Comparative Analysis of Biology and Chemistry student and their academic achievement in secondary schools

COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF BIOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY STUDENT AND THEIR ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN ETIM EKPO LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA

 

ABSTRACT

This study assessed the comparative analysis of Biology and Chemistry and academic achievement of students in secondary in Etim Ekpo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State. To achieve the specific objectives of the study, two research questions were formulated. Two hundred students were randomly sampled from the four selected schools out of (20) secondary schools found in the area. An ex-post facto research design was employ and two hundred students results from 2021-2022 in Biology and Chemistry were the instrument used for data collection while a descriptive statistics such as simple percentages and mean was used to test the research questions.

The findings revealed that student in private secondary school achieved higher than their counterpart in the public secondary school. The findings also revealed that the male Biology students achieved higher than their counterpart in Chemistry, while the female achieved slight higher in Chemistry than their fellow counterpart in Biology.  

 

Comparative Analysis of Biology and Chemistry student and their academic achievement in secondary schools

 

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1   Background to the Study

The advent of white men leads to a formal and organized system of education, but before then Nigeria had her own indigenous system of education. Education is seen as the basic tool used in the development of human mentally, socially and psychologically. Education according to Coombs (2018) constitutes of two components.

Coombs classified these two components into inputs and outputs. According to Coombs, inputs consist of human and material resources and outputs are the goals and outcomes of the educational process. Both the inputs and outputs form a dynamic organic whole, and if one wants  to investigate and access the educational system in order to improve its performance, influence, effects of one components or the other its must be examined.

Learning like in Biology and Chemistry is a developmental process. Several sources of influence converge to produce a successful performance. The comparison of Biology and Chemistry as indicated by Oyedeken (2012) enhances the rate of intellectual development by stimulations in one hand or demoralizing influence on the other hand on the student’s  achievement.

Biology and Chemistry which are both vital science subjects are generally and erroneously believed that they are difficult, thus many student do avoid science subject at the secondary school level. This believes could be one of the major factors for student’s under achievement in science subject.

The decline in achievement of science subjects (Biology and Chemistry) in both public and private school is well documented. Many reasons have been identified and solutions were provided yet there are no appreciable improvement. Chemistry as a science subject start by memorizing the names of elements and compound, and their reaction with this compound , why compound X will react with compound Y in solution A but not solution B, what the result of that reaction will be , and how minute forces affect this reaction. While Biology as a science subject requires a lot of time to memorize why animals behave in certain ways of the complexity of human and plant cells or eukaryotes, prokaryotes, organelles and this things work. (Wilson 2014).

In comparism of this two science subject (Biology and Chemistry) in their difficulty, and not in their complexity, because they are too different to really compare. It really depend on who you are as a person. Some student tend to understand Biology more  than Chemistry  while others is vice versa, and this goes a long way to determine  their outcome on the two subjects.

The outcome (achievement) in this subject (Biology and Chemistry) may depend on the student interest, gender, teacher quality, school environment, school ownership, availability of laboratories and library resources etc. In their separate studies, the student have all agreed that there Is need to develop desirable strategies  that will foster desirable scientific  attitude among student in order to improve their learning in both Biology and Chemistry and Science subject in general in Nigerian secondary schools (Umoetuk, 2016).

At least a credit in this subject (Biology and Chemistry) serves as pre-requisite for studying some science based discipline such as Pharmacy, Medicine, Veterinary Medicine, MicroBiology, Agriculture, BioChemistry and host of others. Due to its importance in the society, it is on this premise that the researcher tend to investigate the influence of Biology and Chemistry student academic achievement when compared in Etim Ekpo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.

 

Comparative Analysis of Biology and Chemistry student and their academic achievement in secondary schools

1.2   Statement of the Problem

The question of whether more science facilities should be provided in secondary school or not has in recent time engaged the attention of the Government as well as educators and parents alike.

Biology and Chemistry are core subjects require not only for terminal placement into tertiary        institution but also forms foundation in which the future programme of the studies in science are based on Medicine, Agriculture, Biochemistry, Microbiology and Nursing.

It Is due to these fact that the student who sat for the senior secondary school certificate examination between 2015 to 2017 secure poor grades over the decades of both subjects (Biology and Chemistry), which has posed a lot of serious problems to those students who wish to continue their educational pursuit in science in  higher institution of learning. For this reason the study focused on comparative analysis of Biology and Chemistry and academic achievement of students in secondary schools in Etim Ekpo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.

 

1.3   Purpose of the Study

This study is designed to determine the analytical comparison of Biology and Chemistry and academic achievement of students in secondary schools in Etim Ekpo Local Government Area

Specifically, the study will: 

1. Determine the differences in the academic achievement of students in Biology and Chemistry base on their school type.
2. Compare the influence of gender on the academic  achievement of students in Biology and Chemistry.

 

1.4 Significance of the Study

This study will be significant to all stakeholders in the education sectors such as the school administration, teacher, government, students and parents in giving a child all round education.

(i)   The findings and results of this study will assist educational planners in formulation of education goals and objectives.

(ii)  The study will also suggest ways to improve the teaching of  Biology and Chemistry its optimum so as to achieve   the development in science.

(iii)  To inculcate the scientific attitude on student to stimulate their achievement in science.

(iv) Re-direct teachers in optimizing the available resources in their various school environment to teach science (Biology  and Chemistry).

(v)  Encourage parents to provide their children with adequate science textbook and materials to enhances their comprehension.

 

Comparative Analysis of Biology and Chemistry student and their academic achievement in secondary schools

1.5   Research Questions:

          The following research questions are stated for this study as:

(i)   Is there any significant difference between the academic achievement of students who learn Biology in public and private schools and those who learn Chemistry in public private school?

(ii)  Is there any significant difference in the academic achievement of male and female students who learn     Biology and those learn Chemistry?

 

1.6 Delimitation of the Study:

          The study will be delimited to the comparative analysis of Biology and Chemistry student and their academic achievement in secondary schools in Etim Ekpo local government area.

 

1.7 Limitation of the Study:

The study of this nature will be bound to be limited by several factors. This factor which include;

Time: insufficient time was given for the completion of this study and this make the study not to have a wide scope.

Geographical Factors: The study was limited to one out of thirty one local government area in Akwa State (Etim Ekpo Local Government Area) was chosen for this study.

Finance: financial constraint exerted a felt influence on the study as the researcher scarcely had enough financial resources to enable her expand the scope of the study.

1.8.  Operational Definition of Terms

  The following definitions are made as they are used in the study to give a clearer understanding to the study.

(i)   Biology: This is the science of living things, it is seen as the study of living and non-living component of life.

(ii)  Chemistry: This deals with the composition, properties   and used of matters. It      probes into the principles      governing the changes that matter undergoes.

(iii)  Comparative: This is the ability of studying something    by comparing it with something else.

(iv) Analysis: This gives the detailed examination of      something.

(v)  Academic Achievement: Achievement is a level of        which        an individual gain what he/she is been taught in his/her    academic pursuit or career. That well or badly something         works.