COMPARATIVE STUDY OF SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN FOOD AND NUTRITION IN WAEC AND NECO EXAMINATIONS FROM 2006-2011

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1. 1. BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Education is the most veritable of instruments for social and political mobilization and the acquisition of important technical skills (Ololube, 2011a,b). For these reasons, a substantial share of the nation’s resources is invested in education. The performance of candidates on their graduating examinations after these investments has long been a matter of concern to many well-meaning individuals, institutions and organizations as well as to various levels of government. Performance in each subject of these examinations has implications for the overall result of excellent, good, fair or poor given to a student. Student academic performance on SSCEs constitutes the focus of this study. The broad aims of secondary school education in Nigeria, as stated in the National Policy of Education (FME, 1982), are to prepare the individual child for (i) useful living in the society; and (ii) for higher education. In reality these aims are very often defeated as most secondary school graduates fail to adapt adequately to society and fail to succeed in post-secondary education, despite their possession of excellent or good certificates. For some time now, there has been increasingly vocal and widespread criticism of the examination system in Nigeria. School certificate examinations, which determine the placement of Nigerian students in higher learning and/or employment, are of particular concern. Postsecondary education institutions are overtly dissatisfied with the incompetence of many entrants who have gained admission into courses that they are not prepared for. The public likewise disparages the falling or fallen standard of education as evidenced by the lack of skills and personal integrity of many school leavers (Udor & Ubahakwe, 1979; Ololube, 2008b). Not surprisingly, the evaluation agencies that conduct the examinations are held liable by both universities/colleges and the public for education’s diminishing returns. Evaluation is the passing of decision or judgment on a particular trait in accordance with a test which validly and reliably measures the presence of that trait (Kpolovie, 2002, Ololube, 2008a). Evaluation involves both quantitative and qualitative description of a pupil’s behaviour, and the passing of value judgment concerning the desirability of that behaviour (Harbor-Peters, 1991). Since evaluation remains indispensable in any academic programme, teaching and instructional duty are rendered incomplete or lacking until an evaluation of the outcome of instruction has been performed. Evaluation agencies, which also act as examining bodies, are tasked with maintaining a common standard in the development and administration of public examinations. According to Nworgu (1992), evaluation agencies were set up to promote education, to co-ordinate educational programmes, and to control and monitor the quality of education in educational institutions, the essence of which is the organization of public examinations so as to provide uniform standards to all test takers, irrespective of the type or method of instruction they have received. Some of these examination bodies in Nigeria include the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), the National Examination Council (NECO), the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB), and the National Business and Technical Examination Board (NABTEB). A closer look at the operations of these boards reveals that some of them perform similar functions. WAEC, NECO and NABTEB, for instance, all conduct secondary school graduate certification, although in the case of NABTEB, the examination is reserved for graduates of Nigerian Technical and Vocational Colleges. The assemblage of subject examinations conducted by these examining bodies is known as the Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination (SSCE) and serves as an end-of-course evaluation for all secondary school graduates. The purpose of this examination is to ascertain to what degree students in a particular course have achieved the course or educational objectives (Offor, 2001). In view of the economic and social importance attached to senior secondary school certificates, and the opportunities for higher education for those who posses such certificates, the awarding of this certificate is one of the most important events in the Nigerian academic calendar. It thus goes without saying that much is expected from certificate examining and awarding bodies in terms of ensuring that the spirit and focus of the examinations is not misplaced. The establishment of NECO, which was seen by many as an attempt to reduce the burden on WAEC and mitigate the burden of testing large number of candidates, unfortunately led to concerns by some that credibility issues would inevitably arise (Afemikhe, 2002). With two examining bodies, WAEC and NECO, conducting parallel SSCEs, students admitted to write either version of the SSCE should be assumed to possess similar academic strengths (those needed for undergraduate activities). In the recent past, however, some calls have been made for the cancellation of NECO for fear that the SSCE it administers is not as valid as that of the WAEC (Falaye & Afolabi, 2005). Critics submit that a large portion (40%) of candidates’ final outcome in each of the subject areas at the NECO Senior School Certificate Examination is made up of school-based teacher assessment scores. However, this assertion, if true, may not necessarily be detrimental to the credibility of NECO certification as the National Policy on Education has been quoted by Nworgu (1992) as stating that educational assessment and evaluation is to be liberalized by basing such evaluation in whole or part on continuous assessment of the progress of the individual. Having been given a similar mandate, to conduct the Senior School Certificate Examination it would seem unfair if the holders of either the WAEC or NECO certificate are discriminated against. However, in the not too distant past, some universities in Nigeria and abroad denied entrance to holders of NECO certificates based on speculations about their integrity. As a standardized test, the SSCE adheres to a uniform mode of test construction, administration, scoring and interpretation, and it should thus be expected that both WAEC and NECO test items pass through the same rigorous standardization procedures before they are administered to candidates. In this way, differences in performance should be exclusively the result of chance factors like the individuality and academic dedication of candidates. If both WAEC and NECO are able to maintain high standards in the development and administration of Senior School Certificate Examinations, then performances in the examination should be good indicators of individuals’ standings with respect to any of the tested subject areas. How often, however, is this the case? It is possible, for instance, to identify candidates who scored an F9 on the WAEC SSCE and an A1 on the NECO SSCE in the same subject and in the same year, thus leaving observers to wonder if both SSCEs are in fact parallel?

1. 1. STATEMENT OF THE GENERAL PROBLEM

The researchers believe that the noble objectives of secondary education can only be achieved if there is an effective evaluation and assessment machinery. Consequently, this study focuses on comparing candidate performances on WAEC and NECO Senior School Certificate Examinations This study has reason to doubt the comparability of WAEC and NECO SSCEs. One way of investigating the validity of such doubts is to determine the success of both the WAEC and NECO in maintaining the once high standards of the Senior School Certificate Examination. These standards can be assessed using one or more of the following criteria: i) coverage of course content; ii) coverage of educational objectives; iii) performance of candidates in the examination; iv) the examination as a good predictor of future performance; and v) the reliability of the test. The present study focuses on the performance of candidates in the both external examinations.

1. 1. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

Purpose of the Study The purpose of this study is to determine the relationship between the performance of candidates on the WAEC and NECO SSCE in food and nutrition from 2006 to 2011

1. 1. RESEARCH QUESTIONS

What is the academic performance of secondary school students in food and nutrition in both WAEC and NECO examinations from 2006-2011?

1. 1. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The study would be of immense importance to the development of food and nutrition and also in enhancing students’ performances in both internal and external examinations ass it would compare students’ performances with the sole purpose of improving students’ academic achievements not only in food and nutrition but in other subjects as well.