ABSTRACT

This study was intended to assess the factors responsible for the poor academic performance in public primary schools. This study was guided by the following objectives; Ascertain environmental factors as causes of poor academic performance of pupils in primary schools in Makurdi Benue State, Examine teachers factors as causes of poor academic performance of pupils in primary schools in Makurdi Benue State, Determine the attitudes of pupils as causes of poor academic performance of pupils in primary schools in Makurdi Benue State, Find out attitudes of parent as causes of pupils poor academic performance in primary schools in Makurdi Benue State. The study employed survey method; questionnaires in addition to library research were applied in order to collect data. Primary and secondary data sources were used and data was analyzed using a number of statistical techniques at 5% level of significance which was presented in frequency tables and percentage. The respondents under the study were 149 teachers from five selected primary schools in Makurdi Benue State. The findings from the study revealed that environmental factors such as crowded classrooms, inadequate instructional materials as well as supervision and poor pupils background as well as poor infrastructures in school leads to poor academic performance. This study also revealed that teachers factors such as lack of quality teachers, inadequate teaching skills, inability of school management to organized training and re-training for their staff  as well as extreme dependence on textbooks leads to poor academic performance in primary schools. The outcome of this study will also help the government the non-go-environment agencies and the society at large to know and appreciate their effort and give necessary support for the improvement of teaching and learning in primary schools.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1   Background of the Study

Learning is the knowledge or skill acquired through study, which reflects in the way students respond to environmental, social, emotional, and physical incentives as well as understand new information (R. Gross, 2010). Academic performance is considered as a complex student’s behavior that inspires a number of abilities like memory, previous knowledge or aptitude, as well as psychological factors (I. J. Deary, 2015). Nowadays, in most of the university students’ academic performance has become an important issue for researchers (D. D. S. Tilley, 2017). Educators, trainers, and researchers have given emphasize in discovering variables that have a significant contribution to the performance of learners (F. Alshammari, 2017). Academic performance is the assessment of a student's ability in a variety of academic areas. Classroom performance, graduation rates, and standardized test results are commonly used by teachers and education administrators to evaluate student accomplishment. University life is one of life's most memorable experiences and a vital growth phase for young people (A. W Chickering, 2017). During this university period, many students dedicate most of their time for their studies particularly, during examinations yet, their performance is not up to the mark due to stress and other factors (S. O. Olatunji, 2016). Gender, age, teaching faculty, students' schooling, father/guardian socioeconomic status, residential area of students, medium of instruction in schools, tuition trend, daily study hour, and accommodation as hostelries or day scholars have all been identified as potential factors that affect a student's academic performance in previous studies (S. Ali, Z. Haider, 2013). Students’ academic performances have been studied at different levels by different researchers. According to Graetz, a student's educational progress is significantly influenced by the socioeconomic position of his or her parents/guardians (B. Graetz, 2018). The study of Considine and Zappala (G. Considine and G. Zappalà, 2016) added that the student test score in the examination is influenced by the parent’s income and social status. In addition, Bratti and Staffolani (M. Bratti and S. Staffolani, 2013) observed that a student’s future accomplishment largely depends on his/her previous educational outcomes where a greater past appearance indicates that the student will perform better academically in future undertakings. Academic performance of the students influences a country’s social and economic development (N. Ali, K. Jusof, 2014); as a result, studies focusing on aspects related to academic performance, particularly those emphasizing institutional, psychological, pedagogical, social, and demographic variables for institutional reform, have grown in importance (V. Aramburo, 2014). Several researches have been conducted in numerous universities throughout the world to discover the factors that contribute to poor academic performance. The majority of these research concentrate on the three intervening elements: parents (family causal factors), teachers (academic causal factors), and students (student causal factors) (personal causal factors) (A. Diaz, 2017).

1.2   Statement of problem

The differential scholastic achievement of students in Nigeria has been and still a source of concern and research interest to educators, government and parents. This is so because of the great importance that education has on the national development of the country. All over the country, there is a consensus of opinion about the fallen standard of education in Nigeria (Adebule, 2016). Parents and government are in total agreement that their huge investment on education is not yielding the desired dividend. Teachers also complain of student’s low performance at both internal and external examination. This problem are attributed to poor foundation from primary school due to poor teaching standards as well as other factors such poor funding of education by government as well as negligence by parents. It is against this constraints that the researcher sees the subject matter as an empirical problem worthy of investigation.

1.3   Objectives of the Study

The central objective of the study is to assess the factors responsible for the poor academic performance in public primary schools. The specific objectives are:

i.      Ascertain environmental factors as causes of poor academic performance of pupils in primary schools in Makurdi Benue State.

ii.     Examine teachers factors as causes of poor academic performance of pupils in primary schools in Makurdi Benue State.

iii.    Determine the attitudes of pupils as causes of poor academic performance of pupils in primary schools in Makurdi Benue State.

iv.    Find out attitudes of parent as causes of pupils poor academic performance in primary schools in Makurdi Benue State.

1.4   Research Questions

        This research will attempt to answer the following questions:

1. Is the poor performance of pupils in primary schools in Makurdi Benue State caused by environmental factors?
2. Is the poor performance of pupils in primary school Makurdi Benue State caused by teacher’s factors?
3. Is the poor performance of pupils in primary school Makurdi Benue State caused by teacher’s factors?
4. Is the poor performance of pupils in primary school Makurdi Benue State caused by the attitudes of parents?  

1.5   Basic assumptions

From the poor academic performance of the pupils from public primary schools in Makurdi Benue State the researcher based her assumption as follow:

1. The poor academic performance of pupils in public primary schools in Makurdi Benue State is predicated on the pupils’ study habits and attitudes to learning only.
2. That the non-availability of instructional and other facilities like classroom size furniture etc influences pupils academic performance in public primary schools in Makurdi Benue State. The pupil’s environment and regular visit of inspector of education influence. The academic performance in public primary schools in the area of study.

1.6   Significance of the study

The justification of the study lies in the fact that it will bring out and correct the factors that lead to poor academic performance in the public primary schools. It will also help the government the non-go-environment agencies and the society at large to know and appreciate their effort and give necessary support for the improvement of teaching and learning in out primary schools.

1.7   Scope of the study

This research work covers an empirical study performance of pupils in public primary schools in Makurdi Benue State. The study focused entirely on the academic aspects of the schools. Therefore, the finding in this research work is guided or dependent on information derived from the sample schools. The study covers a period from 2015-2025.

1.8 Definition of terms

Performance: The accomplishment of a given task measured against preset known standards of accuracy, completeness, cost, and speed.

Academic achievement: level of schooling you have successfully completed and the ability to attain success in your studies.

Poor academic performance: school achievement below the expected for a given age, cognitive skills, and schooling.