ASSESSMENT OF FACTORS RESPONSIBLE FOR POOR ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF PUPILS IN PUBLIC PRIMARY SCHOOLS Background...

ASSESSMENT OF FACTORS RESPONSIBLE FOR POOR ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF PUPILS IN PUBLIC PRIMARY SCHOOLS Background of the Study Poor academic performance according to Aremu
(2003) is a performance that is adjudged by the
examine/testee and some other significant as
falling below an expected standard. Poor
academic performance has been observed in
school subjects especially Mathematics and English language among primary school pupils
(Adesemowo, 2005). Aremu (2000) stresses
that academic failure is not only frustrating to the
pupils and the parents, its effects are equally
grave on the society in terms of dearth of
manpower in all spheres of the economy and politics. Education at primary school level is supposed to
be the bedrock and the foundation towards
higher knowledge in tertiary institutions. It is an
investment as well as an instrument that can be
used to achieve a more rapid economic, social,
political, technological, scientific and cultural development in the country. The National Policy
on Education (2004) stipulated that primary
education is an instrument for national
development that fosters the worth and
development of the individual for further
education and development, general development of the society and equality of
educational opportunities to all Nigerian children
irrespective of any real or marginal disabilities. The role of primary education is to lay the
foundation for further education and if a good
foundation is laid at this level, there are likely to
be no problem at subsequent levels. However,
different people at different times have passed
the blame of poor performance in primary school to pupils because of their low retention,
parental factors, association with wrong peers,
low achievement, low retention, and the likes
(Aremu & Sokan, 2003; Aremu & Oluwole 2001;
Aremu, 2000). Morakinyo (2003) believe that the falling level of
academic achievement is attributable to teacher’s
non-use of verbal reinforcement strategy. Others
found out that the attitude of some teachers to
their job is reflected in their poor attendance to
lessons, lateness to school, unsavory comments about pupil’s performance that could damage
their ego, poor method of teaching and the likes
affect pupils’ academic performance. The question therefore is what is the cause of
this fallen standard and poor academic
performance of pupils? Is the fault entirely that
of teachers or pupils or both of them? Is it that
pupils of today are non achievers because they
have low intelligent quotient and a good neutral mechanism to be able to act purposefully, think
rationally and deal effectively with academic
tasks? Or of is it because teachers are no longer
putting in much commitment as before? Or is it in
teachers’ method of teaching and interaction
with pupils? Or is the poor performance of pupils caused by parents’ perception of the causes of
poor academic performance among primary
school students in Nigeria. 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, 2004). 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 Gwagwalada Area Council
Abuja.
ii. Examine teachers factors as causes of poor
academic performance of pupils in primary
schools in Gwagwalada Area Council Abuja.
iii. Determine the attitudes of pupils as causes of poor academic performance of pupils in
primary schools in Gwagwalada Area Council
Abuja.
iv. Find out attitudes of parent as causes of
pupils poor academic performance in primary
schools in Gwagwalada Area Council Abuja.?

1 Answers Available
Asked by umar shuaibu on 15th November, 2018