CHAPTER
ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1
BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
Education is
the best legacy a nation can give to her citizens especially the youth. This is
because the development of any nation or community depends largely on the
quality of education of such a nation. It is generally believed that the basis
for any true development must commence with the development of human resources.
Formal education remains the vehicles for social-economic development and
social mobilization in any society. In recent times there has been a decline in
the standard of education even at the University level, this has caused
differential academic performance of student in the Universities across
Nigeria. Academic performance has been described as the scholastic standing of
a student at a given moment. This scholastic standing could be explained in
terms of the grades obtained in a course or groups of courses, this is done
after examination has been conducted.
This
study looks at comparative analysis of Education/Economics and Economics
students’ pattern of carryover in courses between 2007-2010 in University of
Benin. Students get carryover in course when they fail the particular course of
study that is when they get grade “F”. Grade “F” is a carryover grade. The
national University commission has generalized grading system for Nigerian
Universities. The table below show this,
Table 1. GP as based on criteria
established by the national Universities Commission (NUC) guidelines.
A = 70% and above = 5points
B = 60%-69% = 4points
C = 50% - 59% = 3points
D = 45- 49% = 2points
E = 40 – 44% = 1points
F = 0 – 39% = 0 points
Source: NUC approved
scoring and Grading system, University of Benin.
From the table above,
it can be seen that grade “F” is 0 points which means the student fail the
particular course in which he/she has the F grade.
Adebule (2004),
opined that scholastic achievement of students in Nigeria Universities has been
and is still a source of concern and research interest to educators, government
and parents, 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.
Failure
in any examination can be attributed to poor performance, poor academic
performance according to Aremu (2003) is a performance that is adjudged by the
examine and testee and some other significant as falling below an expected
standard.
Aremu (2000) stresses
that academic failure is not only frustrating to the students and the parents,
its effect are equally grave on the society in terms of manpower in all spheres
of the economy and politics.
The issue of poor
academics performance of students in Nigeria has been much concern to all and
sundry. The problem is so much that it has led to the widely acclaimed fallen
standard of education in Delta state and Nigeria at large. The quality of
education depends on the teachers are reflected in the performance of their
duties. Over time pupils academic performance in both internal and external
examinations had been used to determine excellence in teachers and teaching
(Ajao 2001). Lecturers have been shown to have an important influence on
students academic achievement and they also play a crucial role in educational
attainment because the teacher is ultimately responsible for translating policy
into action and principles based on practice during interaction with the
students (Afe 2001).
Poor
academic performance of students in Nigeria Universities has been linked to
poor Lecturers performance in terms of accomplishing the teaching task,
negative attitude to work and poor lecturing habits which have been attributed
to poor motivation (Ofoegbu 2004).
It
has also been observed that conditions of infrastructure as well as
instructional materials in the Universities in Nigeria are poor (Oredin 2000).
These prevailing conditions would definitely show a negative influence on the
lecturing quality in Universities, which may translate to poor academic
performance, attitude and values of the University students.
1.2
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
It
is apparent that there is an astronomical decline in students academic
achievement in Nigeria Universities. According to Igbo (2007), lack of success
can lead to inappropriate behavior and frustration on the part of students. In
the university of Benin, lecturers are faced with the task of placing the
students in an educational setting in which services are provided has a setting
tailored to the students learning. The setting in which services are provided
has a strong influence on the academic achievement of the students. A number of
reasons or factors have been found to have contributed to students’ poor
achievement. Some of these factors include students’ study habits and lecturing
methods used by the lecturers in the lecturing process (Yalam & Fatiku,
2007).
1.3
PURPOSE OF STUDY
This
study is aimed at comparatively analyzing the education/economics and economics
students’ pattern of carryover of courses between 2007 to 2010 in University of
Benin. The analysis would be based on the results of students in education
economics between the period of 2007 to 2010 academic session.
1.4
SIGNIFICANT OF THE STUDY
Education
at the university level is the apex of academic study, hence it is believe that
if student pattern improve, academic performance will also improve. The study
typically look at the pattern of carryover of courses of courses of student
offering Education/Economics from the period of 2007 to 2010 and find out
reasons why students fail courses and carryover courses. These reasons can also
be deduced from student’s pattern of carryover and treated accordingly. The
findings of this research will assist students in their academics, the study
will also make recommendations that will be useful to the University of Benin
Community.
1.5
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
This
study would seek to provide answers to the following questions:
1. Is a student’s pattern of carry over dependent on his level in school
2. Is there any significant difference
in the rate of carry over between Education/Economics and Economic student.
3. Is a student’s pattern of carry
over dependent on his course area?
1.6
DEFINITIONS OF TERMS
Study:
The
systematic acquisition of knowledge and an understating of facts and principles
Examination:
The
act or process of testing students by questions
Grade:
Criteria
use in measuring performance
Pattern:
A
discernable regularity in the world or a particular situation.
Carry
Over: Transfer or persist from one stage or sphere of
activity to another