THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SCHOOL FACILITIES AND STUDENTS PERFORMANCE IN BUSINESS STUDIES

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SCHOOL FACILITIES AND STUDENTS PERFORMANCE IN BUSINESS STUDIES

ABSTRACT

School facilities are a key base for effective teaching and learning in schools. The goal of school facilities in secondary school education is to increase school attendance of students, enhance staff motivation, and improve academic achievements of students. School facilities include classrooms, laboratories, halls, open fields, games equipment, dormitories, and sanitation facilities. It is in the classrooms that the day to day formal teaching and learning take place. In the libraries, learners get the opportunity to conduct their own personal studies and carry out research. It is in the field that co-curriculum  activities take place. Learners and teachers need to be housed in the school and at the same time need sanitation facilities like toilets, waste disposal services and clean water. School facilities is therefore a very important component in ensuring successful education. On this backdrop, that this study seeks to examine the relationship between school facilities and students performance in business studies. The study was guided three objectives; To examine the impact of school facilities on the academic performance of  students  in Business studies; To explore factors such as class size that have been perceived to promote or inhibit students learning and overall students academic achievement in business studies and; To investigate the extent to which school location affects the academic achievement of students in business studies. Descriptive survey was appropriate for the study because it seeks to describe aspects of a study as they are during the time of conducting a study. The study involved both qualitative and quantitative data. Tables were used to present the findings of the analysis and there after the findings of the analysis was presented in a report. The data was analysed with utilizing Chi-Square. The study found that that there is significant relationship between school facilities and students academic performance in the business studies. Thus improved academic achievement is associated with more adequate and well spaced classrooms, adequate and ample spacing in the libraries, adequate science laboratories, adequate water and sanitation facilities and adequate participation in co-curricular activities.

CHAPTER ONE

1.0       Introduction

1.1       Background Of The Study

The school facilities, which include the classrooms, libraries, technical workshops, laboratories, teachers’ quality, school management, teaching methods, peers, etc are variables that affect students’ academic achievement (Ajayi, 2001 and Oluchukwu, 2000). Hence, the school environment remains an important area that should be studied and well managed to enhance students’ academic performance.

The importance of school facilities can never be over-emphasized. It is the talk of the day in our national dailies. The availability of human resources and physical facilities ensures effective teaching and learning and is closely correlated with the students’ performance. Ike (1977.16) attributes students’ low performance in English language to the lack of qualified staff. According to him, there has been an unprecedented expansion at all levels of education, which has not been matched with a corresponding increase in the number of qualified teachers. Nworgu (1985) on the other hand, asserted that no matter the strength of manpower resources in the system, educational process must require conducive physical accommodation, libraries, furniture, and play ground. Adesina and Ogunsaju (1984) in support noted that for effective teaching and learning situations, physical facilities and educational goals should be viewed as being closely interwoven and interdependent.

The issue of poor academic performance of students in Nigeria has been of much concern to the government, parents, teachers and even students themselves. The quality of education not only depends on the teachers as reflected in the performance of their duties, but also in the effective coordination of the school facilities (Ajao 2001). It has also been observed that adequate attention is now being paid to school plant planning throughout the world’s educational systems including Nigeria. Educational facilities such as school plant have been repeatedly found to have positive relationship with standard and quality of educational system (Ojedele, 2000).

Nigeria as a nation strives to experience real growth and development. This requires a clearly defined development strategy that allows intensive utilization of resources which is endowed. These resources are the various school physical facilities that are indispensable in the educational process. They include the sitting, the building and physical equipment, recreation places for the achievement of educational objectives (Oluchuckwu, 2000).

School facilities which include instructional spaces planning, administrative places planning, circulation spaces planning, spaces for conveniences planning, accessories planning, the teachers as well as the students themselves are essential in teaching-learning process. The extent to which student learning could be enhanced depends on their location within the school compound, the structure of their classroom, availability of instructional facilities and accessories. It is believed that a well planned school will gear up expected outcomes of education that will facilitate good social, political and economic emancipation, effective teaching and learning process and academic performance of the students.

Relating this study to international occurrences are the assertions of Williams, Persaud & Turner (2008), quoting Marsden (2005), which reported that safe and orderly classroom environment (aspect of instructional space), School facilities (accessories) were significantly related to students’ academic performance in elementary schools. The three researchers, also quoted Glassman (1994), asserting that a comfortable and caring environment among other treatments helped to contribute to students` academic performance.

The physical characteristics of the school have a variety of effects on teachers, students, and the learning process. Poor lighting, noise, high levels of carbon dioxide in classrooms, and inconsistent temperatures make teaching and learning difficult. Poor maintenance and ineffective ventilation systems lead to poor health among students as well as teachers, which leads to poor performance and higher absentee rates (Frazier, 2002 Lyons, 2001; and Ostendorf, 2001). These factors can adversely affect student behavior and lead to higher levels of frustration among teachers, and poor learning attitude among student.

Beyond the direct effects that poor facilities have on students’ ability to learn, the combination of poor facilities, which create an uncomfortable and uninviting workplace for teachers, combined with frustrating behavior by students including poor concentration and hyperactivity, lethargy, or apathy, creates a stressful set of working conditions for teachers. Because stress and job dissatisfaction are common pre-cursors to lowered teacher enthusiasm, it is possible that the aforementioned characteristics of school facilities have an effect upon the academic performance of students in economics.

Previous studies have investigated the relationship of poor school environment including problems with student-teacher ratio, school location, school population, classroom ventilation, poor lighting in classrooms, and inconsistent temperatures in the classroom with student health problems, student behaviour, and student achievement (Crandell & Smaldino, 2000; Davis, 2001; Johnson, 2001; Lyons, 2001;Moore, 2002; Stricherz, 2000; Tanner, 2000). To complement these studies, the present research will examine the aforementioned areas of school facilities as it affect students performance in economics.

1.2       Statement Of The Problem

Emphasizing the importance of school facilities to students academic performance economics, Oluchukwu, (2000) asserted school environment is an essential aspect of educational planning, he went further to explain that “unless schools are well suited, buildings adequately constructed and equipment adequately utilized and maintained, much teaching and learning may not take place. Corroborating these, Mark (2002) and Ajayi (2007), maintained that high levels of students’ academic performance may not be guaranteed where instructional space such as classrooms, libraries, technical workshops and laboratories are structurally defective. They also emphasized that structural effectiveness, proper ventilation and well sited instructional space lead to successful teaching and learning process of students in economics.

1.3       Aim And Objectives Of The Study

The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between school facilities and the students’ performance in business studies, a case study of secondary schools in Bauchi metropolis. The following are the specific objectives:

1. To examine the impact of school facilities on the academic performance of  students  in Business studies
2. To explore factors such as class size that have been perceived to promote or inhibit students learning and overall students academic achievement in business studies and
3. To investigate the extent to which school location affects the academic achievement of students in business studies.

1.4       Research Questions

1. Is there any relationship between school environment and the student academic achievement in business studies?
2. To what extent do school facilities affect student performance in business studies?
3. What effect does class size has on the academic performance of students in business?
4. To what extent does school location has on the achievement of students in business studies?

1.5       Research Hypothesis

H0: There is no significant relationship between school facilities and students academic performance in the business studies.

H1: There is significant relationship between school facilities and students academic performance in the business studies  

1.6       Significance Of The Study

It is hoped that this study will provide information for parents, educators and school administrators to reflect upon various factors that help students in achieving its academics goals in economics. In so doing, they can investigate the possibility of introducing those factors to their school, which may consequently lead to enhancing students’ academic performance in economics. In addition, the fact that this study is conducted in public schools, it shares quite a lot of similarities with many other counterparts. In this connection, this study provides a valuable reference for other schools to reflect upon the school environment as it affect the academic performance of student in economics.

1.7       Scope Of The Study

This research work focuses on the relationship between school facilities and students performance in business studies in several secondary schools in Bauchi metropolis. This research work covers the impact of the learning environment on students’ academic achievement in business studies in several secondary schools in Bauchi metropolis.    

1.8       Limitation Of The Study

Apart  from  time-frame  and  shortage  of  finance,  the  major  limitation to  this  research  is  the  inability  of  the  researcher  to  cover  the whole secondary school in Bauchi metropolis.

1.9       Definition Of Terms

School: A school is an institution designed for the teaching of students (or “pupils”) under the direction of teachers          

Facilities: Facilities are buildings, pieces of equipment, or services that are provided for a particular purpose.

Students: A person formally engaged in learning, especially one enrolled in a school or college; pupil: Any person who studies, investigates, or examines thoughtfully.

Performance: Performance planning is a systematic and structured approach to successfully achieve the desired goals of an individual or team throughout the assessment year.

School Environment: A school’s physical environment includes the school building and the surrounding.

Academic Achievement – Knowledge attained or skills developed in school subjects by test scores.

Secondary school (also “high school”) is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place.

EDUCATION AS A TOOL FOR WOMEN EMPOWERMENT AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT IN BWARI AREA COUNCIL OF ABUJA

EDUCATION AS A TOOL FOR WOMEN EMPOWERMENT AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT IN BWARI AREA COUNCIL OF ABUJA

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1     Background to the Study

Women education leads to increased contributions of women in community development. It is known that community development is a responsibility between men and women in the society. But we are in the world where men seem to dominate the affairs of the world in every country, including Nigeria (Onah, Ugwu, Chikwelu and Okide, 2014). Today there is need for women to be given opportunity to participate fully in national development through education which serve as a tool for women empowerment as it is has been advocated that the Nigerian woman should be exposed to qualitative, productive and activity-based education which will greatly enhance their role in community development that will return Nigeria to emerge as one of the high performing countries of the world (Atureta, 2017).

Women education can be seen as a process of inculcating worthwhile knowledge to women folk to be able to carry out one function or the other which will enable them to help themselves and contribute to the development of their community. Nwizu (2018) declared that “women education is the process of empowering women with the knowledge and skills they require for effective adjustment and functioning in the society”. Therefore, it is an act of ignorance and poverty of knowledge where in some areas of Nigerian they prefer to send their boys to school leaving their girls because of unscientific, traditional and religion beliefs. Experiences have shown that when woman are given qualitative competitive and productive education, they can excel and contribute greatly to community development efforts.

The need for women empowerment arises from the inability of an individual woman or a group of women to actualise their dreams and realise their potential due to artificial barriers created by individuals and organised groups within the same society. It is the manifestation of an incontrovertible inequality, segregation or marginalization (Okeke, 2015). Onu (2018) opined that “women are at the heart of development. They control most of the non-money economy (subsistence agriculture, bearing and raising children, doing domestic labor) and taking important part in the money economy (trading, the formal sector, wage employment)”. He further stressed that every where world, women have two jobs, around the home and outside it. This assertion implies that women have a lot of contribution to make towards the healthy socio-economic development of every country but women are constantly denied this opportunity by the nature of our societal organizations, and the cultural set up that makes it more comfortable for men to maintain the status quo.

Today, awareness has led to the recognition of the important role women can play in national development and this calls for an urgent need to address these critical areas that have hindered full recognition of women’s talents, women’s right, women’s development and empowerment and the ability to contribute meaningfully to community development. It is against this background that this study seeks to examine education as a tool for women empowerment and community development in Bwari area council of Abuja.

1.2     Statement of the Problem

The importance of empowering women for community development cannot be overstressed, this is because women generally are endowed with skills and abilities which if properly managed through formal training and informal training in the form of classroom education, entrepreneurial or skill acquisition programme she is mentally equipped to function better in every vocation she found herself and could improve their quality of life and behavioural disposition in the society.

Empowering women through informal and informal education has become the focus of considerable discussion and attention all over the world as the inequalities between men and women and discrimination against women are an age-old issue all over the world. In the study of Eseyin, Okafor and Uchendu (2014), they examine community development through women empowerment and utilization of literacy and vocational skills services of an educational project in Yemen, Egbai and Otu (2017), carried out an analysis of women education role as community based development for sustainable culture in Calabar; Ovute, Dibia and Obasi (2015) carried out a study on empowering Nigeria women for national development: State of the art, challenges and prospects; Olakulehin and Ojo (2018) investigated distance education as a women empowerment strategy in Africa and analysis.

All these studies discussed the relevance of women education in national or economic development of the nation but without necessarily considering education as a tool for women empowerment and community development in the grass root, this create a gap for which this study seek to fill. It is the light of this that this study seeks to examine education as a tool for women empowerment and community development in Nigeria

1.3     Objective of the Study

The general objective of the study is to examine the role of education as a tool for women employment and community development in Bwari area Council of Abuja.

The specific objectives include:

1. To find out how women can be empowered educationally in Bwari local government area of Abuja.
2. To find out ways women can contribute to the development of Bwari local government area of Abuja.
3. To suggest strategies that can be adopted to enhance women’s participation in community development in Bwari.

1.      Research Questions
2. How can women be empowered educationally in Bwari local government area of Abuja?
3. What ways can women contribute to the development of Bwari local government area of Abuja?
4. What are the strategies adopted to enhance women’s participation in community development in Bwari area council?

1.5     Significance of the Study

The findings of this research will be of great significant or important to the following set of people or organization:

1. The study is expected to benefit the government at both federal, state and local government level by availing them the relevant information on how education serve as a tools for women empowerment and community development; and why their participation in project implementation should be accelerated through various empowerment programmes.
2. The study will be of great use to various Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and community based women empowerment bodies by getting insight information on the better strategic practices in relation to women empowerment and the roles played by empowered women in community development. These bodies shall be able to understand the steps that can be taken to empower the women in marginalized communities and how these women can be drivers of community development.
3. The study will be very useful to future researchers and scholars. It is worth nothing that no similar study has been done in this locale of study and therefore the research findings will add very rich literature to the scholarly world significantly.
4. Finally, this study will benefit the women folks as it will improve on their awareness of the relevant roles played by education as a tools for women empowerment and community development. This will in turn improve the standard of living, enhance rural community resources and add to national development and a successive continuation of human race.

1.6     Definitions of Terms

Education: Education is the process of facilitating learning, or the acquisition of knowledge, skills, values, beliefs, and habits (Dewey, (2017).

Community: A social group of any size whose members reside in a specific locality, share government and often have a common cultural and historical heritage.

Development: The gradual growth of something so that it becomes more advanced, stronger. This is also defined as skill and capacity, greater freedom, creativity, self discipline, responsibility and material well-being.

Empowerment: To give someone the power to do something. To give somebody more control over their own life or the situation they are in.

Women: It is the plural of woman. It is defined as an adult female human being. Women all over the world constitute a gender group; they are a disadvantaged group based on their sex.

Women Network: Women coming and working together in a group to achieve an objective.

EDUCATING THE GIRL CHILD IN A POLYGAMOUS FAMILY IN NIGERIA; CASE STUDY OF LAPAI METROPOLIS

EDUCATING THE GIRL CHILD IN A POLYGAMOUS FAMILY IN NIGERIA; CASE STUDY OF LAPAI METROPOLIS

CHAPTER ONE

1.0       INTRODUCTION

An expanding research base indicates that family structure exerts considerable impact on   the mental health and educational development of a child. An intact family structure that consists of both biological parents has been shown to provide the best prospects for positive outcomes on children (Elbedour, Onwuegbuzie, Caridine, & Abu-Saad, 2002). In contrast, research has revealed that adopted children, children of widowed families, children of divorced parents, and children with one stepparent or biological parent exhibit poorer adjustment as measured by several indicators, including conduct disorders, adjustment problems, self-concept, or dropping out of school (Elbedour et al., 2002).

Teachers and school heads have always been blamed for the failure of Pupils. Nothing or a little has been said about the child’s background as a contributing factor to high failure rate. The people of Northern Nigeria and most community still believe in and practice polygamy. The high rate of polygamy in the area has led the researcher to try to find out whether the polygamous home set up has any contribution in the enrolment and performance of  girl child education.

1.1       Background of the study

Many studies have identified study habits, Pupils’ self-concept, teachers’ qualifications, teaching methods, school environment, family size and government as factors influencing Pupils’ academic performance (Edwa2002, Zsolnai 2002, Gonzalez &Pieda 2002, Arumu & Sokan 2003, Asikhia(2010). The influence of polygamy on girl child education and academic performance has not been given adequate attention in research. The present study sought to answer the question: Does polygamous have any negative influence in educating the child girl in Nigeria.

Studies carried out in Oromia by Feda (2008) established that family size, family type and birth order are among many household characteristics considered both in developing and developed countries as determinants of child schooling performance. Feda (2008) asserts that the early empirical findings from developed countries consistently confirmed the trade-off between family size and child educational achievement.

Family is used metaphorically to create more inclusive categories such as community nationhood, global village and humanism. Generally is a field which aims to trace family lineages through history. Family is also an important economic unit studied in family economic. One of the primary functions of the family involves providing a framework for the production and reproduction of persons, biologically and/or socially. This can occur through the sharing of materials/substances (such as food), the giving and receiving of care and nurture (nurture kinship) jural rights and obligation and moral and sentimental ties. Thus ones experience of ones family shifts over time. From the perspective of children, the family is a “family of orientation”. The family serves to locate children socially and plays a major role in their enculturation and socialization. From the point of view of the parents(s) the family is a family of procreation, the goal of which is to produce and enculturation and socialize children. However, producing children is not the only function of the family in societies with a sexual division of labor, marriage, and the resulting relationship between two people, it is necessary for the formation of an economically productive household.

Christopher Harris notes that the western conception of family is ambiguous, and confused with the household, as revealed in the different contexts in which the word is used and so many. There are different types of family units which are monoigamo8us and polygamous are inclusive. Monogamous family is based on legal or social monogamy. In this case, an individual has only one (official) partner during their life’s time or at any one time (serial monogamy). This means that a person may not have several different legal spouses at the same time, as this is usually prohibited by bigamy laws, in jurisdictions that require monogamous marriages.

Polygamous family unit is a marriage that includes more than two partners when a man is married to more than one wife at a time, the relationship is called polygamy, and when woman is married to more than one husband at a time, it is called polyandry. If a marriage includes multiple husband and wives, it can be called polygamy, group or conjoint marriage. The effect of this marriage on the girl child is what the researcher is basing her research.

Polygamy is the type of marriage system practiced in t he traditional Africa society whereby a man takes more than one wife at the same time. It is practiced because of the prestige it accorded a man, in the society in which he lives. Religiously, most religion encouraged the practice of marrying more than one wife for instance in slam you are encouraged to marry as many wives as you can, depending on your purchasing power.  It is against this background that this study seek to evaluate educating the girl child in a polygamous  family in Nigeria.

1.3       STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

In every societies of the world there are some specific structure designated to meet the immediate need of the society consequent upon this is many settlement she has a robust nature of socialization which clearly defines the role of both sexes (male and female). Over the years position of women in Nigeria societies, especially in Northern Nigeria, has not be given a serious concern. The girl child’s education has not be given the priority attention especially in the polygamous family. She contributes to languish in social inequality (such as education) and relegated to the background. The resultant effect of this lack of fortune, the girl child is not given adequate attention she is retorted to both growth and development; this is as a result of the unhealthy waling that existed in polygamous family there are always constant quarrels, hatred, disunity, hostility as well as diabolism. Another striking effect inherent in weak or mismanagement of polygamous family is the audience of a broken home.

1.4       Objectives of the Study

The general objective of the study is to evaluate the education of the girl child in a polygamous family in Nigeria, a case study of Lapai metropolis. To achieve this, the following specific objectives are pursued:

1. To examine the factors that encourage polygamous family in Nigeria.
2. To ascertain whether polygamous family affect the girl child education
3. To appraise the impact of girl education in sustainable development in Nigeria
4. To identify the challenges of girl child education in Nigeria
5. To proffer possible solutions to the identified challenges.

1.4       Research questions

1. What are the factors that encourage polygamous family in Nigeria?
2. Does polygamous family affect the girl child education
3. What are the impact of girl education in sustainable development in Nigeria
4. What are the challenges of girl child education in Nigeria
5. What are possible solutions to the identified challenges?

1.5       Significance of the study

This study has both practical and theoretical significance. Practically, by establishing the impact of polygamous family on girl child education as it encourages girl education and gender equality.

It should also be mentioned that by highlighting some of the socio-cultural factors affecting girl child education, this study will provide social workers, policy makers, community members, governmental and non-governmental organizations insights on how to address this issue at the grass roots level. This study will also highlight the benefits in educating the girl child for a better society not just for the present generation, but for future generations.

Theoretically, this study will be a contribution to the available literature on educating the girl child in a polygamous family in Nigeria. This study will equally be of importance to students and researchers wishing to carry out further studies on this topical issue. Indeed, it is hoped that the findings of this study will ignite further scholarly inquiries into the impact of polygamous family on educating the girl child in Nigeria.

1.8    Definition Of Terms

Education: Is the totality of processes through which an individual acquires knowledge, skills, attitude and abilities which enable him or her to positively contribute towards the meaningful development of the society. Encyclopedia American a defined Education as a design to affirmatively assist individual to develop their skills or potentials and to lead a productive and satisfying lives culturally, education is the process whereby society preserves and perpetuates its social valves and institutions. It is the means by which the collective wisdom of the past is transmitted to each new generation.

Girl-child: A biological female offspring between the ages of 0 – 18.

Polygamous Family: This is the institution that permits the marrying of more than one wife or husband. It can either be polygamous, systematic polygamy is a situation in which a man marries a woman divorce her marries another, divorce her adifinitum. While polyandry is a process whereby a woman get married to more than one husband.

Family: Family is seen as a subset of an individual total Kinsley network and a key unit of the household or domestic economy, a symbol of social cohesion and moral philosophy.

Gender: This refers to the properties that differentiate individuals on the basis of their reproductive roles.

Gender equality: In the context of this study, gender equality will be interpreted to mean the state of being equal or equivalent in value or status by both males and females.