Monitoring of learning achievement (MLA) for senior secondary class three students in Nigeria
The first National Assessment of Educational Progress in Nigeria at the Secondary School level was conducted by the National Examinations Council.
The study was designed to assess Senior Secondary class three students’ level of attainment in two core subject areas (English Language and Mathematics) and determine what school, student and teacher factors promote or impede SS 3 students’ performance.
The target population consists of all senior secondary schools in Nigeria specifically the SS 3 class, English language and Mathematics teachers and their principals. A multistage stratified random sampling technique at state, school and subject levels was used to select the sample.
In all, the sample involved 18 states and FCT, 285 schools, 570 teachers of English language and Mathematics and 8550 students.
Five instruments were used in the study: English language achievement Test, Mathematics Achievement Test, Student Questionnaire, Teacher Questionnaire and School Questionnaire. The data from the study were analysed using descriptive statistics and multiple regression analysis.
The results of the data analysis show that SS3 students achievement in Mathematics and English language were generally poor; amount of government grants to school, age of student and language at home were the three most potent predictors of mathematics achievement; and frequency of purchase of newspapers in student homes, age and memberships of teachers to professional associations were the three most potent predictors of English language achievement.
Based on the above findings, the following are recommended among others: the establishment of Parents Teachers Association (PTA) be encouraged; English language be used as a medium of communication within schools and students be encourage to speak English language at home; teachers be encouraged to join professional bodies relevant to their teaching subjects; Government to increase grants to schools; adequate supervision and monitoring of school activities, lesson notes and school records should be ensured.