A STUDY OF RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCES IN BASIC SCIENCE AND MATHEMATICS IN JUNIOR SECONDARY CERTIFICATE EXAMINATION (EDUCATION PROJECT TOPICS AND MATERIALS)
CHAPTER ONE
1.1 INTRODUCTION
This study was designed to investigate the relationship between academic performance of basic science and mathematics in junior secondary certificate examination (JSCE) in Abeokuta south local government area; a case study of Egba Comprehensive High School, Asero, Abeokuta.
1.2 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Basic science study major is designed to meet a growing need for people whose knowledge of science is to be directed to its use, expression and administration and in both the private and public sectors. Students in major are expected not only to achieve specific competencies in the science but also to develop a critical understanding of the roles of science in the school, political and economic emphasis is placed on the breath and of the foundational science curriculum student secure specific but in a range of laboratory, ecology and environmental studies as well as mathematics (OGUNKOLA, 2000).
Basic science offers students the chance to look at science in a new way not following the traditional divisions into biology, chemistry and physics (OLAREWAJU, 1994).
As science as develop there are disciplines which fall between these old subjects such as biochemistry or biophysics and there are also important areas of science which are much better studied as a whole rather than looking narrowly at only the physical or chemical aspects. Examples are industrial science gives student and teachers an opportunity to look at the ways in which science is important to our societies and to their development. Basic science can be more relevant to develop issues, and should be tropical and useful rather than dry and academic. (OLARENWAJU, 1994)
A series of courses taken in the freshmen and sophomore years provides student’s rate preparation for a major in any of the core scientific disciplines, and in such a way that helps retains the connections to the other disciplines. The curriculum is founded on the expectation that much of the most important science of the future through based on the classical disciplines will lie-in areas that span two or more of them.
Basic science is the study biology anatomy chemistry earth or solar system, ecology, genetics and physics. These topics are integrated, showing how all curriculum students need an edge to facilitate achievement when facing subject of this magnitude. By using study methods that vary and by learning high school basic science definitions, students can excel even in the most demanding college prep science courses. High school basic science lesson plans include many varying and sometimes seemingly disconnected concepts through the use of high school basic science vocabulary drill and practice , student are brought to make this concrete real-life connection between advanced science words and the world around them.(MERVEL, 1974)
Mathematics has been acknowledged as a core subject in the whole of Africa. This much attention has been given to its teaching and process mathematics arose as a consequence of practical problems which man was determined to solve. Thus, it grew up with civilization and infects the very first of the sciences to develop mathematics as a core subject involves arithmetic and logical calculation and also makes use of sign such as addition, subtraction, multiplication and division etc.
To live as a useful and effective member of this modern society every individual requires some knowledge of mathematics (ADETUNJI, 2001). For the purpose of commercial activities business transaction, domestic, activities, farming, politics and decision making every individual requires a certain amount of competence in basic mathematics. A little knowledge of mathematics will help a builder to design, take accurate measurement and identify shapes and solid (OLAORE, 2004).
Mathematics can therefore be defined as a field of study of size, numeration and the relation between them. It is that tool with which man known how much, how many, how large, and how fast, in what direction and with what changes. Mathematics can be defined as a quantitative manipulation of concepts, situation, ideals and discoveries (BELLO, 2002). Mathematics therefore has the following aims (ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL POLICY ON EDUCATION FORTH EDITION 2002).
