AVAILABILITY OF SCIENTIFIC EQUIPMENTS IN THE LABORATORY AND STUDENTS ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN CHEMISTRY IN SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN AKWA IBOM STATE
Abstract
The study examines the availability of scientific equipment in the laboratory
and students academic performance in Chemistry in secondary school in Akwa Ibom
State. Two research questions were formulated for the study. A survey research
design was adopted. Five out of all the public secondary schools in the study
area were selected to constitute a sample of the study A check-list titled
Chemistry Laboratory Equipment Evaluation Check-list titled Chemistry Laboratory
Equipment Evaluation Check-list (CLEEC) was used to collect data on the
equipment present in the school’ Chemistry laboratory. Results of SSCE/NECC,
for 2008-2012 were also collected for data analysis for the analysis of data,
frequency counts, percentages and spearman rank order correlation co-efficient
were used. Results reveallow level of facilities and no correlation between
availability and adequacy- of equipment and performance In SSCE/NECO
examination, it wasrecommended among other recommendations that government
should provide a good and high level of scientific equipment to the public
secondary schools in Akwa Ibom State for the effective teaching and learning of
Chemistry.
Purpose of the
Study
The
purpose of this study is to find out the extent to which none availability of
Chemistry laboratory equipment has effect on the performance of students at
SSCE Chemistry in selected secondary schools in Akwa Ibom State.
Research
Questions
The
following questions were formulated to guide this study:
1. To
what extent does the school selected for the study have adequate physical
structures utilized for Chemistry practical?
2.
How
do adequacy of the materials affect the academic performance of students at
SSCE for the selected years?
Research Design
The
study employed a survey research design to investigage the equipment situation
in secondary schools in AkwaIbom State. The performance of students in
Chemistry SSCE/NECO examinations from 2008 – 2012 in these school were also
involved.
Population of
the Study
The study population was 10, 375. This
consists of all the senior secondary three (SSS3), students in the public
secondary schools in the study area (source: AkwaIbom School Board: 2007-2012).
Sample and
Sampling Technique
A
stratified random sampling method was used to select five out of the fourteen
Public Secondary schoolsin the study area(source: AkwaIbom
School Board: 2007-2012). The schools selected
have been graduating SSCE students for not less than five years. This was to
ensure that the schools selected were WAEC/NECO recognized.
Conclusion
Based
on the findings of this study, it is concluded that availability and the level
of adequacy of scientific equipment in the laboratory in learning and teaching
of Chemistry improved academic performance amongst secondary school students.
In addition, there was no significant correlation between the adequacy of
laboratory equipment and academic performance of the students.
Recommendations
The
following recommendations are made based on the findings:
Public
secondary school in Akwa Ibom State should have available scientific equipment
in teaching learning of Chemistry.
School
authorities should endeavor to provide a good and standard Chemistry laboratory
for the teaching and learning of Chemistry.
Government
should provide a good and high level of scientific equipment to the public
secondary schools Akwa Ibom State for the effective teaching and learning of
Chemistry.
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