FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH MASS FAILURE OF STUDENTS IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN ORUMBA SOUTH LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, ANAMBRA STATE

Abstract

This study was to find out the role of Microfinance banks in private sector development in Orumba south Local Government Area Anambra state. A well structured questionnaire was administered to the respondents (Micro Finance Banks) who constituted the Number of the Population of the study. We collected and analyzed our data using the mean ( ) among others. The researchers found out that Micro Finance Banks develops private sectors by granting them loan and rendering financial services to them. More importantly, is the observation of the ignorance of private sectors towards the repayment of the loans granted to them. The study concluded that Micro Finance banks plays a vital role developing private sectors in Orumba South Local Government Area. The study recommended among others that Micro finance Banks should regularly organize seminars for the private sectors teaching them how to collect loans at cheaper rate for them to start up a business according to their knowledge of entrepreneurship. Also, Micro Finance Banks should train private sectors in financial literacy so that they would see the need to repay their loans.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

The English language was introduced in Nigeria in the early 19th century by the British colonial administration. English language has come to stay in this country.The English language is a foreign language to Nigeria, in the sense that it is not indigenous but widely used in Nigeria as a second language. Ever since it was introduced in Nigeria, it has survived many decades and still survives till date as it assumes a more vital state in Nigeria. Bamgbose (2005) sees the English language in Nigeria as one of the legacies of colonial administration, which has succeeded in eliminating the problems of multiple languages in Nigeria.

The English language has played a vital role in Nigeria. It is a language of communication in Nigerian society. It is a language of instructions and our lingua franca. English language is used in our education, government, business, commerce, mass media and most of internal and external communications. It is a language of communications between teachers and learners in school. English language is a compulsory subject to be taken to qualify students to enter the university and to pass WASSCE, NECO, NABTEB and other external examination. Formal education in Nigeria today is a product of the English language, without English language there is the possibility that there may not be anything more than the elementary formal education in Nigeria. Despite the importance of the English language, the performance of students over the years has being on downward tread. Nigeria national policy on education (2001) states that school education should equip students to learn the use of English language. Media reports shows that the performance of students in written, reading and spoken English is not encouraging. Boge (2004) has this to say, “one major educational problem is preparing the young people to cope with the intellectual and cultural environment characterized by rapid changes”, it is assumed that the young people should have some basic understanding of English language, which will enable them to perform well in other subjects offered in school.

The statistics of results from the West African examination council (waec) however, revealed that year in year out, only fewer than 30% of candidates who writes the English language pass with a credit or distinction level. The English language is a major school subject at all levels of education into post- secondary institutions. Lack of knowledge of spoken and written English language in Nigeria means that such individual are disqualified linguistically to play a full part in the national affairs and in the society. The acquisition of the knowledge of English language has a major role to play in social and economic development in Nigeria. It is unpleasant, at least academically to note that performance of Nigerian secondary schools students has progressively declined.

For instance, of all secondary school students who registered for the English at the West African school certificate examination in 2005, only 14.5% passed at the credit level. These results indicated that over three years, the failure rate ranged from 84.94% to 90.68% the implication of this mass failure in the English language may be that most secondary school students who leave school are convinced that they are loaded in English and certainly are not able to use their mother tongue with confidence outside the limited purpose of their immediate social group. It is an attempt to discover the factors that are associated with mass failure of secondary school student in Orumba south local government area that leads to carrying this research work.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

For some years now, students have been performing very poor in the English language and this has become a source of worry to parents, guardians and teachers. (otagburuagu 2007) “closer monitoring has revealed that performance of students in English language at senior secondary certificate examination has then continued to become poorer at every passing year. Some students in the Secondary School find it difficult to speak English or even write in English language.
Therefore the problem of the study is to find out the factors associated with mass failure of students in English language in Orumba south local government area.

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

The purpose of the study is to find out the factors associated with mass failure of students in English language in secondary schools in Orumba south local government area.
The study will specifically ascertain the following;
1. The extent does lack of instructional material affect student’s performance in the English language.
2. The extent teacher’s qualification affects student’s performance in English language.
3. The extent teachers teaching methods affect students performance in English language
4. How teaching and learning of English language in Orumba south local government area can be improved.

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The study will be beneficial to all stakeholders in education. It will enable the ministry of education to become aware of the factors associated with mass failure of students in English language in secondary schools.
Educational planners at the state and federal level will also derive a wealth of knowledge from it.
The findings will enable the parents to come face to face with the problems encountered by their children in the process of trying to learn the language and then see where their assistance is needed to solve the problem.
It will act as a guide for recruitment of qualified teachers in different fields.
Finally it will be a source of enlightenment to students, teachers, institutions and the society at large.

SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The study is limited to the investigation of the factors associated with the mass failure of students in Orumba south local government area of Anambra state

RESEARCH QUESTIONS

The following research questions have been structured to guide this study
1. To what extent does the lack of instructional material affect the students performance in English language?
2. To what extent does the qualification of teachers affect the students performance in English language?
3. To what extent do the methods used in teaching English language enhance the learning of the language?
4. What measures should be adopted to improve the quality of teaching and learning English language in secondary school in Orumba south local government area?

REFERENCE

• Brown, H.D (2002) principles of language, learning and teaching. New jersey
• Femi, s (2002) introduction to the use of local language in education university of norms, university of kwara state
• Mkpa M.A (1998) fundamental of unit and lesson, planning. Onitsha summer education publishers
• Olagoke, U.I (1999) teaching the art of continuous writing in tertiary education journal of education research
• Tiffen, R. (2006) Australia policy online development project : et al,Thomas, university of Sydney
• Obagu (1982)
• FME (1985)
• National policy on education (1982)
• Brown (2000)
• Gardner (2001)
• Elliot (2000)
• Mkpa (2007)
• Mkpa (2014)
• National policy on education (2014)