A CRITICAL EXAMINATION OF ON THE IMPACT OF CORONA-VIRUS AND VIRTUAL LEARNING ON SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS A ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

The COVID-19 epidemic has generated the biggest interruption of education systems in the history of mankind, affecting practically every student, notably those in secondary schools all around the world. The shutdown of schools, universities, and other learning settings has affected more than 94 percent of the world’s student population(Oboh, 2020). This has generated far-reaching transformations in many facets of our lives. Social distance and restricted movement regulations have profoundly altered traditional educational approaches. Reopening of schools following the easing of restrictions is another problem, with numerous new standard operating procedures put in place(Ogunode, 2020). Within a short period of the COVID-19 epidemic, numerous scholars have contributed their efforts to teaching and learning in diverse methods. Several institutions, universities, and colleges have ceased face-to-face lessons oriented by the concern of losing the 2020 academic year or even more in the next few years. Hence, the necessity to design and adopt alternative educational systems and evaluation methodologies(Enueme, 2021). The COVID-19 epidemic has provided us with a chance to pave the route for integrating digital learning in order to bridge the gap in learning, hence the birth of virtual learning.

Virtual or digital learning is a sort of learning that occurs outside the school, with digital-based technology and the learner’s autonomy assured. Invariably the student does not have face-face interaction with either the teacher or classmates.

Coronavirus (CoV) is a broad family of viruses known for causing symptoms ranging from the common cold to severe respiratory tract disease. The intensity of the illness may be obvious as pneumonia, acute respiratory syndrome, and even death(Ogunode, 2020). Until the emergence of SARS, this category of viruses was generally disregarded. However, following the SARS and MERS outbreaks, these viruses have been examined in greater depth, pushing the vaccine development.

The World Health Organization (WHO), in December 2019, received information of clusters of pneumonia cases of unknown origins in Wuhan City, Hubei Province of China. The Chinese authorities subsequently identified an unique strain of Coronavirus (SARS-COV 2) as the causal culprit. Sequel to the advice of the International Health Regulation Emergency Committee, the Director-General of the WHO recognized the COVID19 outbreak as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) on 30 January 2020 and categorized it as a pandemic on 11 March 2020. The epidemic has been detected in all continents, with first case in Africa reported in Egypt in February 2020. Globally, approximately 2.6 million confirmed cases and over 186,000 fatalities have been documented. Nigeria is one among the 210 nations affected internationally.

The first case of Corona Virus in Nigeria was verified its first case in Lagos State in February 2020, through an Italian citizen who had returned from Milan (Guardiannews, 2020). Following the identification of the index case, 216 persons were identified as contacts to be followed up. Of them, 45 flew out of Nigeria and one of the remaining 176 contacts was proven to be positive for COVID-19 on March 2020. Thus, the country has continued to suffer an upsurge in the number of cases, which has extended throughout various states. While 90% of the original cases were imported, most of the subsequent cases had no travel history or interaction with such persons.

After Nigeria observed her first case, it became crucial for the government to make quick response to the situation. The closure of schools, colleges, and institutions by the government was an essential requirement with respect to the existing circumstances which prevailed in most States in Nigeria(Ogunode, 2020). However, the shutdown of major schools and institutions in Lagos, Kano FCT and other states, had a great influence on the academic syllabus and halted the academic year. As a result most institutions had to strive to organize their final examinations before the lockdown began on March, 2020. Affected schools and institutions have to cancel or reschedule the exams, and other educational events, so as to restrict the spread of the infection.

1.2 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

The educational sector has witnessed a new exploration geared by the fast changing society. This is to enable them meet up with the challenges brought by the Covid-19 pandemic which has shook the crannies of the world and every aspect of the economy(Ogunode, 2020). The education sector has move from the conventional classroom teaching to virtual learning to bridge the gap created by the Covid-19 Pandemic which affected the academic year.

Although this innovation is quiet impressive but has it limitations as most parents are not able to afford it for their children which impedes their academic performance. Also the inability of many schools to follow this trend by developing virtual learning packages which would enhance the knowledge of their student makes it more frictional in obtaining quality academic performance of student(Onwuameze, 2021). Hence, this study seek to examine the effect of Covid-19 and Virtual learning on academic performance of student.

1.3 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

Generally, this study is aimed at examining the impact of corona-virus and virtual learning on secondary school students a academic performance. Specifically, the study is set to;

1.        Determine the impact of Covid-19 pandemic on academic attainment of secondary school students.

2.        Ascertain the impact of virtual learning on academic performance of secondary school students.

3.        Make possible recommendations.

1.4 RESEARCH HYPOTHESES

In course of this study, the following hypotheses will be tested;

H01: Covid-19 pandemic negatively affected the academic attainment of secondary school students.

H02: Virtual learning has no positive impact on academic performance of secondary school students.

1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY

This study in its relevance will demonstrate the influence of covid-19 on academic performance of secondary school student. It will disclose how far and well virtual learning had been imbibed and embraced by secondary school student. it will enlighten the instructors on the requirement of stepping up their professional abilities in order to adapt to this fast changing landscape in education. It will raise the consciousness of school owners on the road forward to guarantee that during this epidemic they come up with ideas to promote the successful use of virtual learning as a tool for education in schools.

1.6 SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The study examines the impact of corona-virus and virtual learning on secondary school students a academic performance. The study is narrowed to determining the impact of Covid-19 pandemic on academic attainment of secondary school students, and ascertaining the impact of virtual learning on academic performance of secondary school students. This study will be carried out in some selected secondary schools in Asaba, Delta State.

1.7 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

During the course of the study challenges encountered were exclusively but not delimited to the following numerous. These are

Inadequate finance: the research was face with problem of inadequate fund which hinder the researcher from shuttering to Access Banks within Lagos more so in printing and collation of questionnaires

Time: time factor pose another constraint since having to cope in this research which went simultaneously within the time schedule of other academic work making it impossible to undertake this study in large more representative skill.

1.8 DEFINITION OF TERMS

COVID-19: Corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is defined as illness caused by a novel corona virus called severe acute respiratory syndrome corona virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2; formerly called 2019-CoV), which was first identified amid an outbreak of respiratory illness cases in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China.

VIRTUAL LEARNING: Virtual learning is a learning experience that is enhanced through utilizing computers and/or the internet both outside and inside the facilities of the educational organization or conventional classroom setting. The teaching activities are carried out online whereby the teacher and learners are physically separated (in terms of place, time, or both).

ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE: Academic performance have been defined and explained by several authors. According to Narad and Abdullah (2016) academic performance is the knowledge gained which is assessed by marks by a teacher and/or educational goals set by students and teachers to be achieved over a specific period of time

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