A REVIEW OF STUDENT ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN ECONOMICS-RELATED

A REVIEW OF STUDENT ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN ECONOMICS-RELATED

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

Economics is a Social Science topic that has pride of place in the Nigerian secondary school curriculum. Although the emphasis on Mathematics and English language has made these subjects very important, Economics and other related subjects have grown in popularity, particularly among secondary school leavers seeking admission to higher institutions of learning where there are very few spaces for the very many candidates sitting for the various annual entrance examinations. For students seeking admission into the faculty of Social Science or Management Sciences, postsecondary schools often demand credit passes in Mathematics and English language, as well as any other three of Economics, Commerce, Accountancy, Government, and/or Geography. As a result, Economics and other related courses are given a high priority (Ochiaka 2022). It should be noted, however, that the level of achievement in these subject areas is heavily influenced by the availability of physical school facilities as well as materials such as textbooks, parental discipline and control, the level of interest shown by students, the level of competency on the path of the teachers, school location and type, and other factors. Because the typical Nigerian child does not begin formal schooling until the age of six, it is assumed that his/her behavior and attitude would be shaped by the socialization obtained at home; here is where parental influence influences the child’s academic achievement. Because of the increased awareness and interest in the WASSCE, as well as the importance of economics and other related subjects, it is critical to evaluate and analyze the effects of these militating factors on the outcome of students’ performance. Regardless of a child’s natural ability in calculation subjects, which has been shown to positively contribute to good grades in Economics and related subjects, parental influence, availability of school facilities, teaching and learning materials (textbooks), all have a significant influence in shaping the child’s overall performance in WASSCE Economics.

1.2 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

For obvious reasons, researchers have observed a deteriorating trend in senior secondary school students’ academic performance, particularly in economics. Numerous studies have been undertaken to study the factors that influence student performance. According to Duyile (2021), some of these aspects include the learning environment, the teacher’s competency, motivation, and the students’ interest, to name a few. Allison (2022) added that improper teaching aids and insufficient teaching materials provided by the government of many state schools; poor parental influence which does not encourage the child to want to give his/her best to improve academic performance, inadequate/poor physical facilities in schools as a major factor in the decrease in student grades, and the problem of incompetent, inexperienced, and unqualified teaching staff are all factors contributing to the decrease in student grades.

1.3   PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

The broad goal of this study is to review student academic performance in economics-related subjects. Other specific goals of this study include the following:

To determine whether Economics teachers have the resources, qualifications, and skills needed to teach effectively.

To investigate whether secondary school students have the pre-requisite knowledge, resources, and interest required to learn Economics.

To ascertain secondary school authorities provide the right environment for the effective teaching and learning of Economics.

To suggest ways of improving the academic performance of students in economic-related courses.

1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

The purpose of the study is to look into the following issues:

Do economics teachers have the tools, credentials, and abilities needed to deliver effective lessons?

Do secondary school students possess the background information, resources, and motivation necessary to learn economics?

Does the administration of secondary schools provide the ideal setting for the efficient teaching and learning of economics?

What can students doing well in economic-related courses do to raise their academic performance?

1.5   SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This study aims to evaluate and analyze students’ performance on the WASCCE 2011 Economics and other related subjects. In order to help students, particularly those who struggle in Economics, improve their academic performance, the study will be extremely helpful to researchers, teachers, counselors, government, and parents in the following ways.

1.6 SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The scope of this study border on review student academic performance in economics related.. The variable scope for this study will include the Teacher’s qualifications, teachers’ skill, school environment and appropriate instruction.

1.7   LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

Like in every human endeavour, the researchers encountered slight constraints while carrying out the study. The significant constraint was the scanty literature on the subject owing that it is a new discourse thus the researcher incurred more financial expenses and much time was required in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature, or information and in the process of data collection, which is why the researcher resorted to a limited choice of sample size covering only public secondary Schools in Kwali Area council in Abuja..

1.8   OPERATIONAL DEFINITION OF TERMS

For the purposes of this investigation, the terms listed below have operational definitions;