ABSTRACT
This
paper compares and examines the performance of secondary school students who
were candidates in food and nutrition examinations of both the West African
Examination Council (WAEC) and National Examination Council (NECO) from
2003-2012. Through quantitative analysis, the researcher thoroughly examined
and analyzed results and statistics from both examining bodies in Nigeria, and
to also identify margin of errors recorded in the chosen study areas. The
researcher undertook a quantitative analysis of the performance of candidates
who wrote the food and nutrition examinations in the following states-Kano,
Lagos, Enugu, Akwa-Ibom and Rivers State so as to establish their comparability
for control purposes. The research design was correlation. A sample of 347,609 candidates was drawn from a population of 1,422,133
examination candidates using a purposive sampling technique. The instruments
for data collection included WAEC and NECO SSCE results forms. Ten (10)
hypotheses were tested with the T-test set at 0.05 alpha levels. Findings
indicated a statistically significant difference level between candidates’
performance in WAEC and NECO in food and nutrition in all sampled states as
well as performance dependency on the education policies and facilities provided
by the state governments.
Key Words: Student Performance,
Secondary School, Academic achievement, WAEC, NECO.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Over
the years, students’ performance appraisal and evaluation has been proven to be
a vital tool in the development and growth of educational systems in Nigeria.
The performance of secondary school students who enroll as candidates for both
WAEC and NECO need to be properly examined to check against factors that
negatively bring about deviations in the two examinations as well as develop
measures to optimize performances in these two examination bodies.
As
globalization is fast appearing real, Nigeria has to step up the standards of
her examination bodies, compare results and performances of students over time,
and establish good control systems for its examining bodies so as to meet
international standards and eliminate the ‘WAEC and NECO discrimination’ which
is currently preventing our secondary school students from gaining admission to
some universities outside Nigeria.
The assemblage of subject
examinations conducted by these examining bodies is known as the Senior
Secondary School Certificate Examination (SSCE) and serves as an end-of-course
evaluation for all secondary school graduates. The purpose of this examination
is to ascertain to what degree students in a particular course have achieved
the course or educational objectives (Offor, 2001). In view of the economic and
social importance attached to senior secondary school certificates, and the
opportunities for higher education for those who posses such certificates, the
awarding of this certificate is one of the most important events in the
Nigerian academic calendar. It thus goes without saying that much is expected
from certificate examining and awarding bodies in terms of ensuring that the
spirit and focus of the examinations is not misplaced.
Various
studies matching performance of secondary school students in WAEC and NECO SSCE
have received much attention over the years. With the creation of the West
African Examination Council, it became necessary for the government and other
stake holders in the education sector to monitor and control the activities of
these examination bodies to ensure that international standards are met.
Researchers
like James Kplovie (2006) and Nwachukwu Oluebube are one of the pioneers on
studies involving comparing performance of secondary school students in WAEC
and NECO. In their first research titled ‘appraising the performance of
secondary school students from 2004 to 2006, they found out in their hypothesis that there was
a statistically significant positive relationship between candidates’
performance on the WAEC SSCE and NECO SSCE between 2004 and 2006 at 0.05 alpha
level. This positive relationship means that candidates who scored well on
WAEC’s SSCE also did well on NECO’s SSCE. Those that performed averagely on
WAEC’s SSCE, performed likewise on NECO’s SSCE and so on. The degree of association
or linkage between WAEC’s Mathematics SSCE and NECO’s Mathematics SSCE from
2004 to 2006 was 0.475. The coefficient of alienation 1 − r 2 was found to be
0.89. The percentage of association (r2 x 100) was 21.62%. This value
represents the magnitude of the relationship between candidates’ Mathematics
performance on WAEC’s SSCE and their corresponding Mathematics performance on
NECO’s SSCE.
Although literature on
secondary schools’ students performance in WAEC and NECO is not much, the
significance of the few published are invaluable to our society.
1.2
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
The noble objective of
secondary school education can be achieved if there is an effective evaluation
and assessment machinery. Both the West African Examination Council Examination
and the National Examination Council have lost their value as they are not
recognized by some foreign countries due to integrity and standards issues
(Kplovie, 2006).
The need for our
examination bodies to gain world wide respect and recognition has prompted the
researcher to establish grounds for comparability of our examination bodies,
test performance comparability of students with various quantitative analyses
so as to identify various loopholes in both WAEC and NECO examinations, and
suggest adequate measures to maintain high standards in our examinations.
1.1
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
The general purpose of this
study is to compare and examine the performance of secondary school students in
WAEC and NECO examinations from 2003-2012. The specific objectives of this
study are:
1. What
is mean achievement score of food and nutrition students in 2007 WAEC exams?
2. What
is mean achievement score of food and nutrition students in 2008 WAEC exams?
3. What
is mean achievement score of food and nutrition students in 2009 WAEC exams?
4. What
is mean achievement score of food and nutrition students in 2010 WAEC exams?
5. What
is mean achievement score of food and nutrition students in 2011 WAEC exams?
6. What
is mean achievement score of food and nutrition students in 2007 NECO exams?
7. What
is mean achievement score of food and nutrition students in 2008 NECO exams?
8. What
is mean achievement score of food and nutrition students in 2009 NECO exams?
9. What
is mean achievement score of food and nutrition students in 2010 NECO exams?
10. What
is mean achievement score of food and nutrition students in 2008 NECO exams?
1.4 RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS
2. Ho:
There is no significant difference between the mean achievement score of 2003
WAEC and NECO candidates.
3. Hi:
There is a significant difference between the mean achievement score of 2003
WAEC and NECO candidates.
4. There
is no significant difference between the mean achievement score of 2004 WAEC
and NECO candidates.
5. There
is no significant difference between the mean achievement score of 2005 WAEC
and NECO candidates.
6. There
is a significant difference between the mean achievement score of 2005 WAEC and
NECO candidates.
7. There
is no significant difference between the mean achievement score of 2006WAEC and
NECO candidates.
8. There
is a significant difference between the mean achievement score of 2006 WAEC and
NECO candidate.
9. There
is no significant difference between the mean achievement score of 2007 WAEC
and NECO candidates.
10. There
is a significant difference between the mean achievement score of 2007 WAEC and
NECO candidates.
1.5 SCOPE OF STUDY
This research work focuses on the comparisons and relationship
between academic performances of students who sat for food and nutrition WAEC
and NECO examinations from 2007-2011 using some selected States in Nigeria as
case study. This research
work covers all public and private secondary schools students in the selected
states.
1.6 SIGNIFICANCE
OF THE STUDY
First, the study will provide adequate measures for
addressing loop holes and other challenges present in the current
administration of WAEC and NECO examinations in order to ensure the integrity
and international respects of these examining bodies.
Second, the
study will provide
comprehensive information for
educational planners, educators,
and parents on
how they can
assist students to perform better
in subsequent examinations.
Lastly, it will serve as a contribution to knowledge
in the subject area. In this regard,
it will be
useful for other
researchers who might want to
carry out research in related areas.
1.7 RESEARCH
METHODOLOGY
A
historical research design will be use in carrying out this study. The sample
for this study constitutes Fifteen thousand, two hundred and thirteen (15,213)
candidates who sat for food and nutrition examinations in the chosen states and
year brackets. For this research work, purposive sampling technique will be
used. This study will be restricted to the categories of students the
researcher considered essentially relevant to issues being investigated. Simple
percentage statistical analysis will be used for the study.
1.8 LIMITATION OF THE STUDY
The
only limitation faced by the researcher in the course of carrying out this
study was the delay in getting data from the two examination bodies as
accessibility was a major challenge. Since most of the data and information
were tagged ‘confidential’ it was difficult getting statistics from WAEC and
NECO offices as these statistics are not available on the internet. The
researcher also found it difficult to analyze some of the data and statistics
gotten since some of the data are either in-complete or not available.
1.9 DIFINITION OF TERMS
Academic
achievement: or (academic)
performance is the outcome of education
— the extent to which a student, teacher or institution has achieved their
educational goals.
Secondary school: (also "high
school") is a term used to describe an educational institution where the
final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory
up to a specified age, takes place. It follows elementary or primary education,
and may be followed by university (tertiary) education (Orji, 2002).
1.10
STUDY PLAN
Chapter
one of this study includes the general introduction, background information
about the study, statement of the problem, objectives of the study, research
questions, scope of the study, significance of the study, and the limitation of
the study.
Chapter
two reviews all relevant literatures relating to the study as well as the
researcher’s views concerning previous studies on the challenges of tax
policies.
Chapter
three includes the methodology applied in collecting and analyzing data,
population definition, study site, and limitations.
Chapter
four presents the results of the study as well as data analyzed, and the
interpretation of the analyzed data.
Chapter
five includes a summary of the study, conclusion and recommendations based on
the findings from the study.