CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Learning is described as the act of a person who acquires new knowledge or skill which may lead to quality change and growth in assimilating and disseminating information.

In recent times, students have faced diverse and challenging issues when it comes to learning. Of course it is a proven fact that secondary school students in Nigeria till date lag behind students in other nations because of the difficulties they face in learning. Some of the pronounced problems they encounter in learning are the unavailability of appropriate textbooks and classroom resources. These students are unable to meet national standards for standardized examinations because of the incompetent teaches, inadequate learning environment to mention but a few. Their desire to use the internet as a source of information gathering is most times not fulfilled. Given these and other issues, it is highly essential to understand, welcome, and build upon the abilities of student’s learners, and at the same time making instruction to suit and resolve the problems or difficulties encountered by them. In the field of education or learning, psychology has a lot to bring on the table. In recent times, there have been quite a number of vital improvements in the study of student’s cognition and motivation, and this recent knowledge has a lot to add to the development of learning. Learning to a great degree needs the coordination of a complex set of cognitive, affective, and motivational strategies and skills. In particular, previous study from educational psychology can chip in greatly to our understanding of how students’ gain and process knowledge; overcome misbelieve and mistrust; learn to think and reason like serious and good students; evaluate sources of information; and reconcile personal beliefs with educational content.

A lot of researchers have researched and come up with comprehensive report documents for enhancing learning for secondary school students. This well researched resource comprises much vital information, and serves as an extremely good and awesome podium from which to start considering the special needs of student learners. Given these noticeable and pronounced changes, it is essential to point from the beginning that secondary school students’ learning and instruction specifically varies other students. First, secondary school students face unique challenges for educators. Second, secondary school teachers usually are trained in special institutions to teach secondary school students.

The unproductive teaching and learning of method in schools due to the conventional method of teaching that has overshadowed the classroom all over the world has been linked with the difficulties in learning. Conventional ways of teaching have been seen to be very unproductive and full of diverse deficiencies that do not permit students to actively craft and implement their own learning knowledge. It has negatively and unfavorably influencedproductive learning at the different levels of education. Education today is facing numerous difficulties in terms of student learning, performance and this is as result of the introduction of new topics into the curriculum which the teachers perceive as difficult to teach.

There are quite a good number learning problems students and teacher face in the classroom and has a direct influence on the teaching and learning process. They include; forgetting school tools, frequent absence, lack of attention, hyperactivity, inappropriate talk in the classroom vandalism, disobedience, aggressiveness, refused to do tasks and school works. Of course there is no system without challenges. The purpose of learning problems could be spelled out as follows. School Administration, which plays acrucial role in making sure there is well disciplined classroom. Teachers: They are known play a good role in solving classroom problems when they do not make their aims clear and vivid. A teacher who persists on a classroom full of activity, and quietness’ by keeping the students busy, working all the time without any break in the activities, lead to humiliation working and activity for the students will make the probability of classroom issues and challenges due to classroom discipline. Family: thirdly, the lifestyle of the family and environment will also play its role on coordinating the attitudes of students. Finally, such problems and behaviors could be resolved through the introduction of different educational programs by the school, giving serious attention to activities, which lessen the school curriculum.

STATEMENT OF THE GENERAL PROBLEM

The poor academic performance of secondary school students in northern Nigeria has been a major concern especially the high level of illiteracy in the north. These poor performances of students may have been caused by a host of factors which has made learning in secondary schools difficult thus discouraging youths from having interest in education and has ultimately led to the deterioration of the education sector in Nigeria.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The major aim of the study is to examine the problems and solutions in learning among secondary school students in Nigeria. Other specific objectives of the study include;

1. To examine the effect of learning on academic performance of secondary school students.
2. To determine the importance of learning in nation building.
3. To examine the negative consequences lack of learning among secondary school students in Nigeria.
4. To examine the solutions to lack of learning among secondary school students in Nigeria.
5. To recommend ways of improving learning among secondary school students in Nigeria.

RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1. What are the problems of learning among secondary school students?
2. what are the effect of learning on academic performance of secondary school students?
3. What is the importance of learning in nation building?
4. What is the negative consequence of lack of learning among secondary school students in Nigeria?
5. What are the solutions to lack of learning among secondary school students?
6. What are the ways of improving learning among secondary school students in Nigeria?

RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS

H0: Learning does not have an impact on students’ academic achievement.

H1: Learning has a significant impact on students’ academic achievement.

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The study would be of immense importance to the management of secondary schools as it would reveal the major problems of learning among secondary school students and proffer solutions to these problems. The study would also benefit students, researchers and scholars who are interested in developing further study on the subject matter.

SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

The study is restricted to the problems and solutions of learning among secondary school students in Kobo secondary school, Lapai Niger state.

LIMITATION OF THE 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.