Factors Influencing Physics Students' Enrollment and Achievement in Nigeria

SCHOOL-BASED FACTORS AND PHYSICS STUDENTS' ENROLMENT AND ACHIEVEMENT IN NIGERIA By Telima Adolphus Department of Education University of York, United Kingdom

THE PROBLEM Despite the place of physics in science, technology and national development, its teaching and learning characterized with challenges which prevent many students from performing well in external examinations (FGN 2009:ii). has been

THE PROBLEM (DATA) Students SSCE Science Enrolment/Achievement in Nigeria Year Total SSCE Biology Chemistry Physics % % Credit Pass % % Credit Pass % % Credit Pass Enrolment Enrolment Enrolment Enrolment 2004 1051246 99.4 28.7 32.4 36.5 31.8 47.8 2005 1091763 99.4 35.0 33.1 49.8 32.6 40.8 2006 1184223 99.3 48.3 33.3 44.0 18.7 56.9 2007 1275330 99.4 32.8 34.1 45.1 33.3 42.9 2008 1369142 99.4 33.3 34.2 43.3 33.9 47.1 2009 1373009 99.3 27.7 34.8 42.5 34.6 46.2 2010 1351557 99.3 48.5 35.8 49.5 35.6 50.2 2011 1540250 99.4 37.5 37.3 48.0 37.1 62.6 2012 1695878 99.4 34.7 37.8 42.2 37.6 67.2 2013 1689188 99.4 50.8 38.5 71.2 38.3 46.0 Source: West African Examinations Council, Lagos, Nigeria

RESEARCH QUESTION One principal research question was formulated to guide the study: What school-based factors influence physics students enrolment and achievement in the Senior School Certificate Examinations? Workineh (2002) reported the result of a study conducted in 22 developing countries and reported to The World Bank that school based factors were highly recognized as influencing factors in determining achievement in developing countries while socio- economic factors were stated as influencing factors in determining achievement in developed countries. students academic students academic

RESEARCH METHODS/SAMPLING Mixed methods were utilized. Particularly, the researcher used: Questionnaires Interviews Observations and Tests Sample size 248 physics students 116 non-physics students and 14 physics teachers

RESULTS Teachers response on the availability of teaching resources in core topic areas in physics 80 70 60 50 % of Responses 40 Don't Have Don't Have Enough Have Enough 30 20 10 0 interaction of matter space and time conservation principles fields at rest and in motion energy wave motion without material transfer quantization and duality of matter Core Topic Areas

RESULTSCONTD Pearson Correlation of Students Achievement with Teacher and Resource Factors Resource Availability index Resource Utilizatio n index PAT scores Teacher Qualification Teaching Experience PAT scores Pearson Correlation 1 .587** .096 .591** .324** Sig. (2- tailed) .000 .213 .000 .000 171 171 171 171 171 N

RESULTSCONTD Pearson Correlation of Students Enrolment with Teacher and Resource Factors % of students in SS3 enrolled for physics Number of years of teaching experience Resource availability index Resource utilization index Teacher Qualification % of students in SS3 enrolled for physics Pearson Correlation 1 .562 .122 .532 .215 Sig. (2- tailed) .147 .773 .175 .610 8 8 8 8 8 N

RESULTSFROMINTERVIEWDATA CONTD From our SS I classes, we did not have a physics teacher then we had a Corper he didn t know what he was doing, so that made so many students in SS I to enrol away from physics (A2PS/2, 241-245). (Note: A Corper is a fresh university graduate undergoing the mandatory National service in Nigeria) I choose to be a physics student because of the teachers we have in this school and due to the facilities (B1PS/2, 20-21).

SUMMARY/CONCLUSION/RECOMMENDATION Teacher Qualification Resource Availability Resource Utilization Teacher Qualification Resource Availability Enrolment Achievement Teaching Experience Resource Utilization Teaching Experience schools in the area are poorly financed, with lack of adequate teaching resources, Lack of teacher professional development, Unavailability of computers with internet access and Lack of adequately qualified physics teachers. recommended that government and stake holders in the education industry do something urgent to recruit qualified physics teachers, train and retrain teachers in service and provide laboratories and other teaching and learning.

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