CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1     BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Over the years, some educators have argued that entry standards are the most important determinants of succes in universities; others maintain that non-academic factors must also be considered. This implies that there is considerable evidence that the views and expectations about success held by lecturers and students are not always consistent. Fadokun (2009) asserted that schools are established with the aim of impacting knowledge and the world over, institutions have come to be recognized as centers of knowledge accumulation and knowledge transfer with students being the most essential asset for any educational institute.

According to Akomolafe and Olorunfemi-Olabisi (2011) stakeholders in Nigerian educational system ranging from; parents, guardians, lecturers, family members, counsellors, and many others, are so much concerned about students’ achievements and academic standard. Reason for this is probably because success in education is highly instrumental to the development of a nation. However, as students’ progress from admission to graduation, a complex interaction of some factors such as personal, social, academic and institutional factors tend to influence the quality of their educational experiences. The issue of poor academic performance of students in Nigeria has therefore become a source of concern to most parties involved in the delivery of quality education within the country. This unhealthy situation has led to the widely acclaimed fallen standard of education in Nigeria (Akiri and Ugborugbo, 2009; Bamidele and Bamidele, 2013).

Nation building depends largely on the productive capacities of youth as an engine room for development. A literate youth is an asset of any nation as it is evident that from the available literature (Gideon, 2012 ; Manan & Mohammad, 2003), students significantly contributes to the development of nations economies through creativities and innovative breakthroughs that results in growth and development.

However, performance of students in Nigerian Universities is not only a matter of concern for educationists but also an important issue for both government and private sector organizations in the labour markets as empirical evidence show that employers in the Nigerian business sector today, emphasizes on the importance of good academic performance for various job positions. As a result of the competitive nature of the Nigerian business environment, most business organizations (public and privately owned) are becoming under intense pressure to adopt strategies that will enable them employ best graduates from the labour market to help in using their productive capacities to manage their organizations more effectively and efficiently (Akpan, 2003).

Studies in the past have identified study habit, student’s self-concept, teacher’s qualification, teaching method, school environment and government as factors influencing students’ academic performance and the primary environment of the students is the home and it stands to exert tremendous impact on students’ achievements. Some research also reveals that there exist a relationship between academic achievement and some demographic characteristics. According to Keith, Byerly, Floerchinger, Pence and Thornberg (2006) there exists a positive relationship between age and academic performance. Kaur, Chung, and Lee (2010) however observed that age does not significantly contribute to academic performance of university students in distance learning. There is also gender differences in the academic performance of male and female students (Cole and Espinoza, 2008; Jaeger and Eagan, 2007). Yousefi (2010) found relationship between family income and academic achievement of high school students, while Tuttle (2004) found that students’ academic performance correlates with locality of residence and household income.

1.2     STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Generally, failure or poor performance has many disadvantages in various fields, since learning and teaching are very important and considered a necessity for life at the present time. The problem of low achievement at examinations is a big problem causing a lot of negative and dangerous effects on the family and the community together. As for the family facing this problem, its individuals are suffering from instability and the emergence of cases of violence and escaping from the house and other things that sometimes destroy the family which will reflect negatively on the community as a whole. Accordingly, this can lead to imbalance and inharmonic among the community members. Because of the distraction of the social structure where it causes the irregularity in the tasks performed by its members, the emergence of social classes, and a failed and unsuccessful class in its life considered as a burden on community that lead to wide gaps among the members of the community.

The problem of low academic achievement is one of the biggest problems that is facing the modern educational institutions, which hindered them from the implementation of their educational mission appropriately. Still, this problem may lead to the presence of a group of students who are unable to pursue their courses with their colleagues because of their weak potentials, becoming a source of annoyance, chaos and inconvenience to the teacher and the rest of the students and this in turn leads to disruption of the educational process in the classroom and in the whole school.

Though, many parents complain of low academic achievement experienced by their children, unaware of the real reasons behind this weakness and ways to solve it. Some parents might use non educational and useless methods such as physical punishment to urge their children to be hardworking in their studying. Unfortunately, these coercive methods cannot lead to improved conditions of their children, on the contrary, they can provide undesirable consequences.

This emphasizes on the need to investigate those factors affecting the academic performance of students in Nigerian higher institutions and providing the way out.

1.3     PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

The main purpose of this study is to assess the causes of students poor performance in Kenpoly: the way out. Specific objectives includes:

1.       To find out the effect of learning facilities on students performance.

2.       To find out the effect of students attitude to learning on their academic.

3.       To find out the effect of lecturers attitude on students’ performance.

4.       To find out possible solutions to the identified problems.

1.4     SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The Ministry of Education may utilize the findings to eliminate those factors identified as contributing to the poor academic performance.

The findings will help lecturers to re-examine their method of teaching in order to improve students’ performance.

The parents/guardians may use the findings to adapt any of the recommendations for the benefits of their children’s academic performance.

It will also add to the growth of knowledge on factors affecting students’ performance

1.5     RESEARCH QUESTIONS

This study is guided by the following research questions:

1.       What are the effect of learning facilities on students performance?

2.       What are the effects of students attitude to learning on thier academic?

3.       What are the effects of lecturers attitude on student’s performance?

4.       What are the possible solutions to the identified probems?

1.6     RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS

The following null hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance.

Ho1:  There is no significant difference in the mean ratings of the marketing and otm students as regards the effect of learning facilities on students performance.

Ho2:  There is no significant difference in the mean ratings of the marketing and otm students as regards theeffects of students attitude to learning on their academic.

Ho3:  There is no significant difference in the mean ratings of the marketing and otm students as regards the effects of lecturers attitude on student’s performnace.

Ho4:  There is no significant difference in the mean ratings of the marketing and otm students as regards the possible solutions to the identified problem

1.7     SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The aim of the study was to assess the causes, effects and solutions to students poor performance in Kenpoly. The target respondents were students. The study is limited to selected students in Kenule Beeson Saro-Wiwa Polytechnic. This selected students includes HND students of Marketing and HND students of Office Technology and Management.