CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1. BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Parts of East Asia have long been known for the scale and intensity of private supplementary tutoring (Lee et al. 2010; Rohlen 1980; Zeng 1999). In recent years, private supplementary tutoring has become a global phenomenon (Bray 2009; Lee et al. 2009; Mori and Baker 2010). The activity consumes considerable household resources, occupies much of the time of children and youths and has far-reaching social and economic implications. In the Republic of Korea, 86.8 % of elementary students and 72.2 % of middle school students were estimated to have received supplementary tutoring in 2010, with the tutoring sector consuming approximately 3 % of Gross Domestic Product (Lee 2013: 41, 52).

This was an extreme case, but proportions were high and growing in many other parts of the world (Bray 2009: 18–19). Within the literature, private supplementary tutoring is widely called shadow education (e.g., Aslam and Atherton 2012; Bray 1999; Buchmann 2002; Lee et al. 2009). The vocabulary is used because much content of private supplementary tutoring imitates that in the schools. If the authorities change the curriculum in the schools, before long it changes in the shadow. However, like many metaphors, the vocabulary has limitations. In particular, some forms of private tutoring supplement schooling with additional content rather than just mimicked content. Issues of vocabulary and focus need attention from a methodological perspective since they can contribute to confusions. An obvious question for stakeholders is whether private supplementary tutoring ‘‘works’’ in the sense of raising students’ academic achievement. It is easy to find strong affirmative answers. Crotty (2012), for example, writing as a journalist, declared that private tutoring ‘‘is a highly effective way to ensure academic excellence.’’ As one might expect, similar sweeping statements are commonly presented by the industry itself (e.g., Growing Stars 2013; Tutors International 2013). Perhaps more surprising is equally sweeping statements from parts of the academic community. Baily (2012: 382) declared that ‘‘the benefit of private tutoring is unarguable’’; and U¨ nal et al. (2010: 5513) asserted that ‘‘private tutoring, like any teaching and learning interaction, undoubtedly has positive outcomes for individuals.’’ Such statements need scrutiny. Much must surely depend on the nature of the tutoring, the volumes of tutoring, the qualities of the tutors, the motivations of the students and many other factors. More careful researchers would agree with Byun (2014: 40) that ‘‘empirical evidence has been inconsistent, contradictory and even confusing.’’

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Shadow education is becoming very important in Nigeria to improve the academic performance of students. But there are some challenges posed by shadow education especially for the study boarding students. Most boarding schools can either be all girls or all boys; this will gender choice of teachers for the schools respectively. The female boarding schools will prefer a female private tutor while the boys’ boarding schools will prefer a male teacher.  Secondly lack of instructional materials may also affect the effective practice of shadow education by most boarding schools in Logos State.

1.3 AIM AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The main aim of the research work is to determine the effect of shadow education on the academic performance of boarding students in Lagos State. The objectives of the study are:

1. to determine the relationship between shadow education and academic performance of boarding students in Lagos State.
2. to determine the extent to which shadow education affects the academic performance of boarding students in Lagos State
3. to investigate the factors affecting the practice of shadow education in boarding schools in Lagos State
4. to proffer solution to the above problem

1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

The study came up with research questions so as to ascertain the above stated objectives of the study. The research questions for the study are:

1. What is the relationship between shadow education and academic performance of boarding students in Lagos State?
2. To what extent has shadow education affected the academic performance of boarding students in Lagos State?
3. What are the factors affecting the practice of shadow education in boarding schools in Lagos State?
4. What is the way forward to the issue connected with shadow education

1.5 STATEMENT OF THE HYPOTHESIS

H0: there is no significant relationship between shadow education and academic performance of boarding students in Lagos State

H1: there is significant relationship between shadow education and academic performance of boarding students in Lagos State

1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The study on the effect of shadow education on the academic performance of boarding students in Lagos State will be of immense benefit to the entire boarding schools in Lagos State. The study will establish a correlation between shadow education and the academic performance of boarding students in Lagos State. The study will serve as a repository of information to other researchers that desire to carry out similar research on the above topic. Finally the study will contribute to the body of the existing literature on the effect of shadow education on the academic performance.

1.7 SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The study the effect of shadow education on the academic performance of students with focus on three boarding schools (green springs school, white Dove Schools and St Gregory’s College) in Lagos State.

1.8 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

1.9 DEFINITION OF TERMS

Shadow education: Shadow education is defined based in three parameters: supplementation: tutoring which covers subjects which are already covered in school, and excluding, for example, language classes for minority children whose families are anxious that new generations retain competence in languages not taught in mainstream schools.

Academic performance: Academic performance or "academic achievement" is the extent to which a student, teacher or institution has attained their short or long-term educational goals

Boarding school: A boarding school provides education for pupils who live on the premises, as opposed to a day school.