CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF STUDY
The research study is focused on some school related variables as major determinants of students’ performance in Owerri and Okigwe education zone. The school variables under consideration for the purpose of this study are: teachers’ quality, the school environment climate, the remuneration system of the schools in Owerri and Okigwe zone in Imo state and the class sizes in various schools. However, recent work on differences in performance of students in various subjects like mathematics, chemistry and physics achievement have highlighted the importance of classroom, teacher and school factors. The Third International Mathematics and Science Study TIMSS (2002) focused on variables such as the student, classroom and school factors; how they relate or influence mathematics achievement in Rivers state and the Abia State. It found that classroom differences account for about one-third of the variation in student achievement in Rivers State and over one-quarter in Abia State. Most of the classroom variations in both States were due to compositional and organizational factors, very little of it due to differences between teachers. This has important implications for policy regarding the improvement of mathematics achievement. It suggests that school systems may gain little by targeting teachers only, and need to give consideration to the role of pupil grouping practices and the effects of tracking and streaming on classroom learning environment.
       Another school variable that may influence students’ performance is teachers’ quality.  The quality of education of a nation could be determined by the quality of her teachers. The most important factor in improving students’ academic achievement in school is by employing seasoned qualified teachers in all schools (Abe & Adu, 2013). Academically qualified teachers refer to those who have academic training as a result of enrolment into educational institution and obtained qualifications in various areas of endeavour such as HND, B.Sc, B.A, and Master of Art (M.A.) and so on; while professionally qualified teachers are those who got professional training that gave them professional knowledge, skills, techniques, aptitudes as different from the general education. They hold degrees like, B.Ed, B.Sc. Ed, B.A. Ed, and M.Ed degrees and so on. Onyekuru and Ibegbunam (2013) found that teaching effectiveness of teachers from secondary schools was below average. However, Akinsolu (2010) had a contrary result when he found out that teachers’ qualifications, experience and teacher–student ratio were significantly related to students’ academic performance.
In the same vein the school environment climate might also affects students performance. The National School Climate Council (2007) has defined school climate in the following way:
School climate refers to the quality and character of school life. School climate is based on patterns of students’, parents’ and school personnel’s experiences of school life and reflects norms, goals, values, interpersonal relationships, teaching and learning practices, and organizational structures.
Over the last 30 years a growing body of empirical research has shown that a positive and sustained school climate is associated with and may be predictive of positive youth development, effective risk prevention and health promotion efforts, student learning and academic achievement, increased student graduation rates, and teacher retention (Cohen & Geier, 2010). School climate improvement is a continuous process. Effective school improvement efforts involve the students, parents, and guardians, school personnel, and community leaders (Cohen et al., 2009).
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
In recent times most secondary schools in Owerri and Okigwe education have experienced decline in academic performance of student. There have been series of effort put in by the government to improve the academic performance of students but the report received seem a far cry from efficiency. Ahiakwo (2006) found that the performance of various levels of students has decelerated over the years with that of Nigerian children quite remarkable. The Chief Examiners’ Reports of results of our public examinations (WAEC, 2004-2009) has shown markedly a decline in the percentage of passes in most subjects (especially sciences) in most secondary schools in Nigeria. Hence, the prevailing underachievement in external examinations portends an indicator of wastage in human and material resources, a catalyst to the development of an antiscience culture and ultimately an evolution of scientifically illiterate citizenry. Furthermore, Oyekan (2005) had earlier defined underachievement as performance that is below an acceptance standard in the master of subject matter or skills within a given limit. This existing underachievement might be the root cause of avid criticism and dissatisfaction averred against the schools by the public. Should this be viewed as a savage affront to the teachers or an expressive demand for accountability? Apparently, the recurrent thorny issue of students’ poor academic performance in science poses a genuine problem with protrusive impact on all levels of education and development. Considered all round, it is an antithesis to a developing country crusade to scientific literacy and industrial self-reliance. Do these aggregate views suggest a likely relationship between school variables and students’ performance in external examinations? To what extent do teacher quality, remuneration structure and school academic climate relate to students’ achievement in examinations. It is to this regard that the researcher desire to examine some school related variables as major determinant of students’ performance using secondary schools in Owerri and Okigwe education zone, Imo State as the case study.
