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Full Project – THE EFFECT OF OVERCROWDED CLASSROOM IN TEACHING AND LEARNING AMONG SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL: A CASE STUDY OF ABAJI AREA COUNCIL, ABUJA

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CHAPTER ONE

1.0 Background of the problem

The problems of shortage of teachers and classrooms are intricately interwoven and when both combine with large student enrolment, the consequence is over-crowded classrooms. This is the sad truth in many Nigerian classes especially in the major towns and cities with many classes registering fifty (50) to one hundred (100) students and above which is clearly above the internationally recommended standard The poor state of the physical facilities in the schools confirms Adesina’s (1990:76) observation that this aspect of the educational problem has been consistently ignored in educational “plans and reports”. He cited the example of Banjo Commission (1961) in the then Western Nigeria and a similar one in the old Eastern Nigeria which failed to mention ‘inadequate physical facilities’ as one of the fifteen factors considered responsible for falling standard of education. Only the Oldman Report on Northern Nigeria gave some attention to buildings and furniture in schools (Adesina. 1990).

Overcrowding occurs when a school facility enrolls more student than it was designed to accommodate (Hornick-Lockard, 2015). Most schools identified as overcrowded are in areas where the school-age populations are growing fast and most of them in Nigeria are found in urban areas. It had been agreed that overcrowding involves a class of 46 students or more (Adaralegbe, 1983).

Ordinarily. the phenomenon of rural-urban drift in an emergent nation like Nigeria normally exerts pressure on the facilities and services such as hospitals, schools, transportation etc. However, the introduction of the Universal Free Primary Education (U.P.E.) first in the old Western Region in 1955 and later in the Eastern Region in 1957 as well as the launching of the U.P.E. Scheme by the Federal Government in 1976 compounded the problems of providing adequate facilities in schools to meet the resultant unprecedented upsurge in pupil enrolment (Akinyemi, 1983). With inadequate planning for the expected population explosion in schools, overcrowded classrooms now become a permanent feature of academic setting at all levels of the educational system.

The Nigerian Government through The Ministry of Education and Vocational Training has successfully made a lot of efforts to make sure that all children acquire at least primary education in early 1990’s and by doing so new community schools were constructed hurriedly to cater for the expanded intake at secondary. Consequently, no teachers or other related inputs were put in place a prior (URT: 2008a). Since 2000 the number of children enrolled in primary and secondary school has increased by 3 million (Wedgwood 2005)due to implementation of Primary Education Development Programs and Secondary Education Plan. Due to this increase it has resulted to shortage of teachers in secondary schools. The Government of Nigeria implemented the Secondary Education Development Program, to promote economic and social development and reduce poverty through human resource development at the secondary level.

Large class size and over populated schools have direct impact of the quality of teaching and instruction delivery. Overcrowded classrooms have increased the possibilities for mass failure and make student to lose interest in school (Cohen and Manion, 1983). This is because large class size does not allow individual student to get attention from teachers which always lead to low reading scores, frustration and poor academic performance. The idea that school population and class size might affect student performance is consistent with the growing literature on the relationship between public sector institutional arrangements and outcomes (MOE, 1984).

The seating arrangement is therefore too important to help student understanding in many secondary schools in the country. As rightly observed by Cohen and Manion (1983) “a careful attention to seating arrangement contributes as effectively as any other aspect of classroom management and control to overall success with a class subsequently”.

Seats should be arranged in rows with a reasonable amount of space between them to allow for proper teacher – student and student – student interactions, as well as allow for individual and group work (Cohen and Manion, 1983). To this end, the ratio of teacher to student should not exceed 1:40 or at most 1:45 judging by the size of the classrooms. But what one finds in many of these classes is between ratios greater than the ones stated above.

Therefore though a plethora of studies have examined about overcrowded classrooms and performances in secondary student, Since the academic success of student depends largely on the school environment, it is imperative to examine the impact variables of class size and school population on the academic performance of student in secondary school.This study therefore would attempt to assess the effects of overcrowded classrooms in academic performances and looks at how class size affects student’ academic performance in secondary schools.

In addition. Educational planning in Nigeria has always been thought of in terms of quantitative growth which is usually above the financial capacity of the Government (Adesina, 1990). A recent example is the implementation of the current 6-3-3-4 system of education which is seriously affected by lack of adequate funding and poor preparation (Ndagi, 1983). Even though the Federal and State Governments have shown serious commitment to educational development through their annual budgetary allocation to Education in recent years (allocation to Education sector is second only to Defence), the attention given to physical facilities is far from being adequate. The issue at stake is not how ‘huge’ the allocation is but how ‘adequate’ (Cohen and Manion, 1983).

1.1 Statement of the problem

A lot of effort such as free primary education had been made by the Government of Nigeria to increase enrolment of students in secondary schools. Still there a big problem of large number of student in schools established by the Government known as Community schools, and yet enrollment of student increases year after year without considering available resources in these schools such as classrooms, laboratories and libraries.

Adesina (1990) also affirms that “one potent index for evaluating educational standards and quality is an examination of the physical facilities available for learning experience”. It has already been stated that fail rate has been increasing dramatically. Several factors for this downfall are likely to be accounted for.

The phenomenon of overcrowded classroom as well as poor quality and inadequate furniture in the classroom due to unlimited expansion has taken its toll on the educational system. Only few people will deny that the quality of teaching and learning is on the decline at all levels of the educational system. The poor result of the Senior Secondary School examination (SSCE) in almost all subjects in recent years is one potent indicator. The increase in examination malpractices cannot be divorced from poor seating arrangement in classrooms. The quantity and quality of interaction in the class are likely to be adversely affected due to lack of space for moving round the class and the overwhelming number of students that the teacher has to deal with within a forty-minute lesson. Nolasco and Arthur (1988) also identified five likely problems of large classes: coping with the noise, persuading the class to use English, managing the introduction and setting up of activities, making limited resources go a long way and monitoring the work of individuals within the class (Fontana, 1981).

1.2 Purpose of the study

The study was purposely aimed at examining effect of overcrowded classroom in teaching and learning economic among senior secondary. The study made these problem to be known to the policy makers, education stakeholders as well as the Government, by implementing different recommendation suggested by the study, and then any problems caused by overcrowded classroom may be solved or taken into considerations.

1.3 General objective

To determine the effect of overcrowded classroom in teaching and learning among senior secondary school: A Case study of Abaji Area Council, Abuja

.1.4 Specific objectives

To determine the challenges facing teachers in teaching overcrowded classes.
To examine relationship between overcrowded classrooms and their performances.
To Identify and describe the alternative methodology that the teacher uses in teaching overcrowded classes.

1.5 Research questions

What are the alternatives methodology that the teacher uses in teaching overcrowded classes?
What relationship exists between class size and performance in secondary school?
What are the challenges facing teachers in teaching overcrowded classes?

1.6 Definition of terms

Academic achievement or performance: Is the outcome of education extent to which a student, teacher or institution has achieved their educational goals. (Longman English Dictionary).

Overcrowded: Occurs when a facility enrolls more student than it was designed to accommodate. (Hornick-Lockard, 2015). E.g if a bus is intended to carry 20 passengers but carries 30, if a class is built to holds 15 students but carries 30.

Student: A young person in school or in the charge of a tutor or instructor. (Longman English Dictionary).

Teacher: Any registered person in accordance with the law who teaches and facilitates the learning process (Nigeria Educational Act 1995).

Teaching: Refers to imparting new knowledge, skills, attitudes, views or ideas to the learners or student in a given place at a specific time. (Nigeria Educational Act 1995).

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