Abstract

The study investigated the factor affecting the performances of computer science students in Junior Secondary Schools in Enugu North Local Government Area of Enugu state. Four research questions were formulated to guide the study. The questionnaires were constructed by the researchers in line with the research questions. Ten schools out of the fieen schools in Enugu North Local Government Area were used for the study. The population for the study were all computer teachers 1 each from 5 schools and 2 each in 5 schools. They are all 15 in number. The entire population of the teacher in the 10 schools were used because of their limited number. The data collected was analyzed and presented using mean. Finally the results expose that there is shortage of qualified teachers teaching the subject “computer science”. The Government and schools do not provide adequate instructional materials and computer laboratories facilities which affect the learning of computer science in these schools. The government does not award scholarship to computer teachers who have distinguished themselves in excellent services. There are no standard text books for the teaching of computer in the junior secondary schools in Enugu North. All these factors affect the performance of the computer science students in the junior secondary schools in Enugu North. Recommendations were made by the researchers at the end and suggestions for further studies were also highlighted.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

Nigeria has realized the importance of functional education for the good and services of mankind. This realization is evidenced in the National Policy on Education (FRN, 2004). Where it is emphasized that, the overall philosophy of education in Nigeria among others should be directed to building a united, strong and self reliant nation by educational activities being geared towards scientific and technological progress. In the developing world, educational policy are faced with a major task, how to create chances of success for all children and their citizenry as a whole. It is essential to overcome the problem of illiteracy, school failure and to improve the intellectual capacities of the students. Education is the process of teaching, training and learning especially in school or colleges to improve knowledge and develop skills. Paulson-Ellis and White Church in (Eze 2002) stated that education is the imparting and acquisition of knowledge designed to develop a broad range of abilities, knowledge and skills of general application. Education is concomitant with life, this is because there is education in virtually all facets of life, this is because there is education in virtually all facets of life, one continues to learn as long as he lives. Okeke (2004:3) opined that, “available literature on development of education attest to the fact that education has been influenced by great thinkers, computer illiterate, law, forms of government, modes of social life.

A renowned Nigerian educationist and one time minister of education, Prof. A. Babs Fafunwa defined education as “an aggregate of all the process by means of which a person develops abilities, attitudes and other forms of behaviour of positive value in the society in which he lives”. Fafunwa reversed (2004:3). The world is fast becoming a global village due to the inter connectivity that exist between countries, organizations government and other bodied as a result of development in information and communication technology (ICT). According to Olagunfu (2003), information technology is the integration of computer technology mainly in the form of internet and information management. It provides opportunities for the users to handle texts and images, numbers and graphs, sound and music as well as enable them process information in the following ways: Storage and analyzing; presenting and organization retrieving communication. In other worlds, access to information and communication is increased through computer basic technologies. A network of interconnectivity is known as the internet. World Bank (2007) stated that the internet is a powerful tool for improving the efficiency and quality of a wide range of public services especially education and health. The internet is a resource where teachers and students can access outstanding and current education-related books, journals, magazines international conferences, workshops, invitations as well as information on research focus and research grants. Computer-mediate communication is increasing and becoming common usage for people for all walks of life in the developed and developing countries.

Computer is any devices that is capable of accepting, storing and processing data and giving result out in form of information in a specified format. Akukwe, (2003) defined it as an electronic device that is capable of accepting, storing and processing data as well outputting the result by following a set of instructions called a program as well as an electro-mechanical information. French (1992), defined computer science as the application of scientific principles in designing, constructing and maintaining the computer system. The scientific study of the theory and practice of data and information, processing and knowledge of computer puts and its functions is referred to as computer science because computer are not only for storage device ad processing unit, but also helps student in excellent communication media. They are the means to access the internet and also an effective audio visual media. Computer can be used to access a vast knowledge based on research for information over the internet means of documenting the backbone management software that are part of computer system which helps the student as a means of managing large amount of data.

In most junior secondary schools, student fail computer science very wells it has been noticed that a large proportion of students fail computer science in their internal and external examinations and as a result, they hardly attain the acceptable level of good performance in their results. It has been claimed that the stumbling blocks has always been their inability to master and pass computer. Unlike other courses because of the internet difficulties associated with the learning of the subject. Computer science is now being explored at all field of life because the computer knowledge in universal and varied. In the fields of research, engineering, business, medicine, communication, weather forecasting, education, finance art, healthcare-delivery and indeed most areas of human activities. The computer is an indispensable tool. The knowledge of the computer and the ability to use the computer has become so important and widespread that it has come to be an integral fact of education and literacy. Yet computer science education and literacy are lacking among many of our young boys and girls, as well as men and women today.