THE SIGNIFICANCE OF EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES ON THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF STUDENTS IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN AKOKO-EDO LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF EDO STATE

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

For centuries, the subject of school facilities has received considerable attention from the public as well as educators. Educationists are faced today with growing challenges of maintaining the nation’s educational facilities. At the same time educators have to prove that student’s achievement in secondary schools depends greatly on the school facilities available in the schools. Traditionally, secondary schools have not recorded much attention on the issue of school reforms. This is possible due to lack of sequential proximity that secondary school has as the impact of the school facilities and the physical environment on education has not been ignored in current research. It has been discovered that school facilities available in schools where students learn can greatly impact moods satisfaction and self-worth (Ma and Macmillian, 1999) facility appraisal should be one of the many roles assumed by educational leaders maiden and foreman (1998) claimed that school administration should be armed with a general understanding of the relationship between the various school facilities and learning Climate it stands to reason that facility evaluation would warrant equitable and effort to that of ventures into and curriculum.

A growing body of research contributes to the belief that school facilities impact students achievement behaviour. Attendance and teacher retention (Neitt, 2000) there has been a general outcry about the falling standard of education in Nigeria since independence the performance of students has continued to fall in examination, this is to say that the academic performance or achievement of students ahs been all the time, very low factors for such retrogression in the educational system include the lack of the school facilities. Although other factors are at play but non availability of school facilities is the dominant factors causing low students performance in school especially in our secondary schools by nature , school facilities are those materials things needed to facilitate teaching and learning in the school (Ognodi, 2003) the school, like other productive system require materials (facilities) to have been positively linked with students academic performance (Ibrahim, 2006) the national goal of education is to provide satisfactory flow of men and women capable of acquiring the skills needed to explore the natural resources of the country and facilities are to be abundantly available in the school.

It is a truism that no academic performance can be achieved without school facilities and it is also a truism that the facilities needed for the implementation of good academic performance are not readily available in our school and where the equipments are available, there is usually no adequate manpower to manage these facilities to enhance the performance of the students in our secondary schools.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

There are variations in academic performance of secondary school students in Akoko Edo Local Government Area of Edo State. The factors responsible for these variations have not been known. Hence, the researcher is interested in finding out the impact of school facilities on the academic performance of students in Akoko Edo Local Government Area of Edo State.

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

The purpose of this study is to find the answer to some education questions with a particular focus to findings out the impacts of school facilities on academic performance of secondary school students in Akoko Edo Local Government Area of Edo State with a view to proffering solutions to the problem.

RESEARCH QUESTIONS

To guide this study, the following questions were raised;

Are there enough school facilities in school in Akoko Edo Local Government Area of Edo State?
Are the materials available in the school relevant for academic performance of students in Akoko Edo Local Government Area of Edo State?
Do school facilities have positive impact on the academic performance of students in Akoko Edo Local Government Area of Edo State?
Do school facilities have impact on the academic performance of students in Akoko Edo Local Government Area of Edo State?
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This research will create awareness to all school across the state. ir is hoped that the research findings will be applied by the government, school administrators and teachers so that the problem of students poor academic performance will be reduced to the minimum level and the students will be able to attain efficiency and effectiveness that can bring about self reliance which is one of the major objectives of education. This res4earch will, among other things motivate the ministry of education to monitor the standard required for academic excellence of students in Akoko Edo Local Government Area of Edo State.

Finally, the findings of this research will stimulate or awaken the federal, state, and local government to pay urgent attention to reviving the quality and quantity of school facilities in school in Akoko Edo Local Government Area of Edo State in particular and Edo State in general.

SCOPE OF THE STUDY

This project covered students and schools in Akoko Edo Local Government Area of Edo State. Due to the large number of students and teachers in Akoko Edo Local Government Area of Edo State, the study was limited to five randomly selected schools in the local government area.

DEFINITION OF TERMS

Academic performance: This means the level of attainment on what the students have been able to achieve in terms of success in examination.

School facilities: This refers to all essential teaching aids and equipment in teaching and learning process such as furniture, books, laboratory facilities etc. educational facilities

Library: A collection of books that people can borrow or aq room or building where books and journals can be found.

Equipment: These are tools used for science and language. educational facilities

School building: This refers to tangible structures which serve as shelter for educational activities. educational facilities

Furniture: They include desk, chairs, lockers, and table used by both the students and teacher in the school. educational facilities