ABSTRACT
The fours of this study was on the extent to which school facilities influence students’ Academic Achievement in Biology in Uyo High school-Uyo. To guide the study, four specific purposes, four research questions and four mill hypotheses were formulated. The population comprised 85 SS3 Students of Uyo High school, Uyo. Expo-facto was adopted for the study. The findings of the study revealed that students’ academic achievement are significantly influenced by students’ school facilities based on library, laboratory, information and communication technology and instructional materials.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
- Background of the Study
The academic achievement of students in a school relies on several factors of which the school facilities, instructional materials and conducive environment are of importance. Good school facilities support the educational enterprises. Research has shown that clean air, good light, well equipped library, spacious classroom, comfortable and safe environment are important for academic achievement, Schneider, (2008). Factors such as student’s socioeconomic status and parental involvement are among the most important predictors of students’ academic achievement, hence, improving school facilities offers a feasible opportunity for improving academic achievement of students. School facilities play a vital role in the actualization of educational goals and objectives by satisfying the physical and emotional needs of the students. A conducive and calm environment promote understanding coupled with a wall equipped library, instructional materials such as models, pictures, charts help to promote learning and expanding the scope with skill improvement and academic excellence, Schneider (2008).
In any situation of learning, the learning environment should be such that attract both the learners and the teachers, promoting effective learning for a positive academic outcome. School facilities can be regarded as the items which make teaching and learning possible in a school. In other words, school facilities can be referred to as the human and physical resources that are needed or used in the school in order to aid learning and teaching. The school facilities that are physical resources can be seen as those materials which can give help and support to school organization, example the building, the library chairs, textbooks, classroom, chalk board, sporting school environment and laboratory (biology laboratory). Human resource mean the personnel’s employed in the school to ensure learning. This includes the principals, the headmasters, teachers and administrative staff etc.
The human resources can be seen as the greatest and most useful facilities a school can ever have. Facility means the system which supports the operation of an organization or an institution to carry its daily activities and to promote growth and development in such organization or institution. Facility refers to the entire environment of the school or an organization, it refers to both the physical and material resources available to the students and teachers in the school to facilitate the learning teaching process. Academic achievement can be regarded as a success a learner has especially when his own efforts and skills have been employed. The outcome of something can be defined as the result or effect of an action or event Hornby, (Oxford Advance Learner’s Dictionary 7th Edition). Therefore, for a successful academic achievement of students to occur, there has to be adequate facilities to help them to improve and develop their knowledge and skills. For academic achievement to be ensured what is seen and felt easily registers in memory and is promptly recalled. Learning environment has to be physically comfortable, socially acceptable, freedom of expression, acceptance of indifferences so that the individual can actively participate in the learning. A study by Mark Udo in (2015) showed that there was a widespread deficiencies in students who schooled in institutions faced with aging building block, poor ventilation, large class size, unequipped library, poor electricity supply and poor learning facilities. Those who were involved in school planning and designing saw it as an opportunity to enhance better learning environments and their logic was to compel others and the question arises; how can students achievement be 100% in schools that are substandard? Since Nursing is a profession and requires practice of what is taught in theories, now remains that the students nurses needs are good and conducive learning environments, professionally trained teachers, a well-equipped library for references, in order to enhance students achievements in their academic. The examination will then ensure on the relationship between school design and students variables, such as achievement, attendance, behavior and dropout rate.
In recent times, students academic achievement in Biology has been an area of most concern to stakeholders and other researchers in the field of education (Akintola, 2009). This has been so because the major objectives of education is to bring about a desirable behavioural changes on the part of the learners and the learned. It also aimed at producing a well balanced personality to live according to what the society cherishes. It is obvious that students’ achievement in Biology is quite dependent upon a number of factors including availability of library, Biology laboratory etc. These factors have contributed immensely to the academic achievement of students in the subject matter in their respective schools. Most students find school life enjoyable but some do not. The schools provide most students the platform for healthy growth, physically, morally, and most importantly emotionally.
- Statement of the Problem
Facilities are the critical components of any school organization, since they determine the quality of output and the long-term impact on support of achievement of the educational objectives. Linking facilities to academic achievement of students is one of the imperatives of facility management now and the future; yet most school are still grappling with the difficulties of providing adequate facilities for learning. This situation is presumed to account for students poor academic achievement especially in external examinations that shows repeated failures by students which leads to wastage of resources and gradual withdrawal of interest in school.
Therefore this study intends to determine the extent to which school facilities influence students’ academic achievement in Biology.
- Purpose of the Study
The major purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which school facilities influence student’s academic achievement in biology in Uyo High School, Uyo. Specifically, this study sought to;
Determine the difference in student’s academic achievement in biology based on the extent of availability of library facilities.
Assess the difference in student’s achievement in biology based on the extent of availability of Biology laboratory.
Assess the difference in student’s academic achievement in biology based on extent of availability of information and communication technology Centre.
Examine the difference in student’s academic achievement in biology based on the extent of availability of instructional materials.
