CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION

BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

The teaching of science principles and concepts are regarded as the vehicle for rigid technological development and scientific innovations. There are other areas where good knowledge of science subject are required, such areas include manufacturing of nuclear power stations, production of medicine and related area such as geophysics.

The role of science in both national and global development of technology cannot be over emphasized and the dynamic re=orientation towards technological and industrial development has become imperative. It is for the purpose a achieving those objectives that the national policy of education emphasized the introduction of broad teaching of science subjects in schools curricula.

However, the prospects of quick realization of these objectives are being threatened as a result of acute shortage of teachers of these subjects in the secondary schools in Uhunmwonde Local Government Area of Edo State. The situation has been further aggravated by the rapid increase in the number of secondary schools students as well as secondary institution without the corresponding increase in schools. This has consequently affected the quality of science teaching in the secondary schools in local government area. The effective teaching of science in secondary schools ought to be given an apt attention incur school if we are to achieve the desired result.

Furthermore, current development in science and technology has so greatly affected the lives of every human being and to be ignored of the basic ideas of science is to hire in an empty meaningless and probably unrealistic world of science. To be now precise, a nation that is not scientifically inclined cannot be expected to make any reasonable progress whether in politics and economic development or in technological advancement.

It stands to reason that scientific and technological; advancement constitutes the means by which most nations of the world have been classified as developed or underdeveloped.

1.2       STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The teaching of science in secondary schools geared towards making everyone to become more conscience not only of the relevance of science but also of the simplicity of learning it. But this objective hindered the teaching of science in the local government area because of some vital factors that are stated below. Shortage of teachers of science in secondary schools can have several negatives effects on our determined objectives to march forward towards full industrialization, which will bring about national development and a possibility for job opportunities.

The perennial problems of poor staffing and inadequate provision of secondary schools equipment in schools have been the chief cause of poor performance and lack of interest at this level in the local government area. Apart from low provision and staffing problems, the equipment already provided lack maintenance and suffers upgrading thereby, in the local government area of Edo State and elsewhere in this country.

          Also, in this local government parental background is looked upon. Majority of the students whose parents are accomplished farmers hardly develop position attitude towards science. These parents though have the money to send their children to school and provide learning materials for them still do not effectively encourage them to study science properly. This is because of their level of illiteracy, which result to low level of performance by the students.

1.3       PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

The primary objectives of this study are to know the level of performances of secondary school students in science examination in Uhunmwonde local government area. We are going to focus o the area of weakness and strength in their performance, problems negating student performances and suggest reasons or otherwise to remedy them.

However, this work at the end of it will provide useful recommendations that will help to solve educational problems in science teaching and learning in Uhunmwonde.

1.4       RESEARCH QUESTIONS

The following questions have been drawn.

1.           Does the lack of teachers who are really scientifically oriented make students witness persistence poor performances?

2.           Does students fail science examination when they are ill prepare because of non-availability of practical materials.

3.           Do teachers qualification determines one extent to which students can perform in learning science.

4.           Do students perform better in science in the schools having more science teachers than those have few?

1.5       SCOPE OF STUDY

This study is intended to investigate one trend of students’ performances in science at examination like the final or seasonal examination. The study will involve six selected secondary schools in local government area in relation of their location. The performance will be studied for one period between 2003 – 2007.

There are area of coverage of this research spans on one following secondary schools.

1.           Uhi Grammar School, Ehi

2.           Ehor Grammar School, Ehor

3.           Igieduma Grammar School, Igieduma

4.           Obagie/Ugha Mixed Secondary School, Obagie

5.           Egba Grammar School, Egba

6.           Urhokuosa Mixed Secondary School, Urhokuosa

These are necessary for one effective investigation of this research.

1.6       SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY

The study will be particular significance in the following ways;

1.           It will enable the secondary schools teachers who have read the work to know the performance trend in the subjects and then think above the ways of improving his or her teaching especially where performance is on a downward trend.

2.           It will help to alert the government agencies like the ministry of education and the area of Uhunmwonde council in charge of secondary education of the downward trend in performance in the subject especially as the subject is the bedrock for national advancement in science and technology.

3.           It will spur up research interest in other secondary school subjects to know the performance trend in the subjects.

4.           It serves as a way of evaluating performance in the subject especially when this had not been thought necessary by people and the government.

1.7       DEFINITION OF TERMS

Science: Is derived from the Latin word scientiig, which means knowledge. Science cab be defined as organized knowledge driven from observation.

Education: Education can be defined as one acquisition of knowledge and skills.

Science education: It can be defined as a field concerned with sharing science content and process with individuals not traditionally considered part of the scientific community. It also provides expectations for the development of understanding for student.

Methods of teaching science education           Its involves the following ways

1.           Observation

2.           Identification of problem

3.           Statement of problem

4.           Experimentation

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