FACTORS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DECLINING STANDARD OF SECONDARY EDUCATION IN MARU LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA ZAMFARA STATE
ABSTRACT
The research study investigated and identified the factors responsible for the declining standard of Secondary Education in Maru Local Government Area of Zamfara state. A self developed questionnaire was used as the instrument for data collection. It was discovered that in adequate number of qualified teachers and professional teachers is responsible for the declining standard of education. Other factors are: Lack of proper guidance to the students by the concerned authority on the procedure of writing examination, in adequate of recommended text books, lack of school laboratories, and lack of school library. It was suggested that government should provide adequate well-trained and professional teachers, allow teachers to go for in-service training for the development of their skills, encouragement of teachers for the participating in WAEC and NECO marking panels, enough instructional materials should be provided, they would enhance good performance and bring about declined standard.
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CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the study
There has been a growing interest in recent years over the performance of students in Nigerian schools and this has generated a lot of concern about standard of education in the heart of many people.
Ukeje (1976) defined education as a process a product and discipline. He maintained that, as a process education is responsible for both the transmission and transformation of the cultural heritage of a people; as a product, it can result in constructive and destructive tendencies and as a discipline, it is concerned with what to teach, how to teach, and the purpose of teaching. Education is a continuous process of learning which begins at birth and continues till death.
A comparative study of the educational development of yester – years and that of contemporary time would portray that there is a great disparity as regard the performance of student at the secondary school level in the past and present. The market is difference in the poor quality and student academic performance in the present day secondary schools in general perfective is seen in education field as the declining in standard of education.
The declining in standard and quality has manifested self in the student poor academic performance in the West African school certificate examination
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in general and English and mathematics in particular. Secondary education is the faster of primary education, therefore primary education is taken to be the rudiment of education from all indication, it appears that the rudiment of education is shaky and most pupils who move from the primary schools to the secondary schools are ill-equipped and less competent. In our generation today, many pupils who fall their common entrance examination would conveniently have assess into secondary school education without necessarily having the requirements for admission. This made us believe that the weakness in primary education has negative effects on secondary education.
1.2 Statement of the problem
The situation in teaching and learning process in secondary education nowadays has opened door for prolonged argument for people in teaching field. Educationalist and those outside the field to debate on declining standard of education. Education in Zamfara state, particularly in secondary schools have been plagued by a number of Muriel problems such as, lack of qualified teachers, lack of adequate instructional materials, lack of experienced teachers, poor performance of students in WAEC and NECO exams etc. All these issue have led to the decline of standard of education in secondary schools in Zamfara state. It is in recognition to the numerous problems faced by the secondary schools education in the state that this study embark upon in Maru local government area of Zamfara state in order to find out factors responsible
for the declining standard of secondary education in Maru local government area.