1.1 Introduction
Education as the key to development has the capacity to upgrade teaching effectiveness as well as learning efficiency among learners, efforts by have being made by school administrators to improve the performance of Public secondary school students. The school environment, which include the classrooms, libraries, technical workshops, laboratories, teachers’ quality, school management, teaching methods, peers, etc are variables that affect students’ academic achievement (Ajayi, 2001 and Oluchukwu, 2000). Hence, the school environment remains an important area that has to study and well managed to enhance students’ academic performance.
As a prelude to other parts of this study, this chapter will discuss the background upon which this study was initiated, the statement of problems that led to this study, the Aim and Objectives of the study. Others are Significance of the study, Scope of work, Research hypothesis and questions, Limitations of the Study and Definition of technical terms.
1.2 Background of Study
According to Hussain (2006) secondary school students in public schools often come from economically poor and average income families. These families face various problems causing emotional disturbance among their children. This singular factor has caused serious damage to the achievement status to secondary school students.
In modern age, the quest for knowledge and excellence has made the society more complex and as a result creates the problems of career choice among youths just coming out from secondary schools. Often, the adolescent students choose subjects for which they have no interest or ability on and the effect is always failure on the part of the students and in some cases, frustration which eventually leads to drop out with thus choosing a suitable and interesting subjects becomes every developing adolescent’s problem which he or she must in one time or the other face in life time. This eventually becomes not just the individual student’s problem but societal and government responsibility. From the secondary school age, the adolescents are often faced with the problems of choosing subjects that are suitable and relevant for the attainment of a dream career. This process of choice making leads the adolescent to select one form of subject or the other in which he/she is best suited.
Achievement is generally a pedagogical terminology used while determining learners’ success in formal education and which is measured through reports examinations, researches, and ratings with numerous factors of variables exerting influence. Essentially, the National Policy on education (Federal Republic of Nigeria, 2004) has identified school achievement contents according to school subjects which are classified as core or elective subjects.
Furthermore, it was a situation in which young people suddenly learnt their father’s profession. Therefore, if the father was a blacksmith, what this means is that abilities, interest and occupational needs of the pre-colonial society and other variable factors were not considered before choosing occupation by children.
Most importantly, the choice of subject is very crucial in the lives of students as it may affect every aspect of their lives. It is so because it determines the student’s career lives. A right choice in subject making will always afford the students the opportunity to actualize potentials in their chosen future career. It has also been observed that in a simple society, choice of career of subjects relating to such career does not require specialized assistance. In such situation, parents or even peer group could be of influence in some society; there has been little or no knowledge of what goes on in schools. It becomes pertinent that the schools should have valuable assistance in this direction. Students who pass their secondary final examination could always secure employment. This secondary school certificate serves as visa for employment and for admission into higher institutions.
Therefore, in Oredo Local Government Area of Edo State where the research was carried out, the activities that was conducted is to know the Factors Influencing Choice of School Subjects by Senior Secondary School Student.
1.3 Statement of Problems
Owing to the fact that a country’s development lies on the youths of the country which the next generation and engine to growth, therefore, this study intends to examine the specific factors or issues that serve as a barrier to choice of school subjects by senior secondary school students.
1.4 Aim and Objectives of Study
The aim of the study is to scrutinize the Factors Influencing Choice of School Subjects by Senior Secondary School Student in Oredo Local Government Area of Edo State. In achieving this aim, the following specific objectives were laid out as follows:
- To investigate the factors influencing choice of school subjects by senior secondary school students.
- To determine the relative influence of each factor that affects student’s choice in their secondary schools.
- To discover how students combine choice of subject in line with their future career.
1.5 Research Questions
The study came up with research questions so as to be able to ascertain the above stated objectives. The specific research questions for the study are stated below as follows:
- Does the counselling services provided by teachers to student’s choice of subject?
- Does peer group influence affect students’ choice of subject?
- Does the socio-economic background of students affect the choice of school subjects?
- Does government regulation affect students’ choice of subject?
- Does ineffectiveness of senior secondary school teachers reflect on choice of subject made by students?
- Does student’s academic performance and appropriate reading manner affect their choice of subject?
1.6 Research Hypothesis
In order to pursue the objective of this study, the following generalized statements have been designed to guide and aids in obtaining the result for the experiment to be conducted. For this work, the null hypothesis will be represented with H0 while the alternative hypothesis will be represented with hypothesis H1.
Hypothesis One
- H0: There is no significant counselling service provided by teachers to student’s choice of subject
- H1: There is a significant counselling service provided by teachers to student’s choice of subject
Hypothesis Two
- H0: There is no significant factor affecting peer group influence affect students’ choice of subject
- H1: There is a significant factor affecting peer group influence affect students’ choice of subject
1.7 Significance of Study
This study will help students understand themselves, become more effective, be more productive and appear being. Also, the study intend to reinforce the need for training and updating school counsellors who will be of help to the interpretation of students’ test result to place them where they are needed. This study is also aimed at reducing social vices of our young people. many students have drop out of schools due to their inability to recognize their potentials. This study will put them into normal human track and make him sensitive to societal norms/values.
Most parents are ill-informed about the opportunities opened to their children. There is also lack of awareness of what should be the factors to consider before choosing subjects among students themselves. There is also the conflicting value of students at times when they are faced with the problems of making the right choice.
Therefore, the overall significance of this study is to reveal the career aspiration of students and on the promise that it will help career guidance experts in assisting tomorrow’s leaders, making a social decision as regards to their school subject which will save these you8ng people from future failure and frustrations which make them productive and equip them with the prerequisite knowledge for future learning.
1.8 Scope of Study
The study focuses on the Factors Influencing Choice of School Subjects by Senior Secondary School Student in Oredo Local Government Area of Edo State.
1.9 Limitations of the Study
During the course of this study, many things militated against its completion, some of which are:
- Time Constraint: The time frame given to accomplish this project was very short due to school academic calendar and it was carried out under pressure which made the researcher not to implement some necessary features.
- Research material: availability of research material is a major setback to the scope of the study.
- Frequent power failure: This made the researcher append more money on fuel to ensure sustainable power.
- 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).
1.10 Definition of Terms
- Choice: the willingness to select among other options.
- Manner: the way something is done or happens.
- Significance: something that is large or important enough to have an effect.
