AN ANALYSIS OF FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN CHEMISTRY IN SENIOR PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN TOFA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, KANO STATE, NIGERIA

ABSTRACT The study investigates the Factors Affecting Students’ Academic Performance in Chemistry in Senior Secondary Public Schools in Tofa Local Government Area, Kano State, Nigeria. Three objectives -guided the study. The study adopted descriptive survey design. The population of the study comprised of all the public senior secondary school chemistry students in all the public secondary school in Tofa Local Government Area of Kano State which is two thousand four hundred and three (2403) students and thirty-three teachers and the ample size is two hundred and ninety-two (292) students and twelve (12) teachers were selected to represent the entire chemistry students and teachers in Tofa Local Government. The instruments used for data collection in this research work is a self-developed questionnaire, which comprise of four Likert type scale. The instruments were validated and reliability coefficient index was 0.86-0.87 using Cronbach Alpha test. The study reveals that lack of standard and well-equipped laboratory as well as convenient classroom affect academic performance of students in chemistry, the study also found that laboratory has been given a central and distinct role in science education, and science educationalist have suggested that rich benefit in learning accumulate from using laboratory activities. In conclusion the study recommended that Government and school authorities should provide convenient classroom that is suitable for learning and also provide materials and apparatus for sciences teaching to make school laboratories more adequate for effective implementation for chemistry curriculum so as to enhance the performance of students and also the chemistry teachers should be giving practical test to students in order to boost their academic performance so as to keep the students active and create a conductive atmosphere for a participation in class during teaching and learning and to make them to discover facts and new ideas by themselves.