INFLUENCE OF CLASS SIZE, TEACHER VARIABLES AND SCHOOL LOCATION ON ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE AMONG SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS

(A CASE STUDY OF KADUNA STATE, NIGERIA)

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Author

Presented To

Department of Education

ABSTRACT
This study investigates the influence of class size, teacher variables and school location on the academic performance among senior secondary school students in Kaduna State. The study was guided by four research questions and four null hypotheses that were tested on 0.05 level of significance. Ex post facto research design was used in the study, and population of the study consists of 1060 students and 30 teachers of selected senior secondary schools located in two educational zones in Kaduna State. The instrument used for data collection was Teacher Variables and School Location Question Items {TVSLQI} and results of the 2014 State Qualifying Examinations designed by the Kaduna State Ministry of Education. Descriptive statistics of frequency counts, simple percentage, mean and standard deviation were used to analyse the research questions while the null hypotheses were tested using t-test and Analysis of variance (ANOVA). Result indicates that there is a significant difference in the academic performance of secondary school students based on class size with students in large classes performing better than their counterparts in smaller classes.(t = 2.56, p=0.01),The result also indicate significant difference with students taught by teachers with higher teaching qualification performing better. (f=3.39, p=0.03) There is also significant difference in the academic performance of students taught by more experienced teacher and those taught by inexperienced teacher. (t=4.69, p=0.00). Result also indicates that students located in the urban areas perform better than their counterparts in rural area of Kaduna State. (t = 3.89, p=0.00). In spite of the amazing results of the influence of class size on the academic performance of secondary school students, and the facts that large classes has some advantages it is still recommended that schools should stick to the 40:1 student –teacher ratio as stipulated by the National Policy on education.