FACTORS ACCOUNTABLE FOR POOR ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT IN JUNIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN ENUGU NORTH LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA

Abstract

The objective of this study is to determine the factors accountable for poor academic achievements in junior secondary schools in Enugu North local government area. The research design for the study was survey. The population includes 761 teachers from 9 public secondary schools in the area, out of which a sample size of 120 was drawn at random. A close-ended questionnaire was used as the instrument of study. This instrument was validated by two experts. The test re-test method was used to test for the reliability of the instrument and data obtained was used to compute the reliability coefficient using the Pearson Product moment coefficient which gave a result of 0.87. The mean statistic was adopted as the method of data analysis. Findings revealed that factors contributing to poor academic performance are governmental factors: Inadequate Financial Allocation, unavailability of teaching aids, Lack or Inadequacy of Facilities/Materials, inadequate learning environment, class size and teachers’ qualification. With these factors in place, the problem of poor academic performance will be on the rise, while school factors that affect the students in junior secondary schools, are poor teaching methods causes students to lose interest to the lesson, unavailability of teaching aids makes the lesson much more difficult to understand, unmotivated peer groups reduces the student’s study habit and causes un-seriousness, inadequate learning environment and improper class size makes the students to lose concentration from the lesson, teachers with poor qualification cannot adequately and effectively teach the students to the required standard. The study recommended the Policy makers should consider as a matter of priority the issue of increased funding of secondary education in Nigeria to ameliorate problems facing academic performance in secondary schools.