DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

BAYERO UNIVERSITY, KANO.

GUIDACE AND COUNSELLING C;LUSTER

ADVANCE RESEARCH METHODOLOGY ASSIGNT EDU 8300

RESEARCH PROPORSAL

RESEARCHABLE PROLEM:-

Counselling The Problems of Overcrowding in Teaching Science Courses

especially Chemistry. A case study of G.S.S Minjibir in Minjibir Local
Government area, Kano State.

By

YAHAYA ADO WASAI

SPS/20/MED/00092
Being a proposal of dissertation submitted to the Guidance and Counselling
Cluster, department of Education, Faculty of Education Bayero University Kano in
partial fulfillment of the requirement for the award of the Masters Degree (M. Ed.
Guidance & Counselling), Programme.

DECEMBER, 2022
 Chapter One

1.1.1 Introduction
As a beginning of this research works this chapter will deal with
background to the study, statement of the problem, objectives of the study,
hypothesis, research questions, and significance of the study, scope and
delimitation of the study.

Education may be defined as a process or art of imparting knowledge,

skill and judgment. However, it can be seen to facts, skills and ideas that
have been learned, either formally or informally. education also served as all
the process, human learning thought which knowledge is imparted, facilities
are developed and skills are acquired (Farrant 1990).

1.1.2 Background to the Study

Education in Nigeria according to the national policy on education
(1981) is a huge investment in terms of capital and manpower. This is from
the point of view of state and federal governments. Parents pin their hopes
on education as one enterprise through which their goals for development
could be achieved, students are expected at the end of their causes to qualify
and be employed, which will uplift their economic status (from poverty to
prosperity).
However, many who started the pursuit of education at various stages
of the educational ladder do not complete the respective educational
programme they tend to drop along the way, this is the phenomenon of
“dropout” and it stands between the aspiration of students, parents and
government in promoting literacy and ensuring a useful citizenry in Nigeria.
It is this recurring phenomenon that we are closely examining with particular
 reference to factors that contributes to the problems of dropout in our
secondary schools.

1.1.3 Statement of Problem

It has been observed that overcrowding brings about complication in

teaching and learning process while attempt to admit huge number of
students. This situation has been on the increase leading to increase in the
deterioration of the educational system and poor achievement in both
qualification and quality of the learner.

1.1.4 Objectives of the Study

The main objective of this research is to find out why classrooms are
over populated more particularly in G.S.S Minjibir. And how to reduce the
effect of overpopulation in classroom as a learning environment.

1.1.5 Significance of the Study

There is a need for a research of this nature to find out some of the
problems of overcrowding in classrooms that hindered effective learning and
however to make possible solutions to the problems in teaching and learning
process.

1.6 Scope and Limitation

This study is only limited to Minjibir in Kano state other secondary schools

were excluded. However, the study does not intend to area produced, beyond

the above mention level.

 1.1.7 Hypothesis

Carrying out this study as a vital solution, the following hypotheses are
formulated.

- Improper admission of students

- improper classroom management
- Lack of infrastructural facilities
- Lack of enough teaching staff
- In adequate selection of teaching method
- Lack of enough classrooms
- Lack of qualified teachers
- Rampant transfer of professional teachers
- Lack of technical skills
- Massive immigration
- Expensive in private schools and federal colleges
- Over population

1.1.7 Definition of terms

- Over population:-
The action of a space having more occupants than a space can accommodate.
- Population:-
Refer to number of people living in a particular area per unit one person to
another
- Teaching:-
The act of transfer of knowledge from one person to another
- Education:-
Knowledge in general
- Problems:-
Unwanted occurrence
- Overcrowd:-
To fill beyond desired limits, with people, animal, objectives or information
- Bore :-
Uninterested or without attention
- Scaffold :-
To use the most intelligent student to guide the slow leaner
- Exclusion:-
Not included
- Authoritative:-
Having power of authority
- Intend:-
Attempt to do something
- Formal:-
Official /organized
- Informal:-
Unorganized
- Missionaries:-
People who travels attempting to spread a religion or a creed.
- Creed:-
A reading or statement of belief that summarizes the faith it represents.
 Chapter Two

Literature review: -

The study was carried out to find out the most serious problems faced by the
teachers in overcrowded classes. However, as stated in the introduction of the
project; that Overcrowding is an action or event of a space having more occupants
than a space can accommodate. However, overcrowding refers to the condition
where more people are located within a given space than is considered to bearable
from a safety and health perspective which will depend on current environment
may arise temporarily and /or regularly, in the public spaces. Effect on quality of
life due to crowding may be due to increased physical contact, lack of privacy and
poor hygiene practices. Population density is a living per unit area, overcrowding
refers to people’s psychological response to density.
Since 21st century Nigeria start losing the standard student’s population per
teacher as 25-30 minimum and 45-50 maximum. Nowadays 150 to 160 students
are managed in a single classroom which causes teachers to lack proper classroom
management.

According to Shah and Inamullah (2012), they found that over-crowded

classes could have a direct impact on students’ learning. It does not only affect
students’ performance but the teachers had to face different problems such as
discipline, behavioral problems, poor health and poor performance of students, put
stress on teachers and increased in drop-out rate of students. Carlson (2000)
reported that quality learning was not possible when large number of students were
packed into small classrooms. He visited different schools but it was evident as a

serious problem particularly in Unidad Divina school located in Florida, Santiago

and in Taltas’ Escuela Hogar. He further reported that 40 plus children were
stuffed into classrooms designed for no more than 35 kids. They were seated so
closely together that they were not able to work or move. Ijaiya (1999) found a
weak positive correlation between the opinion of teachers and students. Findings
showed that over crowdedness diminished the quality and quantity of teaching and
learning with serious implications for attainment of educational goals. It was felt
that additional buildings and furniture should give priority in educational planning
at all levels. Overcrowded classroom is not only the problem of Pakistan but it has
now become universal problem. Phillips (2011) submitted a report conducted by
the teacher’s union which showed that the number of overcrowded classes in New
York was the largest, in the last ten years. As a result of attrition budget cuts and
increased enrollment in some areas of the city, nearly 7,000 classes were over their
contractual limits. The union found that about 256,000 students, roughly a quarter
of total enrollment spent at least part of the school day in overcrowded classes. It
was also concluded from the study that the smaller classes could be particularly
beneficial for elementary school students, although other studies had concluded
that the benefits of smaller cases had been overstated. Even the best teachers could
not do their best in class sizes so large. Salem-al-Amarat (2011) conducted a study
which aimed to identify the classroom problems faced by the teachers in public
schools. He concluded from his study that the problems in the classroom, and
schools in general, were considered one of the most serious factors facing the
component of the educational process. Such as parents, teachers, educational
administrators, and supervisors, vandalism, theft, destruction of property, failure of
educational facilities such as equipment and the physical environment. The study
further showed that there was no statistically significant difference, in the
academic problems domain, while there was a statistically significant difference in
the behavioural problems, due to the interaction among different variables such as,
gender, school level and experience. All these issues could threaten the whole
educational process. Nemrah (2006) cited that teachers had to deal with different
group of students in the classroom, some of them suffered from the showdown,
faltering and failure in learning and they need more time than their colleagues to
accomplish any learning task. Such students are characterized by a number of
characteristics, including problems of language, oral expression and unable to pay
attention, memory problems and the dispersal of attention. But because of large
number of students in class, the teachers would not able to give extra attention to
the weak students.
According to Dauda (2000) education is the fundamental instrument for individual
and society development. He further said that “education is the basis for the socio-
political, economic, physical, moral, spiritual, scientific and technological
development of both the individual and the society within which he lives. Nigeria
like the developing countries regarded educational instrument formational
development, NPE (2004). For these reasons there is competition between
countries in their struggle to develop educationally.
In Nigeria formal education (Western type of Education) dated back to 1942
when the first Primary School was established in Badagary by the Western
Methodist, missionaries, many more primary school and later secondary schools
were subsequently being established by other Christian missionaries. The first
secondary school was the CMS grammar school was founded in 1857 by the
church missionary society (CMS) in Lagos. The education structure then was “7-5-
4 system. The system survived till the early 1980, (19c) when the new “6-3-3-4
system was introduced. The “7-5-4 system implies a seven years’ primary
education 5 year upper secondary and 4-year university education.

Education as a dynamic process in Nigeria had undergone series of changes

since independence. This effort is made by government to ensure that it provides
functional education that will suit the needs of the society and the contemporary
world.
 Regarding education as instrument for national development, Nigeria had
been making huge investment in the sector annually, recommendation of various
commissions on education. One ways of improving the quality and quantity of
products form the educational system led to massive expansion at all levels after
independence a new and first Nigeria national policy on education (NPE) came up
in 1977. The policy had come up with the then 6-3-3-4 system of education which
couple with the federal government universal primary education (U.P.E)
programme which was launched in 1976 and failed due to poor funding and
improper planning. The policy revised in 1981 -1988 and 1998 and lastly 2004.
The 2004 revised policy had contained in it the Universal Basic Education (U.B.E.)
which was launched in September, 1999 at Sokoto by the Obasanjo administration,
the 2004 revised NPE contained within it the 9-3-4 structure of education where by
a child will have a nine-year basic education, six is for primary and three for junior
secondary education, then the child will proceed to senior secondary school to
spend three years before going to a four-year university education. However,
despite the above anticipated plan the U.B.E. is yet to start operating fully.

Talk less of their seven years old age, basic level western education in
Nigeria is categorize in to three district levels which include: primary school,
secondary school and tertiary institutions

Standards for Overcrowding

According to the world health organization (WHO) 2003 the standard for
overcrowding is as follows:-

Area (m2) Number of Persons

11 or more 2 persons

9 to 10 1.5 persons
7 to 9 1 person

5 to 7 o.5 person

Under 5 nil

Risks due to overcrowding

- Physically result in spread of infectious diseases

- Psychologically result in frustration and anxiety
- Socially result in violence

Brief History of Secondary Schools Origin in Nigeria

Secondary education was established in 1859 initially with (CMS)

Christian missionary society grammar school in Lagos. There are some reasons
behind that delayed the well knowing of secondary schools. Among which
some are as follows: -

- Financial influence
- Interposition of religions missions
- In appropriate adaptation of new ideas to under develop nations
- Language barrier
- Expectation to the induce of some critical thinking in people, which may not
be helpful for their policies more especially missionaries.

However, during the period of 1859, the British colonial government

could not interfere in the education system due to some political and financial
factors. However, in 1872, they started to intervene in the education system by
giving donations to the missionary societies to support education.
In 1882, government brought a document education ordinance with the aim of
having total control on education this was their first formal pronouncement in
education in Nigeria. Schools were classified then into government and private
schools.

The government schools were financed entirely through public funds but the
private only receive little aid from public fund. The 1882 education ordinance was
cumbersome to implement in Nigeria because the curriculum, the method, and the
medium of communication was too foreign for a Nigeria child. All these led to the
failure of the ordinance and another ordinance was seen as the first effective effort
made by the colonial government to aid education through only some metropolises
in Lagos were covered then.

More foreign teachers were employed, more schools were established and
financial encouragements were given to the missionaries, voluntaries agencies and
private individuals to establish more schools. After amalgamation, Lord Fredrick
Lugard, then the governor general of Nigeria, set up some new ideas, these ideas
form major part of 1916 ordinance to take care of the country as a whole.

The Northerners had for long been resisting the intrusion of western
education, either from the colonial government or the missionaries. Lugard met
with leaders from the north to convince them that the education will not affect the
Islamic tradition which is more paramount to the Northerners.

Objectives of secondary education

Secondary education should provide the learner with opportunities: to

(1) Acquire necessary knowledge, skills and attitude for the development of the
self and the nation
(2) Promote love for and loyalty to the nation

(3) Promotes harmonious co-existence among the peoples of Nigeria

(4) Develop mentally, socially, morally, physically and spiritually

(5) Enhance understanding and respect for own and other people’s cultures and
their place in contemporary society

(6) Enhance understanding and appreciation of interrelationship among nations

(7) Promote positive environmental and health practices

(8) Build a firm foundation for further education and training

(9) Develop in to a responsible and socially well adjusted person

(10) Develop ability for enquiring, critical thinking and national judgment

(11) Promote acceptance and respect for all persons

(12) Enhance enjoyment in learning

(13) Identify individual talents and develop them

(14) Build a foundation for technological and industrial development

(15) Develop in to self- disciplined individual who appreciates work and manages
time properly

(16) Gives details of literacy and numeracy and ability to communicate effectively

(17) Promote scientific and reflective thinking

(18) Give citizenship education for effective participation and contribution to the
life of the society
(19) Mould the character and develop sound attitude, and moral in the child habit

(20) Develop the child ability to adopt the Childs changing environment

Problems of overcrowding in secondary education

Overcrowding: - is the action or event of a space having more occupants than a

space can accommodate to fill or beyond desired limits, with people, animals,
objects or information

However, in teaching and learning process a maximum of 25 to 35 students are

more adequate per each classroom teacher to control, manage and evaluate easily
than for bulk population of students.

Impact the learner is more suitable and comprehensive with through evaluation
with-out engaged in to a bore. Other problems include.

- Lack of achieving educational objectives

- Poor classroom management
- Un conducive environment
- Scarcity of resources
- Inadequate instructional facilities
- Difficulties in evaluation
- Deterioration of discipline
- Poor hygiene
- Development of unwanted attitude
- Improper accommodation, especially for boarding schools

Some solutions to problems

- Planning of objectives with variety of methodologies

- Creation of scaffold learning approach
 - Shifting of classroom sitting arrangement
- Building of convenient class for the students through the following: -
i- P.T.A donation
ii- Individual contribution
iii- Rental of school premises for business individual with limited
opportunities
iv- Governmental support
v- Old Boys Association contribution
vi- WOPAN donation
vii- MDG’s donation
viii- USAID donation
ix- Constituency Projects
x- SURE P Project
xi- STEP B Project
xii- ETF Project
xiii- TETFUND Project
xiv- NGO’s etc

Location of Minjibir Local Government Area

Minjibir local government is in Kano state located at north east of Kano central.
However, Minjibir is a local government area in Kano state, Nigeria. Its
headquarter is in the town of Minjibir, about 20 km northeast of the state capital
Kano. It has an area of 416 km2 and a population of 213,794 as at the 2006 census.

The postal code of the area is 702.

The Senior Secondary Schools in Minjibir are as follows: -

(1) F.G.G.C MINJIBIR (5) G.I.S.S ZALIHA

 (2) G.S.S MINJIBIR (6) G.S.S. KUNYA
(3) G.G.A.S.S MINJIBIR (7) G.S.S KANTAMA
(4) G.G.S.S. MINJIBIR (8) G.S.S SAMBAUNA

According to Farrant (1990) education is referred to as all the processes of

human learning through which knowledge is imparted, facilities are developed and
skills are acquired. However, Dauda (2000) defined education as a mental
instrument for individual and societal development. Moreover, further said that
“education is the basis for the socio-political, economics, physical, moral, spiritual
scientific and technological development of both the individual and the society
within which he lives.

Education as a dynamic process in Nigeria had undergone series of changes

since independence. This effort is made by government to ensure that it provides
functional education that will suit the needs of the society and the contemporary
world. Regarding education as instrument for national development, Nigeria had
been making huge investment in the sector annually, recommendation of various
commissions on education such as Dike 1959, Banjo 1962, and Ashby 1960. On
ways of improving the quality and quantity of products from the educational
system led to massive expansion all levels. After independence a new first
Nigeria’s national policy on education (N.P.E) came up in 1977. The policy had
come up with the 6-3-3-4 system of education which compel with the federal
government university, primary education (UPE) programme which was launched
in 1976 and failed due to poor funding and improper planning. The policy revised
in 1981-1988 and 1998 and lastly 2004 the 2004 revised policy had contained in it
the universal basic education (UBE) which was launched in September, 1999 at
Sokoto by the Obasanjo administration. The 2004 revised N.P.E content within it
the 9-3-4 structure of education where by a child will have a nine-year basic
education, six is for primary and three for junior secondary education then the
child will proceed to senior secondary school to spend three years before going to a
four-year university education

However, despite the above anticipated plan the U.B.E is yet start operating fully
despite its seven years of old age. Basically, western education in Nigeria is
categorized in to three levels as follows: -

- Primary level
- Post primary level
- Tertiary level

Moreover, among the three level of education in Nigeria, primary education

provides a fundament base for all further schooling. The training provided bases
for developing the capacity to cope with rapidly evolving and changing societies in
an information age. its universality, availability and quality are centered to the
human resources capacity of any society. (IDRC1990).

The Goal of Secondary Schools Education

- To inculcate ability to communicate effectively.

- To lay a sound knowledge for scientific and reflective thinking
- To give individual citizen education for effective participation and
contribution to the life in the society.
- To mould character and develop attitude toward positive achievements.
- Develop the ability to adopt changing environment.
- Give opportunities for developing manipulation skills that will enable
learner to function effectively in the society within the limits of his capacity
and society within the limit of his ability.
 - To provide basic tools for further educational advancement, including
preparation for trades and crafts of the docility
- To give guideline for course specialization.

The provision of instructional and infrastructure materials was inadequate and a

large proportion of teachers were unqualified, consequently quality teaching was
absent for example in 1983/1984 more than 60% of primary teachers were found to
be unqualified.

Effect of Overcrowding: -

The effect on a child’s learning ability in overcrowded classrooms may be the

direct result of the impact overcrowding has on the teacher here’s why: -

(1) Teachers in crowded classrooms may be spread too thin and unable to give each
student the one-on-one attention he or she needs.
(2) If children are not given the attention they need in the classroom, they may fall
behind. This can affect not only standardized testing scores, but also the child’s
own enjoyment of school and learning. Setting them up for failure in the future
(3) Teachers in overcrowded classrooms may be more stressed out and
overwhelmed, feeding as though they lack the time and resources to really make
a difference. This can lead to teacher born out.
(4) Teachers may find themselves spending more time managing the classroom
organization and student behavior than actually teaching.
(5) The noise level increases the more students are packed in to a classroom, which
can affect some student’s ability to learn or work properly.
(6) There is often not enough technology and resources to go round in an
overcrowded classroom.
(7) It may be more difficult for the teacher to connect with each student on a deeper
level.
 However, fortunately most public school teachers we know (being the selfless
civil servants they are), plan exceptionally well and work incredibly hard to
combat the effects of overcrowding. Teacher who likes what they do and genuinely
care for their students will go above and beyond to connect with each student
ensures they are receiving the best education possible. Unfortunately, if a teacher
lacks support and resources from the administration/district and even parents, there
is only so much the teacher can do.

According to the U.S department of education there is some evidence that

overcrowding can have an adverse impact on learning, a study of overcrowded
schools in New York city found that students in such schools scored significantly
lower on both mathematics and reading exams than did similar students. In
additions when asked, students and teachers in overcrowding negatively affected
both classroom activities and instructional techniques (Soaita A.M 2014). Cochran
et al (1988) found that overcrowding and heavy teacher workloads created stressful
working conditions for teachers and led to higher teacher absenteeism.

Crowded classroom conditions not only make it difficult for students to

concentrate on their lessons but inevitably limit of time teachers can spend on
innovative teaching and group work or indeed on teaching anything beyond the
barest minimum of required material. In addition, because teachers must constantly
struggle simply to maintain order in an overcrowded classroom, the like hood
increased that they will suffer from burnout earlier than might otherwise be the
case (U.S. Dept. of education 2007). As the goes on, we hope more research will
be conducted to determine the effects of overcrowded classrooms on learning and
retention. Until then we are pleased to provide small class sizes that foster a
positive learning environment for each student and offer plenty of time for teacher
student interaction and concentrated attention.
 Chapter Three

3.1 Methodology

The researcher is conducting a research on the problems of

overcrowding in teaching and learning process, a case study of G.S.S.
Minjibir, Kano state. The chapter described the procedure that the researcher
applied in gathering, the data. It also highlights the population of the study,
sample size use, sampling techniques, validity, and reliability of the
instrument, administration of the data, collection instrument, method of data
analysis and some difficulties encountered.

3.2 Research Design

A research design can be defined as a design for diligent inquiry or

examination to seek or revise facts, principles, theories and applications.

A well developed research design provides the researcher with

structure and strategy that control the investigation.

Moreover, a survey research design will mainly be considered. These

concerns with the present and attempts to determine the current status of the
phenomena under investigation. The researcher should adopt the
questionnaire approach in conducting the research as an approach in survey
research.

3.3 Population

Refers to people living within a political or geographical boundary.

3.4 Study Population

Population study is a study of a group of individuals taken from the

general population who share some common characteristics. This group may
be studied for different reasons, such as their response to a particular task.

The table below shows the statistic of the school environment. (G.S.S.
Minjibir).

S/n Item Number

1. Administration block 1
2. Staff room 1
3. Class rooms 24
4. Laboratories ie. Chemistry, physics, biology. 3 (one each)
5. Number of teaching staff (T.S. staff 20) 31
(SUBEB Staff 11)
6. Non- teaching staff (5 laboratory 10
Technicians) (3 cleaners & 2 messenger)
7. Students 1,112

3.5 Sampling Techniques

Sampling techniques is the techniques/mechanism of chosen designated quantities

or proportions as representation of the whole population.

Simple random sampling should be used under the type of probability sample
(scientific) while is mainly for the selection of available population elements in to
the population which is based found in to change of occurrence. The available
instrument for effecting this random of population include the table of coins or
random selection
3.6 Sample Size

The research used table for determination of sample size from a given population
to determine out of the whole population.

Kreycle and Morgan said, when population (n) is 100 the sample (s) should be 80
and when population (n) is 110, the sample (s) should be 56. Since the study
population considered as the native of the whole.

3.7 Data Collection Instrument/ Techniques

The researcher has no functional control over the variable and due to the
nature of the research design, the researcher decided to use questionnaire as the
means of gathering the information. The questionnaire had eleven items, personal
information and research questions with no open chance that requires the
respondents to comment on their own words.

3.8 Validity and Reliability of the Instrument

Data collection instrument is done using questionnaires in conducting survey

research in this study. It contained the items which will provides answers to the
research questions, the questionnaires were validated by an unknown or dangerous
area in the study was carried using few questionnaires in order to identity
misunderstanding of other short comings before final conduction. Perhaps,
questionnaires are reliable data collection instrument because it gives chance to
administer to get some required response.

3.9 Administering of Data Collection Instrument

 A total of 30 questionnaires are administered to the teachers. The researcher
took the questionnaire to them to give response by themselves. The consent of the
principal was sought before contacting the teachers and distributing the
questionnaire to them.

The respondents too, were told the aim of the study and a sure of their
responses confidentially will be given.

3.10 Method of Data Collection

The data collection by the researcher is a qualities data; therefore, the

researcher used a qualities method of data analysis.

The responses obtained for each item was recorded separately as it appeared
on the questionnaire and presented in a table, frequency i.e number of subjects who
terming the frequent was converted to simple percentage which was used to
analyzed the data.

3.11 Delimitations

- Financial insufficiency
- Printable document
- Retrieval of questionnaires
- Consent of staff
- Lost of 2 questionnaire
- Meeting holidays period
- Time consuming
- Lack of enough available related literature review.
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