CHAPTER ONE

1.1 INTRODUCTION

Over the years, many science curricular programs have been developed for use at both primary

and secondary levels. For example, Primary Science has developed over the years through

programs such as African Primary Science Program (APSP), the Nigerian Educational Research

and Development Council (NERDC), Primary Science and Mathematics Projects, the Federal

Government Core-curriculum Development Project Primary Science has also developed.

Integrated Science got introduced into Nigeria through the Ayetoro Basic Science Scheme and

Science Teachers Association of Nigeria (STAN). Despite the emphasis laid on the study of

science in Nigeria, it’s very sad to realize that the country is not making any significant head

way and is still besieged with technological problems despite the emanation of Chemistry.

Besides there have been problems of unified language, lack of technological know-how,

unemployment, illiteracy to mention a few. For these reasons, Nigeria has been grouped among

the ‘’third world countries of the world’’ (Sorunke, 1981).

To solve this problem, there is emphasis on the study of science and technology in schools so as

to meet up with the manpower needs of the country. In fact, the government has made it a

deliberate policy that admission into the higher instruction of learning should be in the ratio of

60:40 for Science and Arts respectively. This is because Science and technology have become an

integral part of the world’s culture. It is almost impossible today to live a full and satisfactory

life without the knowledge of Science.

Nigeria therefore needs to solve its problems such as improving its transportation system,

developing its mineral resources, controlling soil erosion, introducing modern scientific farming

and controlling diseases Sorunke (1981).

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In the opinion of Ozoro (1977), ‘’the state of science and technology in the country is now a

matter of great concern’’-this arises from increasing realization that Nigeria cannot develop

rapidly as it aspires to without creating adequate scientific and technical manpower. This is

obvious in the fact that expatriate scientist and technician shall only impart machines and ideas

that are directly relevant to the problems which in all sincerity are unrelated to our own. Sorunke

(1981) has this to say, ‘’Nigeria cannot increase its productivity on the farm, industries, factories

and all other sector without science and technology.’’ He added that it will amount to self-

deception avoiding realities to impart machines and experts.

Science (the study of Chemistry, Physics and Biology) is the nucleus of technological

development. No science no developed country. As a result, the teaching of science should be

given greater emphasis, so that the country can have a large number of science graduates

irrespective of their gender, socio-economic status etc. It must also be noted that our country

(Nigeria) is suffering and will still continue to lack behind until science subjects most especially

Chemistry is given special attention. Most of the reasons why students fail science subjects is

due to the fact that our laboratories are not well equipped and even the little available resources

i.e. chemicals and apparatus are not able to measure what they ought to measure as in the case of

measuring instruments, Sorunke (1981).

Chemistry is a science that deals with the study of elements and compounds, their properties, the

composition of each of them, and the reactions they undergo in terms of producing or absorbing

energy for their occurrence.

The science of chemistry is concerned with the study of atoms as they constitute the cornerstone

of chemicals, as well as the study of the complex cohesion of materials and interactions leading

to the formation of new materials, and the study of the structure of different materials.

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According to Britannica, chemistry is “the science that deals with the properties, composition,

and structure of substances, the transformations they undergo, and the energy that is released or

absorbed during these processes.” In simpler terms, chemistry is the study of matter, its

properties, and how it combines or separates to form other substances. It is a part of everything

in our lives as everything in existence is made up of matter—even ourselves. With it, we can see

how and why our world works. While chemistry is a broad field, that broadness opens the door

to a wide range of career paths, depending on your skills and passions.

The science of chemistry consists of five main branches, namely:

1. Analytical chemistry.

2. Physical chemistry.

3. Organic chemistry.

4. Inorganic Chemistry.

5. Biochemistry.

Chemistry is often referred to as a central science because it links mathematics and physics

together, biology to medicine, and earth sciences to the environment. Therefore, knowing the

nature of chemicals and chemical processes gives insights into many different physical and

biological phenomena, and knowing a little about chemistry is useful for building a base for

understanding the universe around humans.

Chemistry plays an important role in drug discovery

Organic chemistry has been the driving force for drug discovery since ancient times. Where the

chemical composition of the compound is responsible for the possibility of using the element in

the drug. Therefore, many studies in the field of chemistry were needed to contribute to the

medicinal chemistry required to improve chemical compounds for use as human medicines.
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Chemical research should also contribute to the development of organic chemistry to reach

compounds with ideal physical and chemical properties, by developing new synthetic methods.

The importance of chemistry in everyday life

There are many reasons why studying chemistry is important and useful in everyday life,

including:

 Chemistry is useful for learning useful skills, such as objectivity and problem-solving.

 Chemistry helps to keep the person safe by knowing which household chemicals are safe

and which ones are dangerous when mixed with other chemicals so that they can use

them safely.

 Studying the basics of chemistry helps to read and understand the labels of different

products.

 Chemistry is a very important factor in cooking. If a person understands the chemical

reactions to increase or balance acidity levels in baked goods, or in thickening a sauce, he

or she is likely to become a skilled chef.

 Chemistry is found in the basic elements of food, as it is found in proteins consisting of

complex molecules of amino acids, and in carbohydrates consisting of starches and

sugars, and chemical reactions occur between them and the body so that the cells of the

body can do their work, and essential fats to moisturize the cells of the body.

 Chemistry can help a person make informed decisions because they will have enough

knowledge to determine the quality of a product, and whether that product really has the

properties that have been promoted, or is it just propaganda.

 Agrochemists are interested in studying agricultural crops and the possibility of

increasing their productivity and protecting them from pests by using chemicals. In

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 addition to their interest in studying animal genetics to understand its reproduction and

work to increase the efficiency of animal production and its freedom from diseases.

 Chemical engineers work to innovate and develop new materials that increase the

efficiency of products at a lower cost, in addition to designing processing plants, ensuring

the safety of handling dangerous chemicals, and supervising the manufacture of all

products.

 Environmental chemists are interested in studying chemical reactions in nature, in the

soil, and in the air, and the impact of human activities on environmental pollution. Where

they check the water quality by testing the water coming from the rivers for its content of

minerals, the percentage of dissolved oxygen in it, its acidity, and whether it needs

fluorine and chlorine treatment.

 The study of organic chemistry is very important because it studies life and chemical

reactions in living organisms, and understanding the interactions of carbon compounds

such as polymers that form many materials around us, including: nylon and acrylic, and

various petrochemicals such as gasoline, medicines, detergents and many others, and

cosmetics are organic chemicals. . It is important to study the effect of its interaction on

the skin and the possibility of developing it to treat various skin problems.

LABORATORY

Laboratory is an area equipped with scientific apparatus and equipment where scientists perform

experiments based on scientific theories. Thus, the laboratory provides resource

materials for teaching and learning of science, the laboratories allow students to have

experiences that are consistent with the goals of scientific literacy, so if the laboratories are well

equipped and the teachers are experts, the students will be motivated to learn practical Chemistry

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which will then lead to an excellent performance. In a situation where there are no equipment’s

in the laboratories, the teachers can improvise; improvisation plays an important role in science

experimentation. According to Science Teachers Association of Nigeria- STAN (1976), ‘’true

improvised equipment are those made by the teachers.’’ Another aspect that affects the

performance of students in Chemistry is the quality of teachers, their methods of teaching,

influence of peer group, influence of Mathematics etc. For the performance of students in

Chemistry to be excellent and encouraging, the teaching must be relevant to the actual Nigerian

setting, encouraging the students in actual process of ‘’doing’’ rather than hearing Chemistry so

as to boost their ego in terms of their performance in the aforementioned subject Salman, 2004.

In the past, observation shows that there have been low performance in Chemistry at the ‘’O’’

level Senior Secondary Schools Certificate Examination (SSCE); West African Examination

Council (WAEC), National Examination Council (NECO), etc. These observations have raised

problems which captivated a lot of attentions from many individuals and organizations. These

problems are viewed in various perspectives and blames are shared in various proportions among

students, teachers, and the examination body, the curriculum planers and even the state and

Federal Government.

1.1 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

There are many factors influencing the performance of students in Chemistry, some of which are

peer group influence, teacher’s methods of teaching, motivation, lack of availability of Human

and material resources, etc. It is the objective of this study to investigate the student’s

performance in Chemistry in some selected Secondary Schools in Kano Municipal Local

Government Area of Kano State.

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Over the years, the majority of students that sat for the May/ June West African Examinations

Council (WAEC) and November/ December National Examination Council (NECO) have been

recording mass failure, not only in the area of overall performance of the students, but also in the

core subjects like Chemistry where the high spate of failures have been a dominant feature of the

students‘ performance in secondary schools in Kano Municipal Local Government.

Characteristically, statistics reeled out by the two examination bodies, the National Examination

Council and the West African Examination Council, which is the particular focus of this study,

each time the results of West African Examination Council (WAEC) and National Examination

Council (NECO) examinations are released, they point to the fact that students drawn have not

been performing up to the required standards despite the high investment which the government,

both at the federal and state levels, as well as the parents have been making in the sector, though,

some still pull their weight (Amadike; 2005).

Consequently, the out-cry on the persistent poor and unpromising performances of many senior

secondary school students in Kano Municipal Local Government of Kano State specifically, in

the past four (4) years (2009/2010, 2013/2014, 2016/2017, 2020/2021) in Senior Secondary

School Certificate Examinations (SSCE) conducted by West Africa Examination Council

(WAEC) made educationists and the government policy makers and the researcher wonder

whether the schools are measuring up to the expectations. However, several factors among the

numerous problems confronting Senior Secondary Schools in Kano Municipal Local

Government will without doubt positively or negatively affect students’ performance in WAEC

examinations.

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Table 1.1 Performance Of Science Secondary School Students In Chemistry At Ssce Level
(WAEC) In Kano State
Year Students No. Of Percentage Failure Percentage
Enrolment Credit of Credit Grade 7-9 of Failure
Pass Pass
Grade 1-6
2019 1442 509 35.30 712 64.70
2020 1563 851 54.45 933 45.55
2021 2700 1256 46.56 1444 53.48
2022 2136 598 27.30 1538 72.70
Total 7841 3214 163.45 10,627 236.43

Source: Kano state ministry of education, science and technical school board (2022)

Some of these factors include:

I. The students are exposed to different studying environment, being less favorable.

II. Inadequacy of teachers required to cope with increasing number of students.

III. Lack of supervision by busy parents may give room for laxity of their wards.

IV. Lack of material resources needed to teach the students.

1.2 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

1. To determine the influence of teachers’ competence on senior secondary school

student’s academic performance in chemistry in KMC local Government Area.

2. To identify and handle inconsistencies in their classrooms, being involved more

strongly in student- teachers’ internships, in order to equip them with deep

knowledge of their students’ prior knowledge,

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 3. Students’ performance and the factors that affect the performance of students in

Chemistry among Senior Secondary School Students in KMC Local Government Area of

Kano State.

4. The role of science laboratory in the performance of students in Chemistry

5. Effects of Teachers’ methods of teaching on the students’ performance in Chemistry

6. Factors militating against the performance of students in Chemistry.

1.3 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

Nigeria as a developing country places much emphasis on the advancement of science and

technology. In order to attain a remarkable height in those areas, appropriate attention must be

given to Physics, Chemistry and Biology which will contribute to the advancement of science

and technology.

The findings of this study would significantly form basis to explain some basic truth to the State

government and officials of Ministry of Education in taking the right decision on the provision of

infrastructural facilities to aid teaching and learning process which will help improve the

academic performance of Senior Secondary School students.

It will stimulate administrators to investigate and formulate constructive strategies with a view to

reducing or eliminating students ‘poor performance through students’ welfare support services.

It will help the respective Government/policy makers to take corrective measures within their

jurisdiction through adequate planning of resources to meet the demands and guide their actions

on future projects on the education of staff and students for successful teaching and learning

process in the schools.

This research would also help parents to give much attention and supervision to the student‘s
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work and hence result in improving students ‘performance.

It would also help curriculum planners to know some of the factors that contribute to low or poor

performance of students in Chemistry. This will enable them to include the most relevant

resources when planning a curriculum.

The findings of this research would help future teachers to consider some of the factors that yield

poor performance of students. As such, teachers will be able to make necessary preparations for

it.

The research will be of immense importance to textbook publishers by enabling them publish

some relevance resource materials in their publications which will yield excellent performance in

students.

Finally, the findings of this study will serve as a foundation for future researchers to build their

studies, thus it will add more information to the existing literature.

1.4 SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

The study is directed at examining the performance of students in Chemistry in Kano Municapal

Local Government Area of Kano State, Nigeria.

Due to time factor and financial constraints, it will not be possible to cover all the Schools in

Kano Municapal Local Government Area. Some representative samples will be taken; this will

include four Secondary Schools from Kano Municapal Local Government Area. The study will

be restricted to student’s performance in Chemistry in West African Examination Council

(WAEC) between: 2019-2023. This will provide the basis for conclusion, recommendation and

perhaps possible generalization on the study area.

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1.5 DEFINITION OF TERMS

The following terms are defined as used by the researchers in this work.

Performance: refers to accomplishment/ achievement and how well students deal with their

studies and how they cope with or accomplish different tasks and studies given to them by their

teachers.

School facilities: Human and physical resources within a school system.

Science: a systematic study of nature through hypothesis, experiment, observation, careful

reasoning, making valid conclusion and inference on the basis of analysis.

Mathematics: the study of numbers, measurement of space, it deals with the

measurement of properties and relationship of quantities as expressed in numbers or

symbols.

Facilities: this is something that makes an action easy i.e., an aid or instructional materials, a

convenience.

Laboratory a place where scientific work is done, a room or building fitted with apparatus for

conducting science investigation or tests.

Poor Performance: the score which is less than the pass mark i.e., less than 40%.

Physics: this refers to as a science of matter and energy base and their interaction it is essentially

based on measurement and mathematical processes and physical properties/processes.

Learning: this refers to how to acquire knowledge or skill by studying instruction, practice or

experience and to commit to memory thought the knowledge of awareness. It is also a change in

behavior due to exposure to some activities.

Questionnaire: a list of questions in which a person is expected to respond to either in written or

verbally. The interpretation or analysis of this Reponses provides necessary data for research.

Equipment’s: a set of material physical resources apparatus and implements used in

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laboratory.

Chemistry: it is the study of structures chemical and physical properties of matter.

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