ABSTRACT

          The purpose of this study was to investigate influence of school population on academic performance of secondary school student in Ilorin West metropolis. 90 students and 6 teachers were randomly selected from schools that were selected while questionnaire was administered to solicit for information. Research hypotheses were formulated and tested using x² value method. The findings of the study indicated that there is significant relationship between school population and student academic performance as opined by performance of student in sparsely and densely populated classrooms. This was conducted at 5% level of significance. Summary, conclusion and recommendation were made also.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1    BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

          The desire for mass education was recognized in the Nigeria constitution of 1999 chapter 2 paragraph 18 where it stated inter alias “Government shall strive to eradicate illiteracy and to this end, the government shall as and when practicable provide free, compulsory and universal primary education.” It is in the light of the above that the government of president Olusegun Obasanjo introduced the Universal Primary Education (UPE) in 1976 and Universal Basic Education (UBE) in 1999 to improve educational opportunities and more functional education for all citizenry. These schemes have led o expansion of primary school without due regard to adequate teachers’ strength over enrolment resulting in large class size, ineffective school management, inadequate instructional materials, poor physical facilities et cetera.

          These schemes, according to Babalola (1992) have resulted into proliferation of schools in every community. He said that the universal primary education provided opportunities for parent and guardian to sent their wards and children to schools at barest minimum cost. Franck, (2000 explains that the combine evolution of universal primary education in 1976, 6 – 3 – 3 – 4 system in 1985 and the recent universal basic education have produced large number of enrolment of pupils and student both at the primary and secondary school levels. He reiterated that secondary school levels. He reiterated that since the inception of these programmes, the school size and specifically the number of students in a classroom has continued to increase greatly”.

          The shifting system of education which became prominent in most urban primary schools attempts to minimize congestion and overcrowding in the classrooms, Johnson (1995) says this system gave rise to the “existing increasing number of student seeking admission into primary schools which in turn led to tremendous number of students entering post primary institutions”. Today the shifting system of education has been abolished being established especially private schools which have absolved and reduced the increasing number of students in both government primary schools.

          Secondary education witnessed tremendous growth in Kwara State between 1979 and 1986 especially in the establishment of secondary schools. Bamidele (1983) Observes that during this period many communities harnessed resources together to establish secondary schools in their domain to compliment effects of the government. He maintained “however, the increase in the number of secondary school during this period did not minimize the over crowding of classrooms most especially in the urban centres…. Among the reasons for increase population of students enrolment in schools include increase birth rate, increase awareness of relevance of secondary education by parents and guardians and government education policies geared towards increasing literacy level”.

          The enrolment of secondary school students have increased considerably over the years and this had overstretched the infrastructural facilities in the school such as classroom, laboratories, library, and sporting facilities which were designed to accommodate specified number of students. Besides, the school administrator often neglect the admission guidelines without giving prior recognition to the number of teaching personnel (Johnson, 1995). The resultant effect is that the subject teachers are faced with strenuous work in dealing with large number of students in the classrooms on one hand and multitude of classroom on the other, hence class control becomes difficult and performance of student is therefore greatly affected negatively.     Nowadays, over population of students is one of the major problems in our secondary school because it has made infrastructure and learning materials in the school grossly inadequate. Awotoye (1994) observes that school situation is “appalling and unconducive for effective teaching and learning due to increasing students’ population in our schools”. Classroom furniture is inadequate and class space is no longer adequate to accommodate students, hence a substantial number of students sit on the floor. In some cases, a seat which is designed.