WELCOME TO KENTERPRO:
THE IMPACT OF SCHOOL FACILITIES ON THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS LEARNERS WITH HEARING IMPAIRMENT IN JOS NORTH LOCAL GOVERNMENT

 CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

• Background to the Study

The importance of school facilities in the development of effective educational system, particularly at the secondary school level cannot be over emphasized. The utilization of the goals and objectives of education require the provision, maximum utilization and appropriate management of the school facilities. The design and size of school buildings have evolve over time. Many of the improvements reflected advancement in pedagogy and knowledge about environmental effects on learning. In the past, education was a much more informal activity than it is today and the physical setting for education was not considered important. Instruction usually occurred in open spaces or in structure designed for purpose other than teaching and learning. The early schools in Nigeria indicated that the national issues on education believed that the settings in which education occurred was of little consequence. This philosophy was visible in both school buildings and their locations, especially on the early schools. Very few architects (if any) were available to assist in the planning and construction of schools in the early days of education.

School can be viewed as an organized environment where educational curricular are interpreted. It is a formal structured organization which serves as a transitional stage in life between family and the society. School is a place where the child is prepared to function as an adult, and through this transformation by way of teaching and learning process, whose purpose is to bring about in the learner desirable positive and effective change in the behavior through critical thinking in a more conducive environment which is structured to facilitate learning. The attainment of an effective and efficient teaching and learning is therefore dependent on teacher’s quality, the location of the school, the organization and arrangement of physical structures and other school facilities in the school. In the present day of technological advancement, there is need for the school principals to adopt modern method of plant and facility management which would improve the quality of teaching and learning.

Adesina and Ogunsaju, (2011) stressed the importance of school facilities. He maintained that the qualities of education that children receive bear direct relevance to the availability or lack of physical facilities and overall atmosphere in which learning take place.

Secondary school, which according to Federal Government of Nigeria (2004:13) “is the education children received after primary education and before the tertiary stage” needs school plant and facilities which consist of all types of buildings for academic and non-academic activities; equipment for academic and non-academic activities; areas for sports and games, landscape, farms and gardens, including trees, roads and paths. Other facilities needed by secondary schools include furniture and toilet facilities, lightings, acoustics, storage facilities and parking lots, security, transportations, cleaning materials, food services, and special facilities for special needs. Their appearance and maintenance influences most parents and convince them to make judgment about the qualities and effectiveness as to what goes on in the school. It is believed that, without such facilities, the empty buildings, no matter how attractive they are cannot be effectively used for educational purposes.

Recently, the Nigerian secondary schools learners with hearing impairment academic performance is generally poor going by the existing records, (Adesina, 2011); He posited that, there was persistent mass failure of learners with hearing impairment in secondary school examinations (SSCE) conducted by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC). The observed poor academic performance of secondary learners with hearing impairment may not be unconnected with seemingly poor school plant planning in most Nigerian secondary schools. The high level of learners with hearing impairment academic performance may not be guaranteed where instructional space such as class rooms, libraries, technical workshops and laboratories are structurally defective. Enumerating the factors that could be responsible for intra and inter-school academic achievements, acute scarcity of instructional resources which according to him attributed constrain of educational systems from responding more fully to new demands.

School facilities constitute major determining factor toward ensuring quality education. It is one of the yardsticks for measuring the level of educational growth and development. It implies substantial cost of the school system for their establishment, if not properly managed and maintained, it will affect the academic performance of learners with hearing impairment. School facility is the process of ensures that buildings and other technical systems support the operations of an organization. Ajayi (2009) described school facilities as the practice of co-ordination of the physical workplace with the people and the work of the organization; it integrates the principles of school administration, architecture and the behavioural and engineering sciences.

Learners with hearing impairment academic performance can be measured in many ways but the commonly used method is the result of learners with hearing impairment in examinations, which is used to pass judgment on the schools and teachers. Learners with hearing impairment academic performance is the final grade which learners with hearing impairment get after a systematic and comprehensive measurement and evaluation of the individual learner with hearing impairment in a school setting for the purpose of making decision or judgment on his/her cognitive, affective and psychomotor domains. The researcher viewed academic performance as the educational outcome of learners with hearing impairment as measure by Senior School Certificate Examination.

Bullock (2007) studied the relationship between school facilities and learners with hearing impairment academic performance in secondary schools. The study examined the relationships that exist between learners with hearing impairment academic performance and the overall, structural and cosmetic building conditions. School administrators must be concerned with the structural and cosmetic conditions of school facilities as well as learners with hearing impairment academic performance, the combination of existing school facilities, leadership decision, and the financial ability of the schools. He founds that learners with hearing impairment perform better in school that were new or renovated recently than in older schools. The overall building condition, the school age of the building, and the windows in the instructional areas were positively related to learners with hearing impairment performance.

It is a common experience to see some schools today, where the environments are by far from being conducive for learning; where classroom spaces are inadequate, for most children are found to be compacted in classrooms, especially special schools. In some cases learning take place under trees. Some schools are generally in a poor state of repair. Teachers‟ effectiveness and learners with hearing impairment‟ learning may be limited by inadequate learning materials. Poor working conditions and insufficient facilities have inevitably eroded motivation and satisfaction which demoralized teachers, education today must prepare the child for an all-round development

            It is in the light of the above discussion that this stud seeks to determine the impact of school facilities on the performance of learners with hearing impairment in secondary schools in Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State.

• Statement of the Problem

Mass failure in examinations has relatively alarming proportions in the last few years. The outcome of our educational system has fallen below the minimal for our educational objectives and this means that there is a failure in our curriculum, facility provision, our teachers and teaching method or our evaluation system. Educating all children at this time of economic meltdown presents a significant challenge due to the large number of children, especially in a developing country like Nigeria, where planning always posed a problem. There is need, therefore, to utilize and maintain the limited plant and facilities available in schools for quality teaching and learning effectiveness. School facilities that are deteriorated and inadequate may result in reduced learning time, alienated learners with hearing impairment, inability to provide specialized curriculum, low staff morale, lack of technology proficiency, safety hazards, high rates of teacher attrition, and a reduced ability to meet special needs.

Therefore, this scenario of poor performance among learners with hearing impairment has motivated the researcher to determine where there is a relationship between educational faculties and academic performance of learners with hearing impairment in secondary schools or otherwise.

1.3. Purpose of the Study

The major purpose of this research is to find out the impact of educational facilities on the academic performance of secondary school learners with hearing impairment in Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State. In the light of this, the specific objectives of the research include:

1. To determine the educational facilities which are available in secondary schools in Jos North Local Government Area.
2. To examine the impact of teaching and learning facilities on academic performance of learners with hearing impairment in secondary schools in Jos North Local Government Area.
3. To examine the challenges faced by learners with hearing impairment and teachers in using of educational facilities in secondary schools in Jos North Local Government Area.

1.4. Research Questions

The following research questions were formulated to guide this study.

1. What are the educational facilities which are available in secondary schools in Jos North Local Government Area?
2. What are the impact of learning facilities on learners with hearing impairment academic performance in secondary schools in Jos North Local Government Area?
3. What are the challenges faced by learners with hearing impairment and teachers in using of educational facilities in secondary schools in Jos North Local Government Area?

1.5 Significance of the Study

It is believed that the life wire of any educational system is the extent of availability of school facilities (in terms of quality and quantity) which occupies a crucial place in the realization of its goals. However, the result of the findings in this research work shall assist every stakeholder (policy makers, school administrators, teachers, government and the learners with hearing impairment) in playing a sensitive role aimed at improving the standard of education through the provision of a conducive learning environment.

First, policy makers will be well equipped with reliable and factual information which serves as an input for effective law making on issues relating to allocation of funds, timely released period and the legal framework guiding its activities.

Secondly, it will provide an extensive knowledge of school facilities to the school administrators to initiate, sustain and put to use. It will afford other researchers to look into grey areas not covered in the present study and seek ways of improving over it.

Furthermore, teachers as major stakeholders in the school system, who play an intermediate role, seek to work harmoniously with the school in encouraging the learners with hearing impairment to use the facilities. This could be to solve assignments, observe practical knowledge and in the acquisition of essential skills. It will also place a great burden on the government to provide adequate funding to the school system, equipped the inspectorate unit to carry out its functions effectively.

1.6. Delimitation of the Study

This study covers the impact of educational facilities on the academic performance of secondary school learners with hearing impairment. The study is limited to Otana Integrated School, Jos; Sunnah Private School of Jibwis; Plateau School for the Deaf and Open Doors for Special Learners which are secondary schools with learners with hearing impairment in Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State. This will be made up of the combination of government and private schools.

1.7. Operational Definition of Terms

Teaching: Is the act, practice or profession of a teacher which shapes one’s thought and action through giving instructions and or performing practices.

Learning: Learning is the act of acquiring new or modifying and reinforcing existing knowledge, behaviours, skills and values or it is a skill or knowledge acquired by instruction or study.

Impact: This is the likely effect of school facilities on the learners with hearing impairment academic performance.

Academic Performance: This is the outcome or achievements of learners with hearing impairment after being subjected to the use of teaching, learning, health, sport and recreational facilities.

Learners with Hearing Impairment: These are learners who do not hear, but are communicated with through sign language and writing.

CHAPTER TWO

REVIEW OF RELEVANT LITERATURE

This chapter shall review literatures that are relevant to the topic under study: this shall be done under the following subtopics: the concept of school facilities, components of school facilities. teaching facilities, impact of teaching facilities on learners with hearing impairment academic performance, learning facilities, impact of learning facilities on learners with hearing impairment academic performances, health facilities, impact of health facilities on learners with hearing impairment academic performance, sport facilities, impact of sport facilities on learners with hearing impairment academic performances, recreational facilities, impact of recreational facilities on learners with hearing impairment academic performances, empirical studies and summary of literature review.

2.1 The Concept of School Facilities

The term school facilities refers to the school site, the buildings, the playgrounds, the equipment and other material resources provided in the school for effective teaching and learning operations. School facilities can be defined as comprising of location, weather, lighting, ventilation, floor, space per pupil, health, and safety conditions, play areas, cafeteria and library. Ogbaodo (2004) considers school facilities as synonymous with educational facilities which include buildings such as classrooms, assembly halls, libraries, laboratories, workshop and instructional materials.

Similarly, Durosaro and Ogunsaju (2002) defines school facilities to include the site, the building and other infrastructures. He went further to say that school facility embraces permanent and semi-permanent structures which includes items such as machines, laboratory equipment, the chalk board and office assistances tools such as brooms and cleaning materials. According to Abraham (2003), school facilities mean all physical facilities and equipment within the school, which are used by members of the school community. All the physical structures in the school fall within this category. Facilities are plants (buildings), equipment and materials. Whereas, school buildings according to Olutola (2008) include classroom, dormitories, libraries and laboratory buildings, staff rooms, teachers’ quarters, examination halls and administrative buildings; educational equipment include such items as machines, audio-visual materials, chalkboards, cleaner’s tools and workshop equipment. Abraham (2003) provides a much more comprehensive list of educational facilities and grouped them into two viz:

1) School building: These are tangible structures, which serve as shelter for educational activities. They include among others, classrooms, laboratories, workshops, teachers’ common rooms/offices, toilets, rest rooms, reading rooms, dispensaries, libraries, hostels/dormitories, dining halls, assembly hall, staff quarters.

2) Equipment: School equipment refers to facilities or outputs such as machine and tools, which ease the operation of academic activities. Various equipment’s are required in:

1. a) Classrooms: For example, desks, chairs, blackboards, cupboards, shelves, dusting

Dusters, wash hand basins, napkins, teaching aids.

1. b) Laboratories: For example, physics, chemistry, biology, agricultural science, languages, Geography.
2. c) Workshop: For example, woodwork, metal works machineries, electronics /electrical, business studies.
3. d) Sports/games: For example, football, table tennis, volley ball, net ball, hockey, tourniquet, Short put, high jump stands/crossbars, javelin, hurdles, trophies, jersey, bells, notice boards, electric generator, typewriters, photo setting machines, computers.

School facilities have been defined by Ani (2007) as the location of the school buildings, the equipment in the school and other material resources provided in the school for the purpose of enhancing teaching and learning processes. To him school facilities include the fixed and mobile structures and materials in the school such as the classroom buildings, laboratories and laboratory equipment, the school furniture, the chalkboards, tools and machines, the chalk, audio and visual aids. School facilities can also be taken to mean the site where the school Programmes and activities take place or the environment where the school curriculum is implemented. Thus Obi & Ezegbe (2002) defined school facilities as the space interpretation of the school curriculum. In other words, school facilities can be said to be physical expression of the school programmes and activities. It is a consciously designed and controlled environment with the sole aim of promoting teaching and learning activities within the school. It is putting together of facilities to protect the physical well-being of the individuals associated with the school. School facilities are the operational inputs of every instructional programme. The school is like a manufacturing organization where plants and equipment must be in a top operational shape to produce result. Efficiency in the production function depends on the quantity and quality of the facilities. Since the facilities are used in one way or the other in the day-to-day business of the school, there is need for its proper management. Teachers and learners with hearing impairment are affected and influenced by their environments.

2.2 Components of School Facilities

According to Bello (2006) there are three major components. These are:

1. Infrastructural facilities
2. Instructional facilities

iii. School physical environment.

Infrastructural facilities include buildings such as administrative block, (which comprises the principals’ office, vice principal and staff rooms, classroom) laboratory, stores, sick-bay, records office, school shop, library, music room, cafeteria, Intro technology laboratory, security post, staff quarters’ and school farm as well as storage house, electricity, water supply, sport field. Instructional facilities are teaching materials and equipment, that comprises laboratory equipment, introductory technological equipment, wall clock, puzzles, television, radio V.CD plates and players, piano, flute, chalkboard, cardboards, duster, apparatus for science practical, models, picture charts.

Government policy on school facilities vary, while in some schools, parents buy the textbooks needed for studies, and in some schools, government buys or provides the textbooks and gives them free to learners with hearing impairment. Library books are bought from public funds (taxes). Whatever the government policies maybe, it is the responsibility of the school head (principal or headmaster as the case may be) to put the furniture, equipment, buildings and playing grounds in good condition. The constituents of school physical environment include building and scrape parking lot, playground, sport field, agricultural farm, fire extinguisher, school bus, car park and sand bath. Also, school facilities include mechanical material like technological machines, generator, photocopier machines, computer machines, and plumbing materials like water taps, bore hole – electrical telecommunication like speakers, radios, network system, security and fire suppression systems.

2.3 Teaching Facilities

Teaching can be defined as an attempt to bring out desirable changes in human learning, activities and behaviour. The aim of teaching therefore, is to impact learners to make those desirable changes in their behaviour that contribute to better living (Olaitan & Agusiobo, 2000). These changes are:

1. It can increase and store useful information and the understanding of basic principles in the subject matter.
2. Acquisition of skills abilities and habits for instance, psychomotor skills, the physical competence required to perform certain activities efficiently.
3. Possession of desirable attitude and ideas, such as developing satisfaction about learning outcomes or achievements obtained through the process of sharing meaning.

Saylor et al. (2011: 10) define teaching as a process whereby one person mediates between another and the substance of this world to facilitate learning. This is deceitful of teaching since everybody is accorded the status of a teacher. Besides, helping one to learn something does not make one a teacher. Teaching facilities involve some complex activities on part of both teachers and learners in the school such as classroom, chalk board, laboratory, chairs, tables, public address system, flip charts, models, specimens and workshops.

According to Bello (2006) teaching involves activity in which the learners participate so that they can understand the process and learn. Instructional materials or facilities are easily identified with direct teaching functions. They serve essentially as centers for learning and teaching in the school set up. Efferetteya (2000) defined teaching as a systematic way of designing, carrying out and evaluating the total process of learning and teaching in terms of specific objective, to bring about more effective learning.

2.4.1 Impact of Teaching Facilities on Learners with hearing impairment Academic Performance

The lists of teaching facilities that teachers can use are inexhaustible. The teachers’ level of Resourcefulness, creativity and imagination are in fact not limited. Teaching facilities will therefore, include all forms of information that can be used to promote and encourage effective teaching/learning activities. These are textbooks, supplementary books, workbooks, reference books, charts, magazines, maps, journals, periodicals, pamphlets, newspapers, posters, programmed texts and non-printed materials like, film, filmstrips models, mock-up, slides, pictures, audio and videotapes, records, transparent, globes, board and a host of others. There are also the range of teaching facilities such as sciences apparatuses and chemicals.

Abraham (2003) made reference to a study carried out in Kano on secondary School administration revealed that most of the schools were devoid of necessary facilities among which are the teaching facilities. Textbooks in form of teachers’ guide and learners with hearing impairment texts, his tasks are made difficult as he is expected to use his initiative and creativity in planning his lessons. Teaching facilities are required for the various activities of the school program as well as for the extra- curricular activities. To meet these requirements of the schools, the National policy on Education (2004) has mentioned government commitment to ensure that all schools are properly equipped to provide sound and effective teaching to embark on a scheme for the provision of inexpensive textbooks’. This is not an easy task and therefore the federal government was to make a provision of setting up of a National Committee to advice on the federation. The National Policy on Education was first published in 1977 and reprinted in 1981, 1998. The fourth and recent edition was printed in the year 2004 and the recent one was in 2013.

The issue of school facilities has only been partially provided in some schools, but nothing has been done in many schools. Osuji (2016) also presented for categories of resources and facilities which are used for teaching and learning. These are;

(i) Reading materials

(ii) Audio-Visual materials

(iii) Demonstration and experimentation materials

(iv) School community resources including personnel.

Thus, most of the authorities cited above, have given ideas that can help us to understand the embracing nature and the potency of the concept of teaching facilities in school, for effective teaching and learning. Teaching facilities are facilitators of teaching/learning activities when properly used. Agun (2009), teaching facilities are designed, produced, and used for the following reasons:

(i) The achievement of specific curriculum objectives, textbooks and supplementary facilities

(ii) To encourage and promote self-instruction i.e. programmed learning package

(iii) For enrichment of learning

(iv) To aid teachers presentation of the learning task

(v) To arouse interest and motivate learners. Most of his ideas about the uses of teaching facilities are in agreement with the principles of learning and motivation theoretical framework.

Moreover, Alcon (2007) also enumerated fourteen uses or benefits of a wise use of various teaching facilities. These are listed below:

1. They provide for a direct interaction of learners with hearing impairment with the realities of their social and physical environment.
2. They promote greater acquisition and longer retention of factual knowledge
3. They provide objectivity for the study of a delicate
4. They provide increased, interest in learning
5. They simulate interest of voluntary reading
6. They allow all members of a group the opportunity to share a joint experience.
7. They get and hold attention
8. They reinforce verbal message
9. They bring experts and variety of resources to the classroom
10. They provide for a direct interaction of learners with hearing impairment with the relatives of their social and physical environment.
11. They provide integrated experience that vary from concrete to abstract
12. They are valuable for all age and ability groups
13. They facilitate attitudes and behaviour changes
14. They illustrate and clarify nonverbal symbols and images quantitative relationship, complex relationship, abstract concepts, spatial relations and specify details.

The uses and impact of teaching facilities enumerated above clearly direct one to Knezevich’s statement that the administrative leadership carried the responsibilities for obtaining and allocating teaching facilities necessary to promote educational programme development. It is therefore, the duties of federal and state government ministry officials, school administrators to endeavour to produce, select and distribute a variety of teaching facilities to all schools in the local government, in order to ensure teachers and learners with hearing impairment resourcefulness, creativity, and imaginative use of these facilities. This may be one way for ensuring effective teaching and learning at the secondary school level as well as to facilitate the achievement of the secondary school goals and curriculum objectives.

Flip Charts: A flip chart is a stationery item consisting of a pad of large paper sheets. It is typically fixed to the upper edge of a whiteboard, typically supported on a tripod or four-legged easel. Such charts are commonly used for presentations. The flip chart is thought to have been invented by Peter Kent who built one to help him in a presentation.

According to Stetson (2008), flip charts are large sheets of paper, usually positioned on a tripod, to be used with thick and differently colour marking pens. They are a simple tool that may seem ―old school‖, but they have many advantages when making presentations. First, they provide a useful way of interacting with your audience: not only can you present your own ideas and results on flip charts, but you can also use them to immediately record input, feedback and ideas from your audience.

Models: models play a very important role as instructional facilities especially when the object under study is a human part. For example the human eye, were the learners with hearing impairment is supposed to study the external and the internal part. Ofoefuna (2011) sees a model as simple representation of the real thing. It is made in such a way that it is easily recognized, as the representation of the object, it is made to represent. It is a 3-dimensional object. With the use of model, learners with hearing impairment can learn the properties of an object effectively without seeing the object itself, which can save a lot of inconveniences.

Overhead Projector (OHP):- These are used for teaching English language subject structures such as grammatical structure, new words, reading .for instance, if a teacher wants to teach preposition, he/she can take a picture from a textbook, draw it on transparencies and project it. This makes the lesson interesting and easy to understand.

According to Aguokogbuo (2000), who observes equally that ―with the selections of teaching facilities, it will enable the teacher to know how suitable the content and language is to the development level of the learners with hearing impairment, if the facilities are audio-visual. According to Agun (2009), teaching facilities enable teachers present learning tasks and when properly used, they can help to make the participation of learners in the teaching learning process more meaningful and useful. In the same vein, Dale (2012) is of the view that the trend towards increasing use of resources materials is thus a broader and more interesting place. Brown (2013) in the other hand; outlines same importance of teaching facilities as follows:

1. To get and hold the learner’s attention
2. To provide for a direct interaction of learners with hearing impairment with realities of social and physical environment.

iii. To re-enforce verbal message.

1. To promote greater acquisition and longer retentions of factual knowledge.
2. To provide opportunities for independent and individual learner.

Teaching aids: A teaching aid is a tool used by the teacher as a facilitator to the process of teaching and learning inside the classroom. It is one of the means by which teachers bring life into the theoretical texts by bringing environment inside the classroom indirectly. Also, it is a means of personification to the concrete texts in the learners with hearing impairment books. The final purpose remains as a means of relating teaching with the environment that learners with hearing impairment live in and communicate with (Bello, 2006). Every individual has the tendency to forget. Proper use of teaching aids helps to retain more concepts permanently. Learners with hearing impairment can learn better when they are motivated properly through different teaching aids. Teaching aids develop the proper image when the learners with hearing impairment see, hear taste and smell properly. Teaching aids provide complete example for conceptual thinking. The teaching aids create the environment of interest for the learners with hearing impairment. Teaching aids helps to increase the vocabulary of the learners with hearing impairment. Teaching aids helps the teacher to get sometime and make learning permanent. Teaching aids provide direct experience to the learners with hearing impairment.

There are several types of teaching Aids that are available these days. We may classify these aids as Visual Aids, Audio Aids, Audio – Visual Aids. Visual Aids are aids which use sense of vision are called Visual aids. For example:- actual objects, models, pictures, charts, maps, flash cards, flannel board, bulletin board, chalkboard, overhead projector, slides . Out of these black board and chalk are the commonest ones.

Audio Aids: These are aids that involve the sense of hearing are called Audio aids. For example: – radio, tape recorder, gramophone.

Audio – Visual Aids The aids which involve the sense of vision as well as hearing are called Audio- Visual aids. For example: – television, film projector, film strips.

Teaching aids play very important role in Teaching- Learning process. It motivates the learners with hearing impairment so that they can learn better. Through teaching aids, the teacher clarifies the subject matter more easily. Teaching aids can facilitate the proper understanding to the learners with hearing impairment which discourage the act of cramming. Teaching aids helps to increase the vocabulary of the learners with hearing impairment more effectively. When using teaching aids, it saves him from the long explanations that may take time for learners with hearing impairment understand Classroom Live and active Teaching aids make the classroom live and active. Avoids it makes the class more active, lively and this means the class becomes more active, lively and participatory. Teaching aids provide direct experience to the learners with hearing impairment which make them learn easily.

2.5 Learning Facilities

Learning may be defined as a change in behaviour which is more or less permanent in nature that results from activity, training or observation. Max (2010) defines learning as ―a relatively enduring change in behaviour which is the function of prior behaviour (usually called practice)‖. The idea of prior behaviour connotes some formal experiences. In other worlds, learning may be defined as a process whereby, as a result of experience, some change in patterns of adjustment occur. Psychological definition of learning is change, or modification of behavior or responses as a result of some forms of experiences.

To understand the concept of learning from the point of view of the psychologist one needs to examine key words, that is change, which implies that learning is a change of behaviour as a different person from one which he was before he went into it .this changes is the intellectual and emotional functioning which is important meaning that the learner now begins to reason in a different way he sees a problem from a different perspective becomes increasing aware of the complexity of a particular problem and interacts in a more socially acceptable way with other people in his environment (Obanya 2000).

Learning facilities according to Afolabi (2002) refers to the site, building, furniture and equipment that contribute to a positive learning environment and quality of education for all learners with hearing impairment. The learning facilities available within an educational institution have positive relationship with the quality of teaching and learning activities which in turn leads to the attainment of goals set. The learning facilities of the school building and furniture will determine how long such will last while comfortable classroom.

2.5.1 Impact of Learning Facilities on Learners with hearing impairment Academic Performances

Learning may be defined as a change in behaviour which is more or less permanent in nature that results from activity, training or observation. Max (2010) defines learning as ―a relatively enduring change in behaviour which is the function of prior behaviour (usually called practice). The idea of prior behaviour connotes some formal experiences. In other worlds, learning may be defined as a process whereby, as a result of experience, some change in patterns of adjustment occur.

Learning facilities are those materials that can easily enhance effective learning in the school. With the provision, utilization and maintenance of learning facilities for the learners with hearing impairment in the class will have better understanding in the learning process. These learning facilities includes; computer, library, internet/ICT, microscope, projectors, video CD player, textbook, stationeries and exercise book.

Learning facilities play significant roles in the teaching and learning process. Agwu (2013) stated that: Learning facilities is a crucial component of the entire classroom control and management; this is because the excitement usually generated by the provision, utilization and utilization of Learning facilities can generate a lot of noise, undue movement of pupils, chairs and tables but make the learners with hearing impairment participate. The Learning facilities and aid are used to supplement and complement the teacher verbal effort. Learning facilities can be broadly classified as follows.

Library: The school library has been described as the whole stock of books and other resource materials in a school. It is a collection of a wide variety of learning and teaching materials which were housed in a place and centrally organized by staff and indexed to serve readers (White, 2009). It could comprise not only books or periodicals but also non-print materials, films and slides and tapes. These resources could be seen in two ways namely material resources such as books, journals, materials such as CD Rom, microfilm, microfiche and dissertation abstracts and human resources such as the librarian and supporting staff. Thus, the school library is the resource centre of any school. (Vanguard, 2004). It is a service point and a self-development centre. It is also the hub of individual studies in schools. As such, the old days of relying on textbooks were past. A good learner with hearing impairment should be able to locate and extract information from primary and secondary sources in the library (Gibbs, 1990).

The school library offers learning services, books and resources that enable all members of the school community to become critical thinkers and effective users of information in all formats and media. School Libraries link to the wider library and information network in accord with the principles in the UNESCO Public Library Manifesto.

School libraries helps in supporting and enhancing educational goals as outlined in the school’s mission and curriculum; developing and sustaining in children the habit and enjoyment of reading and learning, and the use of libraries throughout their lives; offering opportunities for experiences in creating and using information for knowledge, understanding, imagination and enjoyment; supporting all learners with hearing impairment in learning and practicing skills for evaluating and using information, regardless of form, format or medium, including sensitivity to the modes of communication within the community; providing access to local, regional, national and global resources and opportunities that expose learners to diverse ideas, experiences and opinions; Organizing activities that encourage cultural and social awareness and sensitivity; working with learners with hearing impairment, teachers, administrators and parents to achieve the mission of the school; Proclaiming the concept that intellectual freedom and access to information are essential to effective and responsible citizenship and participation in a democracy; promoting reading and the resources and services of the school library to the whole school community and beyond.

They also get acquainted with organized information and get to know different information sources and learn to use these selectively. Also, they find quality prose suitable for their age. They familiarize themselves with the possibilities different media offer. And have access to databases and information networks outside of school. As well as having the possibility to concentrate on their own assignment in peace. (Hannel, Kaarina, Seija, 2002)

White and black boards: A blackboard or chalkboard is a reusable writing surface on which text or drawings are made with sticks of calcium sulfate or calcium carbonate, known, when used for this purpose, as chalk. Blackboards were originally made of smooth, thin sheets of black or dark grey slate stone. Modern versions are often green because the colour is considered easier on the eyes.

According to Bello (2006), a blackboard can simply be a piece of board painted with matte dark paint (usually black or dark green). Black plastic sign material, using the trade name sintra is also used to create custom chalkboard art. Examples can be seen at Chalk It up Signs. A more modern variation consists of a coiled sheet of plastic drawn across two parallel rollers, which can be scrolled to create additional writing space while saving what has been written. The highest grade blackboards are made of rougher version porcelain enameled steel (black, green, blue or sometimes other colours). Porcelain is very hard wearing and blackboards made of porcelain usually last 10–20 years in intensive use. Class rooms may contain a number of blackboards in a grid arrangement. The teacher then moves boards into reach for writing and then moves them out of reach, allowing a large amount of material to be shown simultaneously.

According to Brown (2013) the chalk marks can be easily wiped off with a damp cloth, a sponge or a special blackboard eraser consisting of a block of wood covered by a felt pad. However, chalk marks made on some types of wet blackboard can be difficult to remove. Blackboard manufacturers often advise that a new or newly resurfaced blackboard be completely covered using the side of a stick of chalk and then that chalk brushed off as normal to prepare it for use.

Class room Furniture: Educational furniture should be considered an investment in the future of an institution so choosing high quality classroom furniture is top priority. Quality furniture plays a vital role in education and can even improve learning among learners with hearing impairment. It plays a key part in education and is necessary for learners with hearing impairment, faculty and staff members alike. School furniture includes desks, chairs, tables and shelves among many other pieces and the ingredients that make each piece quality depend on its particular functions (Dunn, 2005).

According to Hale (2002) for the school facilities to function effectively, suitable furniture and equipment has to be provided. It plays an extremely important part in the physical, moral and mental welfare of the scholars. Proper furniture and equipment are essentials for the successful working of a school. Improper seating arrangements lead to physical deformities and thus, endanger the health of the learners. The fact that furniture may need to be shifted frequently in today’s secondary classroom implies that it may be movable besides being flexible, adaptable and durable. It is true that sufficient furniture, good apparatus and useful appliances in the hands of a first class teacher can produce results which cannot be obtained under any other circumstances.

The classroom furniture’s design can help learners with hearing impairment learn (and teachers teach) in several subtle and not-so-subtle ways. Some of the more obvious ways are through meeting physical requirements like size, making sure the furniture is properly scaled to fit the size of the learner with hearing impairment. Classroom furniture that fits eliminates a distraction and helps learners with hearing impairment to concentrate. Recent studies indicate movement can contribute to concentration, and is considered beneficial to physical health. With Smith System learner with hearing impairment seating, educators can allow varying degrees of movement (Sailor, 2011)

Computer: Today, due to technological development, computer is used to aid teaching and learning. Nowadays, in the developed countries, the micro-computer is seen as powerful equipment because it appears to be capable of keeping track of individual learners with hearing impairment and responding to them, or prescribing to them, in spite of independent variation ability, learning styles and learning rate (Scalon and O’Shea, 2009).

Laboratory:-It helps to provide regular practices in listening to models, in initiating these models and also practice in the spoken language, the mechanical and electronic room equipped with mechanical and electronic device by means which learners with hearing impairment can hear and repeat recorded materials in foreign language. The use of this device is helpful in the following ways: 

The near-ideal pronunciation of native speakers is always available in the school laboratory for science subjects such as physics, chemistry, biology, agric and geography. In the laboratory, the learners with hearing impairment can listen repeated. ―Repetition master d: studio-rum‖. The device allows immediate correction (Osuala, 2007).

Lightening: Classroom lighting plays a particularly critical role in learners with hearing impairment performance. Obviously, learners with hearing impairment cannot study unless lighting is adequate, and there have been many studies reporting optimal lighting levels (Dunn, 2005). The consensus of these studies is that appropriate lighting improves test scores, reduces off-task behavior, and plays a significant role in learners with hearing impairment achievement. Recently there has been renewed interest in increasing natural daylight in school buildings. Until the 1950s, natural light was the predominant means of illuminating most school spaces, but as electric power costs declined, so too did the amount of day lighting used in schools. According to Benya (2001), a lighting designer and consultant, recent changes, including energy-efficient windows and skylights and a renewed recognition of the positive psychological and physiological effects of day lighting, have heightened interest in increasing natural daylight in schools (Benya 2001). Lemasters’ (2000) synthesis of fifty-three studies pertaining to school facilities, learners with hearing impairment achievement, and behavior reports that daylight fosters higher achievement. The study by the Heschong (2008), covering more than 2000 classrooms in three school districts, is perhaps the most cited evidence about the effects of daylight. The study indicated that learners with hearing impairment with the most classroom daylight progressed twenty percent faster in one year on math tests and twenty six percent faster on reading tests than those learners with hearing impairment who learned in environments that received the least amount of natural light. There were some questions that could not be answered by the original Heschong study, such as whether the higher performance was driven at least in part by better teachers being assigned to the classrooms that received more daylight. A follow-up study surveyed teachers in one of the districts and added information on teacher characteristics to the analysis. This new report found that the effect of day lighting remained both positive and significant. Other studies are currently in process to try to validate.

2.6 Health Facilities

Health facilities are those facilities that are provided to protect and promote the health of staff and learners with hearing impairment in an educational institution. Preventive and emergency school based health facilities are provided in accordance with local school health facilities which is jointly developed by the country’s health department, school district and school health advisory committee. School based health facilities are important component of the school health system (Ani, 2007).

2.6.1 Impact of Health Facilities on Learners with hearing impairment Academic Performance

Health facilities are those facilities that are provided to protect and promote the health of staff and learners with hearing impairment in an educational institution. Preventive and emergency school based health facilities are provided in accordance with local school health facilities which is jointly developed by the country’s health department, school district and school health advisory committee. School based health facilities are important component of the school health system.

School health facilities provided for the promotion of positive health status of school staffs and learners with hearing impairment in a learning environment, Mohammad (2003) to develop physical mental, social and spiritual health of learners with hearing impairment and staff schools, health facilities should be curative and use in nature. The reforms, the specific goals of school health facilities should be the promotion among learners and staff. School health facilities should as a matter of priority place emphasis on treatment of diseases rather than on preventing diseases.

The joint committee on health problems in education of the national education association (NESA) and the American medical association (AMA) view school health facility as the health facilities provided for school learners with hearing impairment and staff by physicians and allied health personnel in order to protect and improve the health of the school learners with hearing impairment thus aiding their growth and development and enabling them to benefit from school experience. Nwachukwu (2000) is of the opinion that “school health facilities can be utilised to provide school health care, immunization facilities, infectious disease prevention and control of endemic diseases, providing appropriate treatment of common diseases and injuries and provision of essential drugs supply”. The above assertion could be realised with the corporate activities of school teachers. Physicians, dentist, nurses, in order to appraise, promote, protect and maintain the health of all school learners with hearing impairment and the school personnel through:

1. An appraise of the health status of the school children and the school personnel
2. Counselling school learners with hearing impairment, parents and others about appraisal findings

iii. Assisting in the identification and education of handicapped learners with hearing impairment and staff.

1. Encouraging the correction of remediable defects
2. Helping to prevent and control diseases.

Providing emergency facilities for injury and sudden sickness. World Health Organisation (2004)

2.7 Sport Facilities

Sports has been identified by Coakely (2001) as an institutional competitive activity that involves vigorous physical exertion and use of relative complex physical skills by individuals whose participation is motivated by a combination of the intrinsic satisfaction associated with the activity itself and external rewards earned through participation. Moronkola (2005) and Ajayi (2009) both postulated that sports are fascinating. To focus on one institution, sport is just a technique for understanding the complexities of the larger society (Jeroh, 2007). Sports, according to Laker (2001), provides scientific observers with a convenient laboratory within which to examine values, socialization, stratification, bureaucracy to name a few structures and processes that also exist at the societal level.

2.7.1 Impact of Sport Facilities on Learners with hearing impairment Academic Performances

Sports facilities remain one of the integral parts of a secondary school system. Care must be taken to give it the due prominence it deserves because of the development of the body and school environment, which extends to that of the mind and for the discovery of talents in the fields of sports, athletics and games. The school is bound to have a sufficient area as playground, which should be properly developed, labeled and made suitable for the free use of pieces of apparatus (Ibrahim, 2010). In educational institutions, the following sports and games are necessary in order to cater for all sundry. There are:

1. Athletics: track and field activities.
2. Ball Games: Football, handball, netball, basketball, lawn tennis, table tennis, badminton, etc.

iii. Swimming and gymnastics. Learners with hearing impairment are to be grouped according to their interest, skills, and abilities.

Learners with hearing impairment should be made to compete among themselves and with outsiders. Sports and games are in educational institutions to make learners with hearing impairment use their leisure time judiciously, develop in them a competitive spirit, fair play and good citizenship. Furthermore, sports and games competitions are sources of advertisements for educational institutions they give learners with hearing impairment a sense of self- actualization and help to provide talented ones with some careers in life (Murfwang, 2006).

Sports have some relevance to societal growth hence it is widely perceived as a unifying force and an integral part of life itself right from ancient time to the modern era. Specifically, the type of sport, the ways it is organized, who participates and who does not all provide clues to the nature of the society (Aiyejuyo, &Ayoade, 2002).

2.8 Recreational Facilities

Recreational facilities have been defined by Ezeanichinedu (2009) as type of the instructional material and other infrastructural facilities such as building tools, equipment and other teaching–learning aids that are necessary for the learners with hearing impairment to learn at leisure hours. The author however described recreational facilities as materials that are necessary for the learners with hearing impairment teaching and learning process. The author describes recreational facilities as an aid to effective learners with hearing impairment academic performance. The author also noted that there are some recreational facilities that the learners with hearing impairment can use subject could aid effective teaching learning process. Ezeanichinedu (2009), stated that every subject has her own recreational facilities for instance in mathematics, there are abacus, computer, calculations pyramid, Ayo, whots, ludo, shopping corner. In English Language there are Novels, dramatization, reading corner. Also, in science subjects there are scientific equipment in the laboratory. Every type of facilities played with has significant impacts on the teaching learning processes in the schools and they have positive impacts on the learners with hearing impairment academic performance.

2.8.1 Impact of Recreational Facilities on Learners with hearing impairment Academic Performances

Recreational facilities are those materials put in place during teaching learning process that could also be interact with by the staffs and learners with hearing impairment during their leisure hours in the school premises. School recreation often relates to course material taught within the school system, but it provides learning experiences in addition to academic studies. Programs aimed at the school’s learners with hearing impairment are called extracurricular activities and include such things as bands, debating teams, choral groups, athletics and intramural activities, hobby groups, and interest clubs. For many learners with hearing impairment, these activities fill an important need in their school experience.

The recreational facilities necessary for effective teaching processes include laboratory, Gymnasium, library, computer set, and Cyber café. Gbadamosi (2001) described recreational facilities as all forms of information carrier that are used to record preserve, transmit or retrieve information through recreational activities for the instructional processes in the schools. The author described recreational facilities as an indispensable tool for effective teaching-learning processes the schools. Gbadamos (2001) mentioned different types of recreational facilities that the schools can put in place for the school use as film strips, flat pictures, projected and non-projected films, photographic materials, maps, globes, charts and diagrams. Adebanjo (2006) noted that the children learn best, when the school environment is enriched with adequate teaching learning materials. Provision of recreational facilities in the schools created several avenues whereby individual learners with hearing impairment can develop intellectually according to their potentials and abilities. Adebanjo however was the opinion that adequate supply of recreational facilities reduce learners with hearing impairment unrest and vandalism, it also enhances smooth execution of educational programme for effective learners with hearing impairment academic performance. Fakomogbon (2000) described recreational facilities as printed e.g. textbooks, workbooks, and electronics gargets such as software, non-printed forms which include: low cost aids e.g. charts, maps and models. Fakomogbon, noted that recreational facilities are important tools that the teacher make use during the teaching learning processes and for teaching effectiveness. The teaching materials mentioned are printed, Skhes, charts pictures, objects and machines. The author however noted that many teaching—learning facilities are needed to be kept by the teachers if effective teaching – learning processes are to be enhanced.

It was Aboyeji (2001) who stated that if the teachers in secondary schools make use of educational facilities like teaching aids be it instructional or recreational facilities the learners with hearing impairment will be able to excel higher in their academic activities. It will also aid high success rate in the school. It however shows that recreational facilities have significant impact on the learners with hearing impairment academic performance especially in the secondary schools.

2.9 Empirical Study

            Osuji (2016) carried out a research on “Impact of School Facilities on Learners with hearing impairment Academic Performances in Public secondary schools in Zaria and Giwa Education Zones in Kaduna State”. The study adopted the use of descriptive survey research design and out of the total population of 2093, 628 copies of questionnaire were administered, but only 600 were correctly filled and returned, consisting of24 principals and 576 teachers. The instrument tagged, ―School Facilities on Learners with hearing impairment Academic Performance Questionnaire,(SFSAPQ) in Public Secondary Schools In Giwa and Zaria Education Zones Questionnaire‖ was used to collect data from respondents. Findings of the study among others revealed that there is no significant difference in the opinions of teachers and principals on the impact of teaching facilities on learners with hearing impairment academic performance in Public Secondary Schools in Giwa and Zaria Education Zones in Kaduna State. Also, finding shows that there is no significant difference in the view of respondents on the impact of welfare/health facilities on learners with hearing impairment academic performances in secondary schools in Giwa and Zaria Education Zones in Kaduna State. In view of the findings, it was concluded that school facilities remain one essential factor in the realization of the goals of secondary education. The researcher recommended that: government and school managers should make effort to provide teaching and learning facilities such as chairs, tables, laboratories, computers/ICT, and classrooms in Public secondary schools in Giwa and Zaria Education Zones in Kaduna State, Nigeria.

Asiyai, (2012), investigated school facilitates in public secondary schools in Delta State, Nigeria. The purpose of the study was to find out the state of the facilities, the types of maintenance carried out on the facilities by school administrators, the factors encouraging school facilities depreciation and the roles of school administrators in the management and maintenance of school facilities. The study employed the ex-post-facto research design. The questionnaire was the instrument for data collection from 640 respondents selected through stratified sampling techniques from all the 358 public secondary schools in the state. Her Findings revealed that school facilities in the schools are generally in a state of disrepair. The findings further revealed that the maintenance carried out on school facilities were inadequate or majority of the facilities. The factors encouraging school facilities deprecation included excess pressure on available facilities and delayed maintenance amongst others. The roles of school administrators in the management and maintenance of school facilities included periodic inspection of facilities and decentralization of maintenance. The study recommended that school administrators, teachers and learners with hearing impairment should develop and inculcate good maintenance culture; government should budget for facilities maintenance and allocate more funds to schools for effective management and maintenance of school facilities.

Auta, (2012), examined Impact of School Facilities on Teaching and Learning in Nigerian Air Force Secondary Schools. The purpose of this study was to find out how electricity, pipe-borne water, classroom and laboratory have impact on teaching and learning in Nigerian Air Force Schools. Four research questions were asked and four null hypotheses formulated and tested using ANOVA at 0.05 level of significant. The research design adopted in the study was descriptive survey. Structured questionnaire was designed by the researcher and administered in Air Force Secondary Schools Kaduna, Jos and Port Harcourt. The major findings of this study revealed that hypotheses one and two retained while the third and fourth hypotheses were rejected. Based on the findings, it was recommended that Nigeria Air force directorate should make effort to supply electricity at all times in schools, provide enough classrooms and other facilities in all the Nigerian air force Schools.

2.10 Summary of Reviewed Literatures

An attempt has been made in this research to utilize the relevant literature to examine the impact of school facilities on learners with hearing impairment academic performances in secondary schools. School facilities refers to the school site, the buildings, the playgrounds, the equipment and other material resources provided in the school for effective teaching and learning operations. School facilities as viewed by different authors were found to be very much important to teaching and learning in schools. Some basic concept such as teaching facilities, learning facilities, health/ welfare facilities as well as sport and recreational facilities were defined. Also the impacts of these facilities on learners with hearing impairment performance were also given. Types of school facilities were noted, such as Infrastructural facilities, Instructional facilities and School physical environment. Maintenance of school facilities were also discussed, such as preventive, regular, reoccurring, and emergency maintenance. Also the importance of school facilities were explained, which off course promote effective teaching and learning in schools. It is seen as the physical interpretation of the school curriculum. Four Empirical studies were also given. It was noticed that teaching and learning cannot take place if there are no adequate school facilities.