major rudimentary subject for building/preparing

students in the JSS classes for science subjects including Chemistry in their SSS classes while 5

of them (2.6%) are actually not supposed to be in the Science department, according to the

standard of evaluation. However, 7 of the respondents (3.57%) did not specify what their results

in the JSSCE Basic or Integrated Science was, therefore making only a total of 96.43% of the

population accessible.

It should however be noted that only 124 (A and B graders) have very good qualifications per

results to be in the Sciences, however, the remaining 65 (32.2%) (C & D graders) might have

been considered worthy of being in the Sciences based on their performance in their Basic

Science/Integrated Science related subjects like Introductory Technology, Agricultural Sciences,

Mathematics and Computer Studies without much emphasis laid on their projection for

Chemistry in the SSS levels.

NOTE: From the table of Age Index and Class (Table 4.4) given in session 4.3.2, it would be

noted that the highest percentage of respondents to the questionnaires presented are in the most

Page | 45
senior class level of the high school. This is to make sure that their responses to each of the

statements put forward for this research thesis are from a reasonable level of experience about

the operations of Chemistry as a subject.

4.3.5 Chi-Square Analyses of the Collected Data on the Effects of Students’ Background

Characteristics on Their Performance

The following background characteristics as afore-analyzed in the previous

sections have been subjected to Chi-Square analysis in order to test for their significance and

level of correlation to the poor performance of the sampled population taken to represent the

whole population of their individual schools in the area of this study.

1. Gender of Respondents

The table below shows how the gender of the respondents affects their performance in
comparison with their aggregate score range in their last end of term Chemistry examination.
However, the population used for this purpose are the SS 2 and 3 students alone, with the
exception of SS 1 students. This is due to the fact that none of the SS 1 students have undertaken
any examination in Chemistry. This also is due to the fact that this study was carried out in the
first term of the 2017/18 academic session.
Female 13 32 20 6 7

Aggregate >75 74-60 59-45 44-40 <40

Male 16 29 10 2 13

Table 4.7 Gender of Respondents vs Aggregate Scores in their Last End of Term

Examination
>75 74-60 59-45 44-40 <40

Gende O E O E O E O E O E Tota

r l

Female 1 15.2 3 32.1 2 15.8 6 4.2 7 10.5 78

3 8 2 5 0 1 2 4

Page | 46
 Male 1 13.7 2 28.8 1 14.2 2 3.7 1 9.46 70

6 2 9 5 0 1 8 3

Total 2 6 3 8 2 148

9 1 0 0

Where the formula for calculating the Chi-Square value is

X2 = Σ(O-E)2

Where X2 = Chi-Square

Σ = Symbol of summation

O = Observed frequency

E = Expected frequency

E= Column total X Row total

Grand Total

For Females For Males

E1 = 29 x 70
E1 = 29 x 78

148 148
= 15.28 = 13.72

E2 = 61 x E2 = 61 x
78 70
(32 –
148 148 32.15)2

= 15.28 = 28.85

E3 = 30 x E3 = 30 x
78
Page | 47
 70

148
148
= 15.81
= 14.12
E4 = 8 x 78
E4 = 8x
70
148

= 4.22 148

= 3.78

E5 = 7 x 78

E5 = 20 x 70
148

= 10.54 148

= 9.46

X2 = (13 – (16 – 13.72)2

15.28)2 + +

15.28 13.72 32.15

+ (29 – 28.85)2 + (20 – 15.81)2 + (10 – 14.12)2

28.85 15.81 14.12

(7 –
+ (6 – 4.22)2 + (2 – 3.78)2 + 10.54)2

4.22 3.78 10.54

+ (13 – 9.46)2

9.46

X2 = 0.3402 + 0.3789 + 0.0007 + 0.0016 +1.1104 + 1.2022 + 0.7508

Page | 48
+0.8382 + 1.1890+1.3247
X2 = 7.1367

Degree of Freedom ‘df’ = (No of columns – 1) (No of Rows – 1)

= (k – 1) (r – 1)

= (2 – 1) (5 – 1) = 1 x 4 df = 4

Level of Significance, ‘LoS’ = 5% =0.05

Calculated Value Table Value Df LoS

(X2 cal.) (X2 tab) - -

7.1367 9.488 4 0.05

Decision Rule 1: If the calculated value is greater than the table value, then such hypothesis shall

be considered invalid and unacceptable, vice-versa.

However, since the calculated value is lower compared to the value given on the standard table,

then the null hypothesis made against the influence or effect of gender on students’ performance

in Chemistry as follows: “Gender of students does not affect their performance in Chemistry”

shall be declared valid and acceptable.

In other words, gender does not actually affect the performance of students in

Chemistry.

2. Age Index & Class

With a measurement of age in class made against students’ performance in Chemistry, the

following null hypothesis is formulated, viz: “The age of students in a particular class does not

affect their performance in Chemistry.”

>75 74-60 59-45 44-40 <40

Page | 49
 Class O E O E O E O E O E Tota

SS 2 1 6.39 3 35.4 1 17.4 2 4.6 1 11.6 86

1 8 5 8 3 5 7 2

SS 3 1 12.1 2 22.5 1 12.5 6 3.3 3 8.38 62

8 5 3 5 2 7 5

Total 2 6 3 8 2

9 1 0 0

Table 4.8 Age range per class measured against performance in the last end of term examination

NOTE: From the table of data collection given (Table 4.4) in the previous session 4.3.2, it could

be inferred that the age ranges of the SS 2 and SS 3 respondents are the same, (12 – 18years)

then, the class difference with reference to this same agree range shall be considered against

their performance.

From the table above, the calculated value, X2 cal. is 16.18 with the degree of freedom, df =4 at

0.05 level of significance; meanwhile, the table value by standard, X2 tab= 9.488.

Therefore, following the decision rule as earlier stated in section 1 above, the null hypothesis for

the relationship between students’ age per their class and performance in Chemistry shall be

rejected that is, since the calculated, X2 value is greater than the standard table value of X 2, then

the statement that “students’ age in a particular class does not affect their performance” shall be

rejected for the alternative; that is, “students’ age in a particular class affect their performance in

Chemistry.”

3. Type of Primary School Attended

As a core component of the background entity of any student, the type of primary school as to

either private or public attended by the student was analyzed to know of it affects the students’

performance in Chemistry as against their aggregate score in the last end of term exam and also

Page | 50
by the percentage –by- frequency of the respondents according to their level of satisfaction on so

far with their performance in Chemistry.

Table 4.9 below gives the Chi-Square analysis of this finding viz:
V.S S N.S S.S F.S

School O E O E O E O E O E Tota

Public 8 21.3 1 22.1 5 34.1 4 3.5 5 5.8 87

1 8 9 2 8 5 8

Privat 4 26.6 3 27.8 2 42.8 4 4.4 8 7.2 109

e 0 9 2 1 5 2 5 3

Total 4 5 7 8 1 196

8 0 7 3

Table 4.9:Primary School attended tabulated against students’ level of satisfaction with their
performance in chemistry so far
NOTE: This tabulation includes the SS 1 students in the questioned population whose answers

were collated and sums up to 196 students in all. The X 2 calculated equals 33.40 with 4 degree of

freedom and Los 0.05. Meanwhile the standard X 2 on the table is 9.4888. The null hypothesis

stated in this respect as: “The type of primary school (private or public) attended by the students

does not have any effect or contribution to the performance of students in Chemistry.”

However, following the decision rule, since the X 2 calculated is more than the X2 on standard

table, then the hypothesis is rejected for its alternative which shall be stated thus, that:

“The type of primary school attended by the students do affect their performance in Chemistry.”

More so, it was observed that students with private school background were more vocal and

successful in their level of comprehension of questions put forward to them in the questionnaire.

Page | 51
4. Basic/Integrated Science Junior Secondary School Certificate Examination Result.

The analysis used in testing for the validity of the null hypothesis put forward used in this wise is

the correlation coefficient method of analysis.

Null Hypothesis: “The performance of students in their JSSCE Basic or Integrated

Science does not have any correlation with their performance in chemistry.”
V.S S N.S S.S F.S Total

Grade O E O E O E O E O E F %

A 29 20.39 27 21.69 13 33.41 6 3.47 7 3.04 82 41.8

B 12 10.44 16 11.11 14 17.11 0 1.78 0 1.78 42 21.4

C 6 14.92 7 15.87 45 24.44 2 2.54 0 2.54 60 30.6

D 0 1.24 0 1.32 5 2.04 0 0.21 0 0.19 5 2.6

Total 47 50 77 8 7 189 96.4

Table 4.10: Grades of the respondents in Basic Science, JSSCE

NOTE: Only 189 of the total 196 respondents supplied an answer, to the question about their

grades, having 7 respondents not providing answer in this respect, and the 96.4% include

students of SS 1 to 3.

Key:

N.S. = Not satisfied S = Satisfied V.S. = Very Satisfied

S.S. = Slightly Satisfied F.S. = Fairly Satisfied

Using correlation coefficient, δ = nΣXY –ΣXΣY

√ (nΣX2 – Σ (X)2)(nΣY2 –Σ (Y)2)

Where, δ = Correlation coefficient n = Total number of terms

E = Summation

Page | 52
X = Observed frequency

Y = E = Expected frequency
Grade X Y XY X2 Y2

A 29 20.39 591.31 841 415.75

A 27 21.69 585.63 729 470.46

A 13 33.41 434.33 169 1116.23

A 6 3.47 20.82 36 12.04

A 7 3.04 21.28 49 9.24

B 12 10.44 125.28 144 108.99

B 16 11.11 177.76 256 123.43

B 14 17.11 239.54 196 292.75

B 0 1.78 0 0 3.17

B 0 1.56 0 0 2.43

C 6 14.92 89.52 36 222.61

C 7 15.81 111.09 49 251.86

C 45 24.44 1099.80 2025 597.31

C 2 2.54 5.08 4 6.45

C 0 2.22 0 0 4.93

D 0 1.24 0 0 1.54

D 0 1.32 0 0 1.74

D 5 2.04 10.20 25 4.16

D 0 0.21 0 0 0.04

D 0 0.19 0 0 0.04

Page | 53
 E 189 188.99 3511.64 4559 3645.13

n= 20

δ= (20)(3511.64) – (186)(188.99)

[(20)(4559) – (189)2][(20)(3645.13) – (188.99)2]

34519.69

= 55459 x 37185.38

34519.69

= 2062263989

= 34519.69

45412.16

= 0.7601

δ= 0.76

Decision Rule 2:

1. +0.5 to +0.9 connotes high positive correlation or relationship between X and Y, i.e the

observed frequency and expected frequency have a positive association with each other.

2. -0.5 to -0.9 means a high negative correlation, meaning there is an inverse association

between X and Y.

3. If the value is close to zero, ranging from 0.4 downwards, the linear relationship between

X and Y is weak

– Otunmidia, 2014 in Oguntayo (2007).

Page | 54
Since the calculated value is +0.7601, it shows that there is a direct relationship between the

performance of students in the JSS Basic/Integrated Science and their performance in Chemistry

at the Senior Secondary School level. The interpretation of this, therefore, is that “the level of

students’ performance in Chemistry is directly proportional to their performance in

Basic/Integrated science while in the Junior

Secondary School level.”

4.4 Student’s Perception about Chemistry

From the data collected for the purpose of this study in respect of students’ perception about

Chemistry as a subject in the Sciences, the following analysis was developed and tested for its

effect on students’ performance in the subject.

The first Table, 4.11 reflects the frequency distribution of the data, while Table 4.12 reflects the

Chi-Square analysis of the collected data derived from the respondents’ responses to the

statements put forward before them in the questionnaire.

Table 4.11: Perception of Students

S/N SA A NS D SD Total

F % F % F % F % F % F %

1 132 67.3 61 31.1 _ 0.0 3 1.5 _ 0.0 196 100

2 2 1.0 12 6.1 11 5.6 66 33.7 105 53.6 196 100

3 79 40.0 89 45.4 9 4.6 18 9.2 1 0.5 196 100

4 63 32.1 98 50.0 17 8.7 5 2.6 13 6.6 196 100

5 87 44.4 94 48.0 10 5.1 3 1.5 2 1.0 196 100

6 101 51.5 81 41.3 9 2.0 4 2.0 1 0.5 196 100

Page | 55
Following the recorded analysis in the table above; 67.3% of the respondents (196 in all), that is

132 of them agreed strongly that Chemistry is of importance to them, while 61 (31.1%) of them

agreed. Meanwhile, only 3 out of all, constituting just 1.5% are of the opinion that Chemistry is

not of importance to them, by ticking the “Disagree” box.

2 respondents (1.0%) strongly agreed to the statement that they do not like Chemistry, 6.1%

agreed to that same statement, 11 (5.6%) were not sure. However, 33.7% and 53% disagreed and

strongly disagreed respectively to this statement. This means that a larger percentage of the

respondents actually like Chemistry, summing up to 87.3% of the total population.

40.0% strongly agreed to the statement that they enjoyed chemistry theory lessons, and 45.4%

agreed to that statement, these make up a total of 85.4% of the total population where the rest are

either not sure, disagreed or strongly disagreed to that. This shows that most students do enjoy

chemistry theory lessons.

32.1% and 50% of the respondents’ perception of chemistry is that it is not a difficult subject,

making a total of 82.1% of the total population. The rest either are not sure, disagreed or strongly

disagreed to this statement, according to the analysis given in the table. This shows that to a

much higher population of students, chemistry is not a difficult subject for them to handle.

44.4% and 48.0% strongly agreed and agreed respectively with the statement that chemistry

practical is enjoyed and preferred compared to its theory. These sum up to 92.40% of 100%

population, indicating that so many of the students prefer the practical aspect of chemistry,

unlike just 2.5% which either disagreed or strongly disagreed to this statement, while 5.1% of

them were not sure.

51.5% and 41.3% strongly agreed and agreed to the statement of fact that they liked their
Chemistry teacher. These constitute 92.8% of the total population. This generally
S/N SA A NS O SD

Grade O E O E O E O E O E F

Page | 56
 1 132 77.3 61 72.5 - 9.3 3 16.5 - 20.3 196

2 2 77.3 12 72.5 11 9.3 66 16.5 105 20.3 196

3 79 77.3 89 72.5 9 9.3 18 16.5 1 20.3 196

4 63 77.3 98 72.5 17 9.3 5 16.5 13 20.3 196

5 87 77.3 94 72.5 10 9.3 3 16.5 2 20.3 196

6 101 77.3 81 72.5 9 9.3 4 16.5 1 20.3 196

Total 464 435 56 99 122 1176

portray that the highest percentage of the population factually liked their teacher. From the

Table 4.12a above, the calculated X2 equals 692.30, meanwhile the table value for X2 is 31.410

Degree of freedom, ‘df’ =(c – 1) (r-1)

= (6 – 1) (5 – 1)

=5x4

= 20

Level of significance, LoS = 5% = 0.05

X2 cal. X2 tab df Los

Table 4.12b
692.30 9.488 20 0.05

Since X2 calc. is greater than X2, then the null hypothesis that, “Students’ perception about

chemistry affects their performance in it”, shall be accepted based on the decision rule 1 in a

simple statement, it can be put that students’ negative perception of the subject would affect

them negatively while their positive perception of it would affect performance positively.

4.5 Students’ Attitudes toward Chemistry

The formulated null hypothesis in this respect states thus: “There is no direct relationship

between students’ attitudes toward chemistry and their performance in the subject.”
Page | 57
 SA A NS D SD
S/N
O % E O % E O % E O % E O % E
7 11 5.6 27.75 41 20.9 58.25 12 6.1 21.25 73 37.2 48.0 59 30.1 40.75
8 33 16.8 27.75 39 19.9 58.25 29 14.8 21.25 64 32.7 48.0 31 15.8 40.75
9 44 22.4 27.75 11 58.7 58.25 19 9.7 21.25 14 7.1 48.0 4 2.0 40.75
10 23 12 27.75 38 19.4 58.25 25 12.8 21.25 41 20.9 48.0 69 35.2 40.75
Total 111 233 85 192 163
Table 4.13: Students’ Attitude Frequency Distribution and Chi-square Analysis The table 4.13

above shows the analysis of the data collected in regards to testing for students’ attitude in terms

of how frequent they study, how they do their studying and some others toward chemistry as a

subject. The table consists of the observed frequency, ‘O’, percentage (%) of the observed

frequency, and the expected frequency, ‘E’ of the statement.

X2 calc. was gotten to be 204.89, while X2 tabulated on the standard chi-square table gives

21.026 under 12 degree of freedom ‘df’ and 0.05 level of significance. However, since the X 2

calculated is far much greater than the tabulated value, x2 tab, then the stated null hypothesis

sated in this regard is rejected, following the decision rule 1. This means that the alternative

hypothesis to that shall be considered accepted and valid. That is:

“There is a direct relationship between students’ attitudes toward chemistry and their

performance in the subject.” Simply put, if chemistry students’ attitude towards chemistry is

positive, then their performance would be positively affected. But if otherwise, their performance

would be negatively affected

4.6 Teachers’ Attitudes (as perceived by students)

Null Hypothesis: “The attitudes of chemistry teachers toward their students do not have anything

to with students’ performance in chemistry.”

SA A NS D SD To

S/N O % E O % E O % E O % E O % E O

Page | 58
 16 103 52.6 58.50 65 33.2 40.0 10 5.1 11.0 13 6.6 35. 5 2.6 5 196

50 1.

17 14 7.1 58.50 15 7.7 40.0 12 6.1 11.0 58 29.6 35. 97 49.5 5 196

50 1.

Total 117 80 72 71 102 392

Table 4.14: Teachers’ Attitudes’ Frequency and Chi-square Data

In testing for how teachers’ attitudes toward students affect the latter’s performance in

chemistry, the data shown in the table above gives the frequency distribution and percentages of

the respondents to that effect.

The X2 calculated equals 210.63 with a degree of freedom 4 and level of

significance 0.05, meanwhile, the table value of X2 is 9.488.

By obeying the decision rule 1, the null hypothesis formulated here shall be rejected for its

alternative which states that “The attitudes of chemistry teachers toward their students do have a

very significant effect on their students’ performance in chemistry.

This connotes that a positive attitude would produce a positive effective on their performance,

while negative attitude has negative effects on their performance.

4.7 Learning Environment and Facilities

Null Hypothesis: “Learning Environment of students and their school facilities for learning do

not affect or influence the performance of students in chemistry.”

Using chi-square method of data analysis, the table below was formed in respect

Page | 59
 SA A NS D SD

S/N O % E O % E O % E O % E O % E

18 117 59.7 47.33 71 36.2 41.67 3 1.5 17.33 2 1.0 32.00 3 1.5 57.67

20 23 1.2 47.33 38 1.9 41.67 25 1.3 17.33 41 2.1 32.00 69 35.2 57.67

21 2 1.0 47.33 16 8.2 41.67 24 1.2 17.33 53 27.0 32.00 101 51.5 57.67

Total 142 125 85 96 173

of the collected data.

1
T
1
O
5

Table 4.15: The Effect of Learning Environment and Facilities

From the table above, the calculated X 2 value is 225.07 with its degree of freedom, “df” as 8 and

0.05 level of significance. Meanwhile X2 tab is 15.507. By obeying the decision rule 1, this null

hypothesis was considered invalid and rejected for its alternative hypothesis stated thus:

“Students’ learning environment and facilities available for the learning process have a strong

effect and influence on their performance in chemistry.”

4.8 Students’ Assessment and Achievement

Null Hypothesis: “The effectiveness of students’ assessment and achievements in their

academics do not affect their performance in chemistry.”

Page | 60
To test for the validity of the null hypothesis stated above, the following data was collected and

analyzed using chi-square method of analysis, and it also shows the frequency of the observed

frequency.

Table 4.16: Students’ Achievement and Assessment Frequency and Percentage

distribution.

From the analyses put up in the table 4.16 above, the following table of X2 value was derived:
X2 cal. X2 tab df Los

556.76 31.410 20 0.05

Statement Always Often Occasional Rarely Never Total

S/N ly

F % F % F % F % F % F %

1 Beginning of 37 18.9 28 14.3 97 49.5 19 9.7 12 6.1 193 98.5

Term Test

2 Weekly 21 1.1 45 23.0 95 48.5 16 8.2 9 4.6 196 94.9

Tests

3 End of Term 120 61.2 33 16.8 20 10.2 13 6.6 10 5.1 196 100

Tests

4 Inter-School 31 15.8 22 11.2 54 27.6 34 17. 55 28.1 196 100

Tests 3

Page | 61
 5 Past 38 19.4 20 10.2 90 45.9 13 6.6 35 17.9 196 100

External

Exam

6 Past 104 53.1 34 17.3 23 11.7 11 5.6 24 12.2 196 100

National

Exams

In obedience to the decision rule 1, the null hypothesis stated as touching this was invalid and

rejected, hence the alternative hypothesis to this which states that “The effectiveness of students’

assessment and achievement do affect (strongly) their performance in chemistry ” was accepted.

The implication of this therefore is that when there is an effective assessment and check of

students’ achievement in chemistry as a subject, there would be a positive development of

students’ performance; but if otherwise, it would have a negative effect on their performance 4.9

Evaluation Frequency and Strategies

Table 4.17: Frequency of Evaluation and Method used

The table above shows the entries of the frequency of how the stated forms of evaluation [self-

evaluation] is being undergone by students individually or via the strategy/plan of the school.

98.5% of the total respondents gave their answers to the statement according to how often each

form of evaluation is undergone by them. The highest among them that is 49.5% stated that they

occasionally have beginning of term tests while 48.5 % also said they occasionally have weekly

tests. From the findings, the highest percentage so far that do undergone End-Of-Term Tests is

61.2%. 21.8% said they had never undergone any interschool test. 45.9% did occasionally under

take past external examination and only 53.1% did always undertake a revision of their part

national examination.

Page | 62
 With all these aforementioned and tabled analyses, it could be seen that the highest form of
evaluation that most of the respondents do take frequently is end of term tests followed by past
national examination.

Statement/ Always Often Occasionally Rarely Never Tota

Test/Revision
l

O E O E O E O E O E F

Beginning of term 37 58.5 28 30.3 97 63.17 19 17.67 12 24.17 196

0 3

Weekly test 21 58.5 45 30.3 95 63.17 16 17.67 9 24.17 196

0 3

End of term test 120 58.5 33 30.3 20 63.17 13 17.67 10 24.17 196

0 3

Inter-school Test 31 58.5 22 30.3 54 63.17 34 17.67 55 24.17 196

0 3

External 38 58.5 20 30.3 90 63.17 13 17.67 35 24.17 196

Examination 0 3

National 104 58.5 34 30.3 23 63.17 11 17.67 24 24.17 196

Examination 0 3

Total 351 18 37 106 14 1176

2 9 5

Correlation coefficient analysis of the evaluation frequency of students using each of those

aforementioned tests and revision Table 4.18a gives the following results as derived from tables

4.18a & b.

δ= nΣXY –ΣXΣY

Page | 63
 (nΣX2 – Σ(X)2)(nΣY2 –Σ(Y)2)

δ = Correlation Coefficient n= Number of terms Σ = Summation

O = Observed frequency

E = Expected frequency

Meanwhile,

Σ= Column Total X Row Total

Grand Total

On the Correlation coefficient table,

Y=E

Y2 = E2 etc.

X Y XY X2 Y2

37 58.50 2164.50 1369 3422.25

21 58.50 1228.50 441 3422.25

120 58.50 7020.00 14400 3422.25

31 58.50 1813.50 961 3422.25

38 58.50 2223.00 1441 3422.25

104 58.50 6084.00 10816 3422.25

28 30.33 849.24 784 919.91

45 30.33 1364.85 2025 919.91

33 30.33 1000.89 1089 919.91

22 30.33 667.26 484 919.91

20 30.33 606.60 400 919.91

Page | 64
 34 30.33 1031.22 1156 919.91

97 63.17 6127.49 9409 3990.45

95 63.17 6001.15 9025 3990.45

20 63.17 1263.40 400 3990.45

54 63.17 3411.18 2916 3990.45

90 63.17 5685.30 8100 3990.45

23 63.17 1452.91 529 3990.45

19 17.67 335.73 361 312.23

16 17.67 282.72 256 312.23

13 17.67 229.71 169 312.23

34 17.67 600.78 1156 312.23

13 17.67 229.71 169 312.23

11 17.67 194.37 121 312.23

12 24.17 290.04 144 584.19

9 24.17 217.53 81 584.19

10 24.17 241.70 100 584.19

55 24.17 1329.35 3025 584.19

35 24.17 845.95 1225 584.19

24 24.17 580.08 576 584.19

1163 1176.10 54542.17 73128 55374.17

Table 4.18b

Using δ= n ΣXY –ΣXΣY

nΣX2 – Σ(X) 2(nΣY2 –Σ(Y) 2)

Page | 65
 Where,

n= 30

ΣX=1103 ΣXY=54542.17

ΣX2=73128 ΣY2=55374.17

δ= 30(54542.17) – (1163)(1176.10)

(30(73128)– (1163)2)(30(55374.17) – (1176.10)2

δ= 1636265.10–1367804.00

(2193840.00– 1352569.00)(1661225.10– 1383211.21)

δ= 268460.80

2.3389X1011

δ= 268460.80

483616.61
δ= 0.5551

δ= +0.56

Following the decision rule 2 stated in section 4.3.5 (4) that when the correlation coefficient, δ,

equals +0.5 or above to +0.9, it connotes that there is a high positive correlation between X and

Y, i.e., the observed and expected frequencies have a positive association with each other.

Hence, the null hypothesis that could be stated in this regard as follows: “There is no significant

level of relationship between students’ performance in chemistry and their evaluation frequency”

shall be considered invalid and rejected for its alternative which states thus: “There is a

significant level of relationship between students’ performance in chemistry and the evaluation

frequency.”

Based on the decision rule, it could be concluded by the correlation coefficient value calculated

that students’ infrequent evaluation either by themselves as individuals or b their teachers is a

significant factor contribution to their poor performance in chemistry.

Page | 66
 4.10 Teachers’ Questionnaire Analysis

4.10.1 Background Characteristics of Teachers

Eight (8) teachers of chemistry, one from each school selected for the purpose of this study,

responded to the questionnaires prepared to make an investigation into the factors responsible as

the causes of students’ poor performance in chemistry. The following gives a brief highlight of

the teachers’ background information:

Gender

Male = 6 =75%

Female = 2 = 25%

Term of Service

Temporary = 2 =25%

Contract = 1 = 12.5%

Permanent = 5 = 62.5%

Level of Education

NCE = 0

ND/HND = 1 = 12.5%

B.Ed = 1 = 12.5

B.Sc = 3 = 37.5%

Post Grad = 3 = 37.5%

Teaching So Far

1 – 3 years = 3 = 37.5%

4 – 6 years = 1 = 12.5%

7 – 10 years = 2 = 25.5%

Above 10 years = 2 = 25.5%

Page | 67
Years in Service at Current School

Below 5 years = 4 = 50%

5 -10 years = 2 = 25%

11 – 15 years = 1 = 12.5%

Above 15 years = 1 = 12.5%

NOTE: These analyses are to buttress and affirm the data collected & analyzed on the part of the

students in the previous sections, and also to test for the effects and validity of some other factors

and hypotheses respectively.

The above information given about the teachers who responded to the

questionnaires is to give insight about them in terms of their experience, qualification,

professionally, gender, and term of service, each of which are believed to likely have effect on

how they teach and consequently affect the output of their students.

4.10.2 Students’ Interest in Chemistry

From the collected data, 3, that is 37.50% of the respondents (teachers) strongly agreed to the

statement that their students genuinely have interest in chemistry, and 5 (62.50%) opined on the

basis of score point (4) (that is “Agree”) on the Likert scale to the same statement. This is in

concordance with the data collected from question 1 on the students’ questionnaire which has it

that 132 (67.35%) and 61 (31.12%) of the student respondents strongly agreed and agreed

respectively to the statement that chemistry is of importance to them. To test further what their

interest in chemistry looks like in question 2, 105 (53.57%) and 66 (33.67%) of the students

strongly disagreed and disagreed respectively to the negative statement that chemistry is not a

subject they liked. This, on the contrary, means that 105 and 66 of the respondents strongly

agreed and agreed respectively to the statement that they liked chemistry. In the comparison of

the teachers’ opinions with those of their students about chemistry, it could be inferred that the

most

Page | 68
 of the student have interest in chemistry as a subject.
4.10.3 Rudimentary/Fundamental Understanding of Chemistry

To know about how students’ performance is being affected in chemistry by their understanding
of its rudiments as expressed in their level of its understanding and the ease with which they
understand it, the following data was analyzed and tested on its effect in their performance using
correlation coefficient analysis
Question SA A NS D SD Total

Number O E O E O E O E O E 0

13 0 1.00 5 3.50 0 0 3 3.00 0 0.50 8

14 2 1.00 2 3.50 0 0 3 3.00 1 0.50 8

Total 2 7 0 6 1 16

δ= nΣXY –ΣXΣY

(nΣX2 – Σ(X) 2)(nΣY2 –Σ(Y) 2)

Σ = Y= Column Total x Row Total

Grand Total

E 1 = 2 x 8 = 1.00 E4 = 6 x 8 = 3.00

16 16

E 2 = 7 x 8 = 3.50 E5 = 1 x 8 = 0.50

16 16

E3 = 0 x 8 = 0.00

16

Page | 69
 X Y XY X2 Y2

0 1.00 0.00 0 1.00

2 1.00 2.00 4 1.00

5 3.50 17.50 25 12.25

2 3.50 7.00 4 12.25

0 0.00 0.00 0 0.00

0 0.00 0.00 0 0.00

3 3.00 9.00 9 9.00

3 3.00 9.00 9 9.00

0 0.50 0.00 0 0.25

1 0.50 0.50 1 0.25

Σ 16 16 45.00 52 45.50

Using, δ= nΣXY – ΣXΣY

nΣX2 – Σ(X) 2(nΣY2 –Σ(Y) 2)

Where, n=10
ΣX= 16 ΣY=16
ΣX2=52 ΣY2=45.50
ΣXY= 45.00

δ= 10(45) – (16)(16)

(10(52)– (16)2)(10(16) – (16)2

δ= 450–256

(520 – 256)(160 – 256)

δ= 194

264 x -96

Page | 70
 = ± 194

25344

= ± 1.2186 δ= ±1.22

According to decision rule 2, the fact that the calculated value of the correlation coefficient, δ, is

lesser than zero (0) shows that there is a very weak correlation between the understanding of the

basic rudiments of chemistry and students’ performance in it. Hence, it could be so stated that the

level of students’ rudimentary understanding of chemistry is not really a determinant factor to

their performance. So, poor understanding or even a lack of knowledge of chemistry rudiments

does not out rightly produce poor performance as its effect.

4.10.4 Influence of Parental Background

Five structured questions were put forward to teachers in order to know about how their
students’ parental background affects their performance in chemistry. However, from students’
questionnaire, the following analysis was derived as touching their parent’s profession which in
the way or the other depict their levels of education and financial status as may be reasonably
observed.
Father Mother

Profession F % F %

Civil Service 34 17.3 21 10.7

Apprentice 24 12.2 38 19.4

Trading/Business 54 27.6 100 51.0

Transport Work 10 5.1

Farming 24 12.2

Professional 50 25.5 37 18.9

Total 196 100 196 100

Table 4.19: Profession of Respondents’ Parents

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From the table above, the likes of Medical Doctoring, Engineering, Nursing and Teaching are the

ones categorized under professional professions while others are as directly stated, both for

fathers and mothers. However, the highest percentage of the professionals so mentioned are

teachers either in primary or secondary schools with few as Principals and Head Teachers.

From questions 21v and 24(i – v) of teachers’ questionnaire, the following table was developed

to measure the inputs of the parents toward the provision of their children’s needs and how it

affects their performance.

Table 4.20a
Q Num. SA A NS D SD

O E O E O E O E O E Total

21v 1 1.33 6 2.67 0 1.33 0 1.67 1 1.00 8

24bi 2 1.33 4 2.67 1 1.33 0 1.67 1 1.00 8

Ii 0 1.33 1 2.67 1 1.33 5 1.67 1 1.00 8

Iii 2 1.33 1 2.67 4 1.33 0 1.67 1 1.00 8

Iv 1 1.33 2 2.67 1 1.33 3 1.67 1 1.00 8

V 1 1.33 2 2.67 1 1.33 2 1.67 1 1.00 8

Total 8 16 8 10 6 48

E1 = 8 x 8 = 1.33 E4 = 10 x 8 = 1.67

48 48

E2 = 16x 8 = 2.67 E5 = 6 x 8 = 1.00

48 48

E3 = 8 x 8 = 1.33

Page | 72
48
X Y XY X2 Y2

1 1.33 1.33 1 1.77

2 1.33 2.66 4 1.77

0 1.33 0.00 0 1.77

2 1.33 2.66 4 1.77

1 1.33 1.33 1 1.77

1 1.33 1.33 1 1.77

6 2.67 16.02 36 7.13

4 2.67 10.68 16 7.13

1 2.67 2.67 1 7.13

1 2.67 2.67 1 7.13

2 2.67 5.37 4 7.13

2 2.67 5.37 4 7.13

0 1.33 0.00 0 1.77

1 1.33 1.33 1 1.77

1 1.33 1.33 1 1.77

4 1.33 5.32 16 1.77

1 1.33 1.33 1 1.77

1 1.33 1.33 1 1.77

0 1.67 0.00 0 2.79

0 1.67 0.00 0 2.79

Page | 73
 5 1.67 8.35 25 2.79

0 1.67 0.00 0 2.79

3 1.67 5.07 9 2.79

2 1.67 3.34 4 2.79

1 1.00 1.00 1 1.00

1 1.00 1.00 1 1.00

1 1.00 1.00 1 1.00

1 1.00 1.00 1 1.00

1 1.00 1.00 1 1.00

1 1.00 1.00 1 1.00

Σ 48 48.00 85.43 137 86.76

Using δ = nΣXY –ΣXΣY nΣX2 – Σ(X) 2(nΣY2 –Σ(Y) 2) Where,

n=30
ΣX= 48 ΣY=48.00
ΣX2=137 ΣY2=86.76
ΣXY= 85.43
δ= 30(85.43) – (48)(148)

(30(137)– (48)2)(30(86.76) – (48)2

δ= 2562.90 – 2304.00

(4110.00 – 2304.00)(2602.80 – 2304.00)

δ= 258.90

1806 x 298.80

= 258.90

Page | 74
 539632.80

= 0.3524 δ= +0.35

In obedience to decision rule 2, it could be inferred that the relationship existing between

parental background and students’ performance in chemistry is very weak.

This shows that the parental background of any student has a very weak effect on such students’

performance in chemistry. Hence, regardless of students’ parental background, they are expected

to be able to do reasonably well. However, good parental background will aid students’

performance in chemistry while their performance would be affected negatively if otherwise.

4.10.5 Effect of Learning Facilities

The learning facilities so referred to here include the laboratory for

practicals/experiments, adequate teaching resources, chemicals and apparatus needed for

experimental exercises, and even trained personnel needed to facilitate the teachinglearning

process of chemistry.

Question 23 of the teachers’ questionnaire has 5 subs under it channeled to check for its

relationship with the performance of students as observed by teachers.

Table 4.21b: Correlation Coefficient Table for the Effect of Learning Facilities on

Chemistry Students’ Performance

Q Num. SA A NS D SD

O E O E O E O E O E Total

i 1 1.80 2 2.20 0 0.00 5 3.60 0 0.40 0

Ii 4 1.80 4 2.20 0 0.00 0 3.60 0 0.40 8

Iii 2 1.80 2 2.20 0 0.00 3 3.60 1 0.40 8

Iv 2 1.80 1 2.20 0 0.00 5 3.60 0 0.40 8

V 0 1.80 2 2.20 0 0.00 5 3.60 1 0.40 8

Page | 75
 Total 9 11 0 18 2 40

E1 = 9 x 8 = 1.80 E4 = 18 x 8 = 3.60

40 40

E2 = 11x 8 = 2.20 E5 = 2 x 8 = 0.40

40 40

E3 = 0x 8 = 0.00

40

Using correlation coefficient to test for the relationship existing between learning facilities

unavailability and poor performance of students in chemistry, the following calculation was

carried out:

δ = nΣXY –ΣXΣY

(nΣX2 – Σ(X) 2)(nΣY2 –Σ(Y) 2) Where n = 25

X Y XY X2 Y2

1 1.80 1.80 1 3.24

4 1.80 7.20 16 3.24

2 1.80 3.60 4 3.24

2 1.80 3.60 4 3.24

0 1.80 0.00 0 3.24

2 2.20 4.40 4 4.84

Page | 76
 4 2.20 8.80 16 4.84

2 2.20 4.40 4 4.84

1 2.20 2.20 1 4.84

2 2.20 4.40 4 4.84

0 0.00 0.00 0 0.00

0 0.00 0.00 0 0.00

0 0.00 0.00 0 0.00

0 0.00 0.00 0 0.00

0 0.00 0.00 0 0.00

5 3.60 18.00 25 12.96

0 3.60 0.00 0 12.96

3 3.60 10.80 9 12.96

5 3.60 18.00 25 12.96

5 3.60 18.00 25 12.96

0 0.40 0.00 0 0.16

0 0.40 0.00 0 0.16

1 0.40 0.40 1 0.16

0 0.40 0.00 0 0.16

1 0.40 0.40 1 0.16

Σ 40 40.00 106.00 140.00 106.00

Table 4.21c

ΣX= 40.00 ΣY=40.00

ΣX2=140.00 ΣY2= 106.00

Page | 77
ΣXY= 106.00

Therefore,

δ= 25(106) – (40)(40)

(25(140) – (40)2)(25(106) – (40)2

δ= 2650 – 1600

(3500 – 1800)(2650 – 1600)

δ= 1050.00

(1900.00) x (1050.00)

= 1050.00

1995000.00

= 0.7434

= +0.74

In obedience to decision rule 2, the calculated correlation coefficient value being +074 depicts

the fact that there is a positive association or direct proportionality between the availability of

learning facilities and chemistry students’ performance. This shows that if there is sufficient and

appropriate availability of needed facilities to aid teaching learning processes, then there would

be a positive effect, i.e. improvement on the outputs of students as there are facilities to aid

teaching.

4.10.6 Effect of Teaching Method

Question 24a is a set of structured questions prepared to know the type of teaching methods
employed by teachers per time in their teaching processes. The following table shows the data
analysis of the methods as given by teachers:
Teaching Method Always Often Occasionally Rarely Never Tot

al

Page | 78
 O E O E O E O E O E O

Practical 2 2.86 3 2.29 2 1.86 1 0.71 0 0.29 8

Projects 0 2.86 2 2.29 4 1.86 2 0.71 0 0.29 8

Demonstration 7 2.86 0 2.29 1 1.86 0 0.71 0 0.29 8

Lecture 2 2.86 1 2.29 1 1.86 2 0.71 2 0.29 8

Problem Solving 6 2.86 2 2.29 0 1.86 0 0.71 0 0.29 8

Group Discussion 1 2.86 5 2.29 2 1.86 0 0.71 0 0.29 8

Tutorials 2 2.86 3 2.29 3 1.86 0 0.71 0 0.29 8

Total 20 16 13 5 2 56

Table XY

E1 = 20 x 8 = 2.86 E4 = 5x8 = 0.71

56 56

E2 = 16x 8 = 2.29 E5 = 2x8 = 0.29

56 56

E3 = 13 x 8 = 1.86

56
Using Chi-square method of analysis to see if there is any effect in the actual sense of poor

teaching method on the performance of students in chemistry, the following calculations were

carried out and table XYZ below shows the results obtained

X2 = (2 – 2.86)2 + (0 – 2.86)2 + (7 – 2.86)2 + (2 – 2.86)2 + (6 – 2.86)2

+ (1 – 2.86)2 + (2 – 2.86)2

2.86

Page | 79
 + (3 – 2.29)2 + (2 – 2.29)2 + (0-2.29)2+ (1 – 2.29)2 + (2 – 2.29)2

+ (5 – 2.29)2 + (3 – 2.29)2

2.29

+ (2 – 1.86)2 + (4 – 1.86)2 + (1 – 1.86)2 + (1 – 1.86)2 +

(0 – 1.86)2 + (2 – 1.86)2 + (3 – 1.86)2

1.86

+ (0 – 0.29)2 + (0 – 0.29)2 + (0 – 0.29)2 + (2 – 0.29)2 +

(0 – 0.29)2 + (0 – 0.29)2 + (0 – 0.29)2

0.29

X2 Calc. = 0.74 + 8.18 + 17.14 + 0.74 + 9.86 + 3.46 + 0.74

2.86

+ 0.50 + 0.08 + 5.24 + 1.66 + 0.08 + 7.34 + 0.50

2.29

+
0.02 + 4.58 + 0.74 + 0.74 + 3.46 + 0.02 + 1.30

1.86
+
0.08 + 1.66 + 0.50 + 1.66 + 0.50 + 0.50 + 0.50

0.71

+ 0.08 + 0.08 + 0.08 + 2.92 + 0.08 + 0.08 + 0.08

0.29
X calc. =
2
14.29 + 6.72 + 5.84 + 7.61 + 11.72

X2 calc. = 46.18

Page | 80
Degree of Freedom ‘df’ = (c – 1) (r – 1)

= (5 – 1) (7 – 10)

= (4) (6)

= 24

Los = 0.05
X2 Calc. X2tab df Los

46.18 36.415 24 0.05

Table XYZ

In obedience to the rule of decision-making 1, since the calculated value for X 2 is greater than

that of the tabulated value, then the null hypothesis which could be stated in this respect was

rejected and considered invalid.

Null Hypothesis: “There is no significant effect of a poor learning facility on the performance of

senior secondary school students in chemistry.”

The null hypothesis stated above is rejected for its alternative which states thus: “There is a

significant effect on the performance of senior secondary school students in chemistry when the

learning facilities are poor.” It therefore could be stated conclusively, that there is a direct

relationship between learning facilities and performance of students in chemistry.

4.10.7 English Language Comprehension Ability and Mathematical

Competence of Students

In testing for how the English Language comprehension capacity of students and their

mathematical competence may affect their performance in chemistry, the following analysis was

developed from few questions put up, before their teachers:

Page | 81
 Q SA A NS D SD

Num. Total

O E O E O E O E O E

16 1 1.00 4 3.33 0 0.00 1 1.67 2 2.00 8

21(ii) 0 1.00 2 3.33 0 0.00 3 1.67 3 2.00 8

Iii 2 1.00 4 3.33 0 0.00 1 1.67 1 2.00 8

Total 3 10 0 5 6 24

Table 4.22a

Using correlation coefficient method of analysis:

X Y XY X2 Y2

1 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00

0 1.00 0.00 0.00 1.00

2 1.00 2.00 4.00 1.00

4 3.33 13.32 16.00 11.09

2 3.33 6.66 4.00 11.09

5 3.33 16.65 25.00 11.09

0 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

0 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

0 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

1 1.67 1.67 1.00 2.79

3 1.67 5.01 9.00 2.79

1 1.67 1.67 1.00 2.79

2 2.00 4.00 4.00 4.00

Page | 82
 3 2.00 6.00 9.00 4.00

1 2.00 2.00 1.00 4.00

Σ 24 24.06 59.98 75.00 56.64

Table 4.22b

Using δ= n ΣXY –ΣXΣY

nΣX2 – Σ(X) 2(nΣY2 –Σ(Y) 2)

Where, n=15

ΣX= 24.00 ΣY=24.06

ΣX2=175.00 ΣY2= 75.00

ΣXY= 59.98

δ= 15(59.98) – (24)(24.06)

(15(75) – (24)2)(15(56.64) – (24.06)2)

δ= 889.70 – 577.44 = 322.26

(1125–576)(849.60-578.88)
(549) x (270.72)
δ= 322.26

148625.28
δ = 0.8359 δ = +0.84

Following decision rule 2; having the correlation coefficient, δ, value as +0.84 signifies that there

is a directly proportional relationship between students’ English Language comprehensive

capacity, mathematical competence and their performance in chemistry. The implication of this

effect is that, the better the ability of any student to comprehend English Language and handle

mathematical operations, the better his performance in chemistry as a science subject.

4.10.8 Curriculum Content, Syllabus & Workload

Page | 83
In a way to know if the content of the syllabus was usually worked on completely before the end

of each term, question 22 was put forward before the responding teachers to know if they did

finish it. 7 of them responded positive to it, stating that they did finish it. 3 did do by having

extra classes with their students on weekends. 1 stated she did finish up the syllabus by giving

them home assignments, and 3 others said they did finish it up with them by cutting off

irrelevances, focusing on the major parts of the syllabus and making sure that they started very

fast and ended very fast in about two weeks before examination and then making revision of

what had been taught so far.

In terms of workload per week and class size, the following tables give a light:

Table 4.23a: Class Size

Number of Students Number of Teachers involved

1 – 10 1

11 – 20 -

21 – 30 2

31 -40 3

41 – 50 2

>50 -

Table 4.23b: Workload/Week

Number of Periods Number of Teachers involved

1–5 1

6 – 10 2

11 – 15 3

>15 2

Page | 84
However, to test for how these affect the outputs of students in terms of their performance in

chemistry under those workloads and class sizes, the following analysis was carried out:

Table 4.24
Q Num. SA A NS D SD

O E O E O E O E O E Total

21(i) 1 0.50 4 2.00 0 0.50 3 3.50 0 1.5 8

(iv) 0 0.50 0 2.00 1 0.50 4 3.50 3 1.5 8

Total 1 4 1 7 3 16

X2tab = 9.488

From table 4.24 above, X2 was calculated and found to be 9.14 at 0.05 level of significance and

degree of freedom 4; meanwhile X2 tab= 9.488 following the decision rule 1, it could be stated

that the null hypothesis to this effect would be accepted and considered valid. That is:

“There is no significant negating effect of curriculum content, syllabus, and teachers’ workload

on the performance of students in chemistry”

4.11 Summary

This chapter outlines the views of both teachers and students about what the likely factors

behind the poor performance of students in chemistry could be, and from findings and data

analyses, it could be concluded that all of the mentioned factors here in this chapter are indeed

causes of students’ poor performance with the exception of:

i. Gender difference ii. Curriculum content, syllabus & workload iii

Rudimentary understanding, and iv. Parental background

…..which were rejected as being parts of the factors causing students poor performance. It is

noteworthy, however, that 183 out of the total 196 students who responded to this study’s

Page | 85
questionnaire stated that they wished to go further to study chemistry or related courses in

tertiary institutions, while the remaining 13 students who said they do not wish to continue in the

line of chemistry said so mainly because most of them want to study Engineering courses such as

Mechanical Engineering and Electrical Engineering. The essence of this note is to prove that

most of these students have a good liking and interest in chemistry and would do brilliantly well

if the appropriate help needed to have their various ambitions in the line of chemistry as a course

of study realized is provide right from now.

Page | 86
 CHAPTER FIVE

SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

5.1 Introduction

In this chapter, an attempt is made to give the summary of the findings made in this research as

touching the causes of poor performance of senior secondary school students in chemistry, a case

study of Ika North LGA in order to state clearly which path to direct any remedying step that

might be taken by anybody, organization or even the government in this regard, give

conclusions, recommendations and suggestions for further studies. The information obtained for

this study was analyzed both qualitatively and quantitatively using Chi-square and correlation

coefficients with frequencies and percentages as measurements in each case.

5.2 Summary

From the data analysis in chapter 4, the study isolated some factors which were found to be the

ones responsible for the persistent poor performance of senior secondary school students in

chemistry. The analyses can be summarily given thus:

1. Background Characteristics of Students

56.63% of the students were females while 43.37% of them were males and a higher percentage

of them (55.61%) were of private school background. The average age of the respondents are 13

and 15 years in SS 1, 2 and 3 respectively. 38.78% of them were in SS 3, 36.73% in SS2, and

24.49 in SS 1. 41.84% of them had A in their JSSCE Basic or Integrated Science results, 21.43%

had B, 30.61% had C, and 2.55% had D, while 7 of them (3.57%) did not indicate their grades in

the results

2. Students’ Perception about Chemistry

Page | 87
Majority of the respondents had good perception about chemistry as a subject and even about

their chemistry teachers.

Results from the chi-square analysis of students’ perception showed that their positive

perception of chemistry and its surrounding factors had a positive effect on their performance. In

other words, if they were having a negative perception about chemistry, it would affect their

performance contrary wise.

3. Students’ Attitude towards Chemistry

The result of the analysis carried out to know the relationship between students’ attitudes toward

chemistry as a subject and their performance in the subject showed that both are directly

proportional to each other. In other words, a positive attitude produces positive performance,

while a negative attitude produces a poor performance.

4. Teachers’ Attitude (As Perceived by Students)

In testing for how this affects students’ performance, it was found out that this factor directly

affects the performance of students as the X 2 calculated was 210.63, compared to the table value

of X2 which was 9.488 showed this relationship. If chemistry teachers have a positive attitude

towards their responsibility and duty of imparting their students with their right knowledge using

appropriate methods and skills, there would be good performance on the part of chemistry

students.

5. Learning Environment and Facilities

The null hypothesis stated in this respect that, “Learning environment of students and their

school facilities for learning do not affect or influence poor performance in chemistry” was

rejected for its alternative which states that “the learning environment of students and their

school facilities for learning do affect their performance in chemistry.”

This relationship was analyzed using chi-square analysis, and X2 calc. was found to be

225.07 under, d.f. 8 with 0.05 LoS. Meanwhile the X2 tabulated is 15.507.
Page | 88
6. Students’ Assessment and Achievement

It was found out also that the effectiveness of students’ assessment and achievement test do

affect, strongly, their performance in chemistry. The implication of this is that when there is an

effective assessment and check of students’ achievement in chemistry, there would be a positive

development of students’ performance.

7. Evaluation Frequency & Strategies

This was found to have a very direct interdependent relationship with students’ performance in

chemistry. This was evident as a result of the correlation coefficient, δ, used to test for this which

showed that students’ infrequent evaluation either by themselves (self-evaluation) or by their

teachers is a significant factor contributing to their poor performance in chemistry.

8. Students’ Rudimentary Understanding of Chemistry

From the teachers’ questionnaire analysis carried out using correlation coefficient, it was found

out that this factor does not out-rightly affect the performance of students in chemistry. This was

proved so as the calculated value for the ‘δ’ was found out to be 1.22 against the decision rule 2

which states that when the value so gotten is less than 0, being -0.50- -0.90, then such indicates a

negative correlation, meaning there is an inverse

relationship.

9. Parental Background of Students

This factor was considered both in students and teachers questionnaires where the profession of

parents and their inputs both as an individual and as an organizational association in relation to

teachers, called Parents & Teachers Association (PTA) were used to determine what their status

might likely be. From findings, it was discovered through correlation co-efficient analysis that

this factor only has a very weak inter-relationship with the performance of students in chemistry.

10. Learning Facilities & Resources

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This has been tested for its effect on students’ performance earlier via students’ questionnaire

but was tested for again via teachers’ questionnaire. This was to affirm the genuineness and

validity of the fact that the facilities and resources made available in the school in form of

laboratory for experimental works, apparatuses needed, and some other teaching resources have

a lot to determine in the performance of students in chemistry, and it was found as a core

determinant factor indeed.

11. Method of Teaching

Using chi-square analysis, X2 calculated was 46.18, X2 tabulated was 36.415, df was 24, and the

LoS was 0.05, this simply indicated that the teaching method employed by teachers during

teaching-learning process determines how knowledge is being transferred, and this in turn

determines what the output of students would be as exhibited in their performance. A poor

method of teaching gives a poor performance as its yield. However, the likes of practical’s,

demonstration and problem solving were the most commonly used methods by majority of the

teachers who responded to the administered questionnaires.

12. English Language Comprehension Ability and Mathematical Competence of Students.

Using correlation coefficient, a strong value +0.84 was gotten from the analysis, indicating that

these combined factors are of significant effect on the performance of students in chemistry. This

is also buttressing why it is a stipulated standard for entrance into the Science Departments that

English Language and Mathematics must be passed in not less than a credit pass grade.

13. Curriculum Content, Syllabus and Workload of Teachers

These three (3) combined factors were found corroborative and were so brought together to be

tested using chi-square method of analysis, where X 2 calculated = 9.14 under df. 4 and LoS 0.05,

meanwhile X2 tabulated = 9.488. This implies that there was no significant negating effect of

curriculum content, syllabus and teachers’ workload on the performance of students in

chemistry.
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 5.3 Conclusion

From the foregoing summary, it can be concluded that the causes of poor performance of

students in chemistry: a case study of Ika North LGA West and East Local

Government Areas of Osun State, South West, Nigeria include the following:

1. Poor School Background Characteristics of Students

2. Wrong Perception of Students about Chemistry

3. Wrong Attitudes of Students toward Chemistry

4. Poor Learning Environment & Facilities

5. Poor/Inadequate Assessment of Students and Improper Achievement Test

6. Inadequate Evaluation

7. Poor method of Teaching on the Part of Teachers

8. Poor English Language Comprehension Ability and Mathematical Competence

NOTE: Under background characteristics of students, some factors such as:

1. The Type of Primary School Attended

2. Performance in JSSCE Basic/Integrated Science, and

3. Age per Class

…..were also found to be factors affecting their performance in chemistry in a directly

proportional manner.

5.4. Recommendations

Having successfully mapped out the factors responsible for poor performance of senior

secondary school students in Ika North LGA, the following recommendations are therefore given

as derived from the observations made in the course of this study to the following stakeholders in

order to check the poor performance in chemistry.

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 1. The ministry of Education should directly or via agents:

 Enhance proper orientation of learners right from primary school levels about what they

need in order to become what they each desire to become in life, following this process up in the

Junior Secondary School levels and then to their Senior Secondary School levels as well. This

trend will enable students to know which is which in the aspect of their life pursuit career-wisely

and will also serve as a motivation for them to perform superbly in every area where they need to

concentrate in their studies.

 Enhance primary school pupils’ chemistry background through inclusion of more

introductory chemistry concepts in the primary syllabus

 Improve the kind of foundation laid for students right from primary school levels about

English Language and Mathematics especially by primary school teachers of Government

schools as it was found out that majority of those student respondents who attended Government

primary schools have more English Language comprehension and mathematical incompetence

compared to their private school contemporaries

 Systematically strategize and strictly standardize by compulsion for schools - both

Government and Private - possession of adequate facilities and resources such as standard and

well equipped laboratories (especially chemistry lab) for practical teaching and learning process

to frequently take place.

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
Enhance strict and incorruptible supervision of schools to help improve students’ general

secondary school entry behavior and particularly their background in English Language and

Mathematics as they are very important in explaining concepts in chemistry

 Put up thorough supervision of teachers in their various schools especially in Government

schools as most of them are not very devoted to their responsibility to their students.

 Facilitate and call for re-training of teachers in order to help them improve on their

teaching skills and upgrade their capacity to meet up with the standard of this modern day

teaching strategies

 Release education allocated funds in good time in order to facilitate the acquisition of

necessary teaching and learning materials and services needed for curriculum implementation.

2. The School Management/Administration should:

 Expand existing facilities like classrooms and libraries to help improve teachers’ easy

class control and facilitate an encouraging environment for students to study as and when due.

 Always have thorough screening exercise for any teaching staff personnel before

employment as a giver of knowledge into the school system

 Put an end to the employment of untrained/unskilled teaching or operating staffs

personnel such as laboratory technician and tutors for academic activities within the school

system

 Hire more teachers in order to reduce workload on a singular tutor and to increase

effectiveness and efficiency

 Provide for innovative ways to motivate chemistry teachers like taking them through

capacity building trainings and encouraging them with incentives

Organize motivational talks by chemistry professionals to help change the negative attitude of

students towards the subject

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
 Work closely with teachers and parents in counselling the students to help counter any

negative attitude and perception of students about chemistry as a subject

2. The Chemistry Teachers should:

 Present chemistry to students as a simple subject and not as a difficult one as most of

them did do. Presentation and referral of chemistry as a volatile course/subject should be

stopped.

 Use simple English grammars in presenting their teachings and utilize familiar examples

when explaining chemistry topics to students.

 Organize science clubs, seminars and quiz to help intrigue students and widen their

mindset towards science and chemistry in particular

 Use adequate and relevant charts, tables and other necessary materials which would make

chemistry more pragmatic and concrete to students when teaching them in the class.

 Organize excursions to chemistry-based industries and chemistry symposia as a way of

widening the outlook of students & motivating them about what they can make out of chemistry

as a course of study.

 Set up every experiment under each topic in chemistry in the laboratory, using adequate

apparatuses and improvising where necessary with every individual student being part of the

exercise, in collaboration with the chemistry laboratory technician.

 Enhance their testing policy by giving the students more chemistry tests, tasks and home

assignments apart from the school-controlled midterm and end of term tests.

2. The Parents should:

 Devote and channel more of their inputs into providing for their children’s academic

needs in terms of study materials provision.

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
Give sufficient time and freedom for their wards to study indepthly their textbooks and

workbooks at home.

 Supervise their children’s schoolbooks frequently in order to know their areas of

weakness and to assist them even if needs be that they have a home tutor or go for extra classes.

 Enlighten their children about what they could become through chemistry in terms of

career and purpose fulfillment as an individual with successful feats in the society.

 Encourage their children and motivate them through reinforcements and reward when

they have done well in their study and when need to improve

 Work hand in hand with their wards’ school management and administration through

PTA in necessary areas where their inputs are required.

5. All other stakeholders should:

 Work for targeted intervention mechanisms to improve students’ performance in

chemistry.

 Devise a system that would give more study time to students in such a way that the

students would still be in the school and help each other in areas of weaknesses through group

discussion.

 Enhance and organize programs that would give chemistry students the chance to exhibit

their potential understanding and knowledge of some concepts in chemistry, such as quiz,

debates and symposia. This would in turn stand to challenge their fellow students who are

audience to this whose levels of knowledge might not be as those of their contemporaries whose

potential in chemistry was exhibited.

NOTE: The Government in general needs to help these students by all possible means of giving

students proper orientation of what they need in order to become what they need to become what

they each desire to become in life – doing this for them even right from

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their early days in the Junior Secondary School levels. This will enable them to know which

subjects should take paramount place of importance in their hearts in alignment with their

pursuits career-wisely.

This also needs to be given reasonable consideration since education is actually the bedrock of

every nation’s development. It should not just be handled with levity as a matter of going to

school for going sake, but rather be offered to provide functional literacy and professional

vocation for each students such that their productivity benefits the society at large.

5.5 Suggestion for Further Research

i. The effect of parent’s profession on chemistry student’s career outlook ii. A comprehensive

study of the effect of the type of primary school attended by students on their performance in

chemistry iii. A comprehensive investigation of the performance of Government/Public

Secondary school students in chemistry compared with that of private secondary school students.

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 QUESTIONNAIRE

Section 1: Background Characteristics

1. a. What is the name of your school? ……………….………………

b. Your Class …………………

Male
2. Your Gender: Female

3. What type of primary school did you attend? Private Public

4. Your Age …………………………….

5. What was your grade in Basic Science/Integrated Science in your Junior Secondary

School Certificate? A B C D

Section II

 For this section, most of the statements require you to tick the right column appropriately;

where, SA = Strongly Agree

A = Agree

NS = Not Sure
D = Disagree

SD = Strongly Disagree
S/N Statement S A NS D SD

1 Chemistry is of importance to me

2 I do not like chemistry

3 I enjoy chemistry theory lessons

4 Chemistry is not a difficult subject

5 I enjoy chemistry practical and prefer it

6 I like my chemistry teacher

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7 I do not often study chemistry on my own

8 I enjoy doing other science subjects like biology and

physics more than chemistry

9 I like studying chemistry most of my free time

10 Our chemistry teacher gives us assignment and

marks them promptly

11 Our chemistry teacher do not usually do correction

for us and re-explain when we do not understand a
topic

12 I do not usually understand our chemistry teacher

when he teaches us

13 My teacher’s use of English Language for teaching

us makes chemistry difficult for me to understand

14 I do not understand the beginning of chemistry as a

subject

15 There are too many difficult calculations in

chemistry
16 Our Chemistry teacher believes that I can perform
well in chemistry

17 Our chemistry teacher is too harsh

18 Our school has a chemistry laboratory

19 I use to visit the school library for studies

20 The chemistry textbooks in our library are outdated

Our chemistry teacher always use charts, models and

other teaching aids during chemistry lessons/classes
22

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 23 My teacher is not very sound in teaching chemistry

24. How often do you perform chemistry practical in the chemistry laboratory? Once per

week Once per month No ne Tow ards WAEC period

Once per term Once per year

25. What was your performance in the last chemistry end of term exam? (Tick One)
Above 75% 74 – 60% 59 – 45%
44 – 40% Less

than 40%

26. Are you satisfied with your performance in chemistry?

Very satisfied Satisfied

Not Satisfied Slightly Satisfied

Fairly Satisfied

27. How often do you undertake the following chemistry tests?

Test Always Often Occasionally Rarely Never

Beginning of term tests

Weekly tests

End of term tests

Inter school tests

Revision of past

external exams

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 Revision of past

national exams

28. How was the performance of your seniors in their last WAEC and NECO results,

according to reports?

Very Bad Fairly Good Bad

Good Very Good

29. Does your Mum or Dad use to buy you textbooks, notebooks and other educational

materials? Yes No

30. What is your parents’ job or profession?

Daddy …………………………………..

Mummy ………………………………...

31. Who do you live with? Parents Grandparents

Relatives None

32. Do you still wish to continue studying chemistry or related courses like Medicine

and Surgery in the University? Yes No

If No, why? …………………………

33. To help improve the performance of students in chemistry, what do you think the

following should do?

i. Your fellow students ………………………………….

ii. The chemistry teacher ……………………………….. iii. The School Administration

…………………………….

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iv. Your Parents………………………………………………..

v. Yourself ……………………………………………………..

TEACHER’S QUESTIONNAIRE

Section A: Background Characteristics

1. Your gender? (Kindly tick the appropriate box)

Male Female
2. Your level of education? NCE ND/HND B.Ed.

B.Sc. Post Graduate

3. Term of service? Temporary Contract

Permanent

4. How long have you been teaching chemistry? ……………………

5. Your year of employment as a chemistry teacher ………………..

6. Name of your school ……………………………..

7. Years of service in this school (Tick One): Below 5yrs

5 – 10yrs 11 – 15yrs Over 15yrs

8. Work load in terms of number of lesson periods per week………………

9. How many chemistry teachers are there in your school? ………………

10. Apart from teaching, do you have any administrative responsibilities?

Yes No

If yes, please specify ……………………………………..

11. How many students do you teach at a time in a class? …………

1 – 10 11 – 20 21 – 30
31 – 40
Above 50
41 – 50

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Section B

Against some statements in this section are abbreviations:

SA = Strongly Agree

A = Agree

NS = Not Sure

D = Disagree

SD = Strongly Disagree

Please provide appropriate answers to each of the statements by ticking the box you feel is the
most suitable as per your opinion:
S/N Statement SA A NS D SD

12 Most of my students have a genuine interest in

chemistry
13 Few of my students do quickly understand any topic
they are being taught in the class

14 Many of my students do not actually understand the

basic rudiments of chemistry

15 Most of them attended Public Junior Secondary

Schools
16 The students’ English Language competence affects
their performance in chemistry

17. How do you classify the performance of your students in chemistry examination,

particularly in WAEC and NECO?

Very Good Good Average

Poor
18. What influences your choice of a teaching and learning method or technique?

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 (Please explain) ……………………………

19. In your opinion, what are the factors that contribute to poor performance in

chemistry? 1. …………………………….

2. …………………………….

…………………………….

…………………………...

20a. In your opinion, what is the ability of your students?

Very Brilliant Above Average Average

Below Average

21. For the following items, indicate your preference

Statement SA A NS D SD

i The chemistry syllabus has too much content to be

covered in short period

ii Students’ English Language comprehension

competence does not affect their performance in
chemistry

iii Students mathematical competence affects their

performance in chemistry

iv The workload does not allow me for adequate lesson

plan
v Most students do not have study materials such as
textbooks, workbooks, etc.

22. Do you use to cover chemistry syllabus adequately? If yes, what are the strategies

you do employ? …………………………… If no, what are the reasons?

………………………………

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23. In terms of facilities, kindly respond to the following:
Statement SA A NS D SD

i. Our school has adequate resources for teaching

chemistry
ii We have a separate chemistry laboratory in our school

iii The chemistry apparatus and chemicals are adequate for

chemistry practical lessons

iv The administration does not involve chemistry teachers

in the acquisition of apparatus and chemicals for the
laboratory

v The school has a committed and supportive laboratory

technician

24a. Indicate your preference in usage during your teaching from the following

techniques
Teaching Method Always Often Occasionally Rarely Never

Practical

Projects

Demonstration

Lecture

Problem solving

Group discussion

Tutorials

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b. Indicate your preference in terms of parental influence on the performance of your students in
chemistry
Statement SA A NS D SD

i Many of the student’s parents or guardians are in

support of their children’ or wards’ academic
excellence

ii The Parents’ & Teachers’ Association has not been so

supportive and encouraging

iii The societal or financial status of students’ parents

affect their performance in chemistry

iv The level of students parents’ education affects their

performance in chemistry

v Females perform better than male students in chemistry

25. To help improve the performance of students in chemistry in your school, what do you think

should be the role of the following:

i Your chemistry students ………………………….. ii. Your fellow chemistry teachers

………………….. iii. Your school administration ………………………. iv. The Government

……………………………………..

v. The Parents …………………………………………..

vi. Yourself ……………………………………………….

Page | 105
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