FACILITIES ASSESSMENT IN ENHANCING ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF STUDENTS IN PRIVATE SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN PANKSHIN LOCAL GOVERNMENT

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1       Background to the Study

The existence of any educational system at whatever level cannot be in isolation of the school facilities. As it constituted one of the essential variable instruments for effective teaching and learning processes, education is noted to be an effective instrument per excellence for effecting national and global development of any nation. It plays a vital role in the communication process of its norms and values from one generation to another.

            The school is as a medium of knowledge and agent of student social change and transformation. Bakar, (2015), the general condition of school, private schools will be great attention to the country. So, it plays a role to form students’ personality. School environment is as responsibilities towards students who spend more time at a school than at other places. Other than that, the school building design features and components used will give influence on student learning process (Earthman, 2002). The design features and components will affect lighting, temperature, age and acoustic of the school building. The example of features and components are air conditioning, presence windows, adequate classroom, age of the building and others elements. So, the effect of school building on student can be positive or negative depending on condition of the available facilities.

            Based on Adesua (2016), the physical facilities can help students to enhance their motivation on learning. The physical facilities like laboratory which is the a building that contain practical equipment. Laboratories are needed to generate, manipulative skills in students, sports/games facilities are needed to develop the mental, social and physical aspect of the students. Library which is the building the contain books, article and other relevant reading materials, toilet facilities are pieces of hardware used for the collection or disposal of human urine and feces. In other words: “Toilets are sanitation facilities at the user interface that allow the safe and convenient urination and defecation“. Canteens are shop around the school premises which provide the students with an immediate provision needs. Classrooms these are building, purposely for academic activities. Field and computers this are electronic devices that may increase students’ interest to learn in many ways. Roberts (2009) said that facility quality may not directly affect teaching and instruction. Also, implementing educational policies that resulted in high quality, high-performing, well-designed and maintained school facilities had a direct and indirect impact on the teaching and learning process (BEST, 2005). Effective facilities management therefore contributes to the success of every student in any school. A study carried out by Hale (2002) revealed that student in classrooms with large windows, natural lightening and well-designed skylights were found to performed well from 19 to 25% better than their peers in classroom without these facilities. Not only environmental condition in schools affect the students but also the staff as observed by (Hunter, 2006) which include the inoperative heating system, inadequate ventilation and poor lighting systems. The overall building condition, the age of the building, and the windows in the instructional area were positively related to students achievement in learning (Bullock, 2007).

It is evident in their contributions (Broome, 2005; Hughes, 2005; Lyons, 2001) that students achievement depend upon the physical school facilities, it’s age, the design and the condition of the school. School facilities played a significant role in directing the task of teaching and that shaping student’s learning process in and out-of-school. No doubt, school buildings as a tool for instituting an effective teaching and learning process constituted sizeable investment of public funds over its development and maintenance by the administrator. Today, most of the school facilities which are supposed to promote and enhance teaching and learning in secondary education are absolute in form and thereby, creating serious challenges to the 21^st century educational needs of the learners. Others are dilapidated and not suitable to motivate secondary students to learn. School educational facilities are otherwise, refers to as school plant. The school plants are the physical facilities provided for in the school, such as the school site, the building, and equipment. These facilities are linked to capital in any industrial settings. In understanding the national goal of developing the educational system so as to provide a satisfactory flow of men and women, capable of acquiring the skills necessary to exploit to the fullest, the natural resources of the country makes it imperative for facilities to be abundantly available in school. Buildings are needed to shelter staff and students. Dare (2010) defined school facilities as all the available assets of a school that can be used to foster and facilitate effective teaching and learning as well as to protect the physical well-being of the occupants.

The school facilities are the physical expression of the school curriculum. That is, the school curriculum determines to a large extend the nature of school facilities to be erected and the purpose it will served. School facilities are expected to be adequate and carefully planned, developed and maintained in order to ensure their relevance to the school curriculum and towards effective teaching and learning in educational institution. Well designed and functional school buildings with a wide array of teaching aids therefore, provide effective delivery of the school’s curriculum and positively related to student’s academic achievement. Aside the fact that, school facilities are the material things that facilitates teaching and learning processes in school, the concepts of teaching and learning are opposite sides of a coin, for lesson is not taught until it has been learned. This is in addition to the fact that the importance of teaching and learning on the provision of adequate instruction facilities for education cannot be over-emphasized. The dictum had been from learning is separable from teaching to make the students learn without the teachers.

But be that as it maybe, school facilities have help to achieved the aims and objectives of teaching and learning process. Teaching therefore, can be thought of as a process that facilities learning. In this process, the teachers or any other school administrator has an important role to play because he acts like a catalyst, activity stimulating learning. The teaching process is such that, a task that had provided to be difficult in the light of the present scenario, where learning takes place in an unconducive environment. Most public secondary schools in Nigeria are found in this mess, arising the query over what measure of quality control are put in place.

1.2       Statement of the Problem

There is no gain saying that, educational system in Nigeria has contributed in no small measure to support the nation’s economy through the provision of qualitative facilities and acquiring knowledge, skills and values. In achieving this, in the 21^st century, it has been a nightmare due to the poor state of school facilities which are poorly managed, out of use, age and not conducive for teaching and learning process.

There are specific problems identified that could affect teaching and learning in secondary schools. One lack of basic social amenities in most schools such as electricity, water supply, laboratories, classrooms libraries, classroom etc. Effective and efficient operation of any school is in doubt with the absence of these facilities. Affecting teaching and learning activities this adversely creates a discomfort to the teachers, students, and adequate operators of the schools administrative system. Fabunmi (2012) in support of this assorted that school facilities when provided will aid teaching and learning programme and consequently improve academic achievement of students. School facilities form one of the potent factors that contribute to academic achievement in the school system (Hallak, 2015). If such facilities as school buildings, classrooms, libraries, laboratories, furniture’s, recreational equipment and other instructional material are not evenly distributed to schools due to any other reasons, then the academic performance of the students in such school should not be queried because of the obvious reasons created.

1.3       Purpose of the Study

            The purpose of this study; however, is facilities assessment in enhancing academic performance of students in private secondary schools in Pankshin Local Government Area. The Objectives of this study include:

1. Assess the impact of school facilities in enhancing academic performance of private secondary schools in Pankshin Local Government Area
2. To assess the availability and quality of teaching and learning facilities in private secondary schools in Pankshin Local Government Area
3. Investigate the impact of library service on academic performance of private secondary school students in Pankshin Local Government Area
4. To assess the constrain faced by teachers and school administration in utilization of available school facilities?

1.4       Research Questions

This research seek to find out answers to the following questions

1. What are the impacts of school facilities in enhancing academic performance of private secondary schools in Pankshin Local Government Area?
2. To what extent are the availability and quality of teaching and learning facilities in private secondary schools in Pankshin Local Government Area?
3. Investigate the impact of library facilities on academic performance of private secondary school students in Pankshin Local Government Area?
4. What are the challenges faced by teachers and school administration in utilization of available school facilities in private secondary schools in Pankshin LGA?

1.5       Hypothesis

Base on the formulated research questions the following assumption is drawn to guide the study.

Ho:      There is no significant difference between school facilities and academic performance of private secondary schools in Pankshin Local Government Area, at 0.05 level of significance.

Ho:      There is no significant difference between library facilities and academic performance of private secondary school students in Pankshin Local Government Area

1.6       Significance of the Study

Teachers: The study is significant because it aims at examining the facilities assessment on academic performance of students in private secondary schools. The study will assist teachers and students by brooding their knowledge about the teaching and learning in schools. This will also arouse the interest of students to pursue courses at the tertiary level of educational system and make them to become useful citizens to themselves and the society. 

Communities: The study will assist the community in understanding the need to provide the necessary facilities needed for learning. This will help to learn the societal moral values that are acceptable in the community.

Government: To the government, since education has been as instrument to achieve national goals and objectives , it is very important to explore avenues through which school facilities can be used to achieve a  sustainable development.

            The study, therefore hope to assist community and government very useful to gain insight into our national problems and there by contribute to the attainment of educational goals and objectives of secondary schools.

1.7       Scope and Delimitations of the Study

            The study covered facilities assessment in enhancing academic performance of students in Pankshin Local government area. It is in view of this that the study delimits it content to variables like classrooms, laboratories and other equipment  of school facilities, its utilization, roles of stakeholders among others is look in to achieved academic performance of student in secondary schools.

1.8       Operational Definition of Terms

The definition of terms is based on what is was used for in the content of work

1. Academic achievement:- This means the level of attainment on what the student have been able to achieve in terms been able to achieve in terms of success in examination.
2. School facilities:- This refers to all essential teaching aids and equipment in teaching and learning process.
3. Facilities:- These are equipment used in the school. They include benches desks, tables and modern technology learning equipment.
4. Assessment of School Facilities: this is to investigates the availability and the impact of teaching and learning facilities in private secondary schools