MANAGEMENT FACTORS
INFLUENCING ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF STUDENTS IN PRIVATE SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN
PORT HARCOURT LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA IN RIVERS STATE NIGERIA
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
There is a growing body of literature from
researchers and educationists which have made an attempt to examine the
relationship between education management and students academic performance
(Orodho, 2014; UNESCO, 1999; United Nations, 2013; Waweru & Orodho, 2014).
The results reveal rather spurious relationship (Waweru & Orodho, 2014).
However,
what is clear is that educational management in secondary schools (either
private or public) involves the application of management principles in
designing, developing and effecting resources towards achievement of
educational goals (Okumbe, 2001). This effectiveness according to UNESO (2009)
is judged by the extent to which schools generally meet the expectations of the
society within which they are established. Since independence, the Nigerian
government has demonstrated commitment to the provision of quality secondary
school education through allocation of financial resources, provision of
trained teachers and establishment of quality assurance department. The government
of Nigeria has also put in place a guideline for the establishment of private
secondary schools and has continually monitored the activities of secondary
school owner with a view to ensure compliance with the set standard and the
guidelines. According to Ohba (2009), shortage of teachers, lack of basic
facilities, community interferences, poor teaching methodology and
administrative related factors such as poor management of school resources have
been noted as some of these factors that are militating against the
effectiveness of private schools in Nigeria which has continued to have
negative effects on the student’s academic performance.
Many
private secondary schools in Nigeria lack infrastructural facilities, good
teachers and are managed by unqualified proprietors. As a matter of fact, many
private secondary schools have turned to “miracle center” where students are
helped to write external examinations because the students are not prepared,
don’t have the requisite knowledge and confidence to face external examination
like the senior secondary examination and the junior secondary examination.
Literature
related to school based strategies employed by school managers to improve
students’ academic performance has revealed mixed and contrasting range of
results (Croninger & Lee, 2001; Zepeda, 2004; Fullan, 1991; Lamb, 2007 ;
Waweru & orodho, 2014; World Bank, 2008). Croninger and Lee (2001) reported
that the degree of teacher caring and interaction with students reported by
both parents and teachers has a significant impact on performance. In a review
of effective schools in the US, Croninger and Lee (2001) found evidence that
schools with a common sense of purpose and strong communal organization
involving collegial relationships among staff and positive adult student
relationships are efficient in promoting a range of academic and social
outcomes reflecting students’ engagement and commitment.
Port
Harcourt local government area has 243 secondary schools, there has been high
rates of failure I the external examinations especially some private secondary
schools located in the areas that can be described has “slums”.
This
is a failure because the graduates of this grade do not qualify in most careers
for further education and training. It is apparent that various intertwined
factors could be responsible for this poor performance in the local government.
This background prompted the undertaking of this study on examination of
management strategies factor and its influence on students’ academic
performance in private secondary schools in Port Harcourt local government
area, Port Harcourt, rivers state, Nigeria.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
Nigeria
has put different policies for both private and public secondary schools in
place to make education accessible, improve transition, quality, completion and
retention rates to all her citizens. Some of these policies included decent
infrastructural facilities (good classroom, library, laboratories, toilets
etc.), health facilities, sports and recreational facilities. Despite this
intervention, the problem of low performance persisted in schools especially in
some private secondary schools that are characterized with poor qualities of
facilities and teachers leading to high rate of indiscipline and poor academic
performance of the students.
1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The
following are the objectives of this study:
1. To
examine the role of management in the operation of private secondary schools.
2. To
identify the influence of management factor on the academic performance of private secondary school
students in Port Harcourt local government
3. To
determine the other factors that influences the academic performance of private
secondary school student
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
1. What
is the role of management in the operation of private secondary schools?
2. What
is the influence of management factor on the academic performance of private
secondary school students in Port Harcourt local government?
3. What
are the other factors that influences the academic performance of private
secondary school student?
1.5 HYPOTHESIS
HO:
Management factor do not influence private secondary school student’s academic
performance in Port Harcourt local government.
HA:
Management factor do influence private secondary school student’s academic
performance in Port Harcourt local government.
1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The
following are the significance of this study:
1. The
outcome of this study will educate the general public and the government on the
quality of management of private schools in Nigeria with a view of identifying
the shortfalls and preferring solutions to them.
2. This
research will be a contribution to the body of literature in the area of the
effect of personality trait on student’s academic performance, thereby
constituting the empirical literature for future research in the subject area.
1.7 SCOPE/LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY
This
study will cover the activities of private secondary schools in Port Harcourt
local government area with emphasis on the management factor as to how it
affects the performance of the students in their examinations.
LIMITATION OF STUDY
Financial constraint– Insufficient fund tends to impede the
efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature
or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire
and interview).
Time constraint– The researcher will
simultaneously engage in this study with other academic work. This consequently
will cut down on the time devoted for the research work.
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