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University of Nigeria Research Publications
AGU, Patricia U.
Aut
hor
PG/M.Ed/92/13525
Title
Strategies for Increasing Male Enrolment in Secondary Schools
of Nsukka Education Zone
Facu
lty
Education
Dep
artm
ent
Education
Dat
e
July, 1995
Sign
atur
e
APPROVAL PAGE
11 i ' . THIS THESIS HAS B E ~ N ' . A P P R O V E D IWR THE DEPAR'I'MENT OF
EDUCATION, UNIVERSITY O F N I G E R I A , NSUKKA.
SUPERVISOR -n NAL EXAMINER
/ EDUC AT1 ON
iii
AGU PATRICIA U , , a p s t g r a d u a t e s t u d e n t i n t h e Department
of ducati ion and w i t h t h e Reg, No, ~ ~ / ~ ~ ~ / 9 3 / 1 3 5 2 5 has
s a t i s f a c t o r i l y comple t ed t h e r e q u i r e m e n t s for c o u r s e
and r e s e a r c h work for the d e g r e e of - M.ED i n E d u c a t i o n a l
~ d m i n i s t r a t i o n and p lann ing .
The work embodied i n t h i s thesis/dissertation/project 1 I
r e p o r t i s o r i g i n a l and h a s not been s u b m i t t e d i n p a r t o r 1
full f o r any o t h e r d ip loma o r degree of this or any 3 t h e r
U n i v e r s i t y .
~ e a d of ~ e p b r t m e n t i ' supervisor
DEDICATION
T h i s work i s dedicated to my beloved husband,
D r e Chudi ~ g u and to my l o v i n g children ~danna, ~elechi,
Ugochukwu, I f u n a n y a and ozioma.
ACKNOWLCDGEMENT
T h e r e s e a r c h e r i s i m m e n s e l y g r a t e f u l t o h e r s u p e r v i s o r ,
D r , P . A , E z e o c h a fo r h i s c h a r i s m a t i c e n c o u r a g e m e n t and
f a t h e r l y g u i d a n c e e s p e c i a l l y a t t h e i n i t i a l and p r o p o s a l
s t a g e s of t h i s work. s h e w i s h e s to acknowledge w i t h
h u m i l i t y , the i n v a l u a b l e a s s i s t a n c e of Dr, Nel son
Ogbonnaya who n o t o n l y p r o v i d e d h e r w i t h a l o t o f l i te ra-
t u r e for t h e r e s e a r c h f r o m h i s p r i v a t e l i b r a r y b u t a l s o
for d e v o t i n g i n v a l u a b l e t i m e c o read t h r o u g h t h e m a n u s c r i p t
fo r c o n s t r u c t i v e criticism and c o r r e c t i o n s , I n d e e d the
r e s e a r c h e r c a n n o t t h a n k him enough f o r his p e r s o n a l
i n t e r e s t and a s s i s t a n c e i n all stages of t h i s work.
T h e r e s e a r c h e r a l s o w i s h e s t o e x p r e s s h e r g r a t i t u d e
t o P r o f , ( ~ r s ) J u l i e O k p a l a t h e ~ e a d of D e p a r t m e n t o f
ducati ion and t o D r . ( M ~ s ) G. o f f o m a fo r h e r s i n c e r e
assistance especially a t t h e i n i t i a l s t a g e of this work
when t h e r e s e a r c h e r h a d a p r o b l e m i n t h e c h o i c e of t h e
r e s e a r c h t o p i c , s h e i s vEry g r a t e f u l t o MrS, E.N. unamba-
O p a r a and Mr, J o n a s Ezema o f u n i v e r s i t y of ~ i g e r i a , ~ s u k k a
- ~ i b r a r y for making h e r j o b e a s i e r b y g r a n t i n g h e r f r e e
a c c e s s t o t h e q f r i c a n a / ~ e s e a r c h s e c t i o n of t h e ~ i b r a r y ,
T h e r e s e a r c h e r w i s h e s t o e x p r e s s h e r u n a l l o y e d
i n d e b t e d n e s s t o h e r h u s b a n d , D r , C h u d i ,4gu whose f i n a n c i a l
and physical s u p p o r t made all t h e d i f f e r e n c e , she c a n n n L
f o r g e t t o t h a n k h e r c h i l d r e n a n d i n a s p e c i a l way ozioma,
w i t h o u t whose p a t i e n c e and c o - o p e r a t i o n t h i s work would
n o t have b e e n p o s s i b l e , I n a v e r y s p e c i a l way s h e w i s h e s
t o t h a n k h e r d e a r p a r e n t s o z i o k o a n d M r s , FoOo ~ s a d u f o r
t h e i r l o v i n g c a r e and m o r a l s u p p o r t t h r o u g h o u t the c o u r s e
o f s t u d y . She i s also immense ly g r a t e f u l t o the following
persons f o r t h e i r v a r i o u s c o n t r i b u t i o n s t o t h e success
of t h i s project: D r . T.0. ~ g b o d i l e ( c o n t e n t reader) ,
Dr, ~ ~ 0 - c - o z i o k o ( s e n i o r L e c t u r e r , Dept . of p s y c h o l o g y ) ,
M r o F r a n k o b a y i of D e p a r t m e n t of E n g l i s h , U.N.N.,
M r . Johnson Ugwuja and ~ i s s H e l e n ugwuidu b o t h o f ~ t a t e
E d u c a t i o n Commission a n d C h i e f & M r s . A.A- Ngwu (AWO).
F i n a l l y , t h e r e s e a r c h e r ' s t h a n k s g o e s t o the ?
s t e n o g r a p h e r / t y p i s t , Mr. p a t r i c k ~ s a d u ( I s i a k p u N s u k k a )
who t y p e d b a t h t h e p r o j e c t p r o p o s a l and t h i s f i n a l work
free of c h a r g e i n spite of t h e hard times,
v i i
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGE
TITLE PAGE 0 0 o 0 0 0 0 0 0 i
APPROVAL PAGE o O O O O o m e * ii
CERTIFICATION P,\GE oo. o O O ii i
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT o 0 o m o o v
TABLE OF CONTENTS 0 0 0 0 0 0 v i i
LIST O F TABLES m e . * - a i x ABSTRACT o e o O O . 0 0 0 x
CHAPTER ONE: -- INTRODUCTION . . . B a c k g r o u n d o f t h e S t u d y S t a t e m e n t o f t h e P r o b l e m P u r p o s e o f t h e S t u d y s i g n i f i c a n c e o f t h e S t u d y S c o p e o f t h e S t u d y R e s e a r c h Q u e s t i o n s H y p o t h e s e s e O o
CHAPTER TWO:
LITERATURE REVIEW e Q O . O b 14 C o n c e p t of E n r o l m e n t 0 0 0 .*I 16 T r e n d s i n S e c o n d a r y S c h o o l E n r o l m e n t i n N i g e r i a 17 C a u s e s o f d e c l i n i n g e n r o l m e n t i n S e c o n d a r y S c h o o l s 22 P r o b l e m s o f S e c o n d a r y E d u c a t i o n i n N i g e r i a 30 M a k i n g S e c o n d a r y E d u c a t i o n more f u n c t i o n a l i n .
N i g e r i a O O o o o O o O o 38 Summary 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 45
. CHAPTER THREE: RZSESRCH MCTHODOLOGY AND PROCEDURE Re ' sca rch D e s i g n 0 0 0
Area of t h e S t u d y 0 0 0
P o p u l a t i o n of t h e S t u d y ., ~ a m t l e / S a m p l i n q T e c h n i q u e .,. I n s t r u m c n t a t i o n =.Do
V a l i d a t i o n o f I n s t r u m e n t R e l i a b i l i t y of I n s t r u m c n t ,,. ' p i l o t T e s t i n g o f I n s t r u m ~ n t Me thod of D a t a C o l l e c t i o n M e t h o d of Data A n a l y s i s
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
" D O
0..
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
O D 0
viii
PAGE
CHAPTER FOUR:
D A T A PRESENTATION AND A N A L Y S I S Summary of R e s u l t s 0 0 0
CHAPTER F I V E :
DISCUSSION OF RTSULTS, IMPLICATIONS, RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONCLUSION I m p l i c a t i o n s of t h e Research F i n d i n g s Recommendations 0 0 0
L i m i t a t i o n s of the S t u d y ,,,
S u g g e s t i o n s fo r f u r t h e r Research Summary O o O .,Do
C o n c l - u s i o n o O O Y O O
REFERENCES
APPENDICES - e o o o a
L e t t e r s t o Respondents o O a
Q u e s t i o n n a i r e . , . P e e
TABLE
1.
L I S T OF TABLYS
PAGE
S e c o n d a r y Grammar S c h o o l e ~ r o l m e n t b y R e g i o n i n N i g e r i a , , , 0 0 0 20
S e c o n d a r y S c h o o l e n r o l m e n t i n N s u k k a E d u c a t i o n z o n e b y S e x a 0 0
D i s t r i b u t i o n of S e c o n d a r y S c h o o l s i n t h e S ix L o c a l G o v e r n m e n t Areas of N s u k k a E d u c a t i o n z o n e O . O 0 0 0 54
Mean S c o r e s a n d S t a n d a r d D e v i a t i o n s of P a r e n t s a n d S t u d e n t s o n F i n a n c i a l Policies t h a t c a n i n c r e a s e M a l e e n r o l m e n t i n s e c o n d a r y S c h o o l s O O e 56
Mean S c o r e s of P a r e n t s a n d S t u d e n t s o n t h e f u n c t i o n a l c u r r i c u l u m t h a t c a n be i m p l e m e n t e d t o i n c r e a s e a n d r e t a i n m a l e e n r o l m e n t i n S e c o n d a r y s c h o o l s . . 58
Mean S c o r e s a n d S t a n d a r d D e v i a t i o n s of P a r e n t s a n d S t u d e n t s o n t h e e x t e n t t o w h i c h e m p l o y m e n t o p p o r t u n i t i e s c a n b r i n g a b o u t a c h a n g e i n a t t i t u d e of b o y s t o w a r d s s c h o o l i n g . . . O O o 60
Mean Scores a n d S t a n d a r d D e v i a t i o n s of P a r e n t s a n d S t u d e n t s o n S t u d e n t S e r v i c e s t h a t w i l l positively i n f l u e n c e Male e n r o l m e n t i n S e c o n d a r y S c h o o l s 6 2
Mean Scores a n d S t a n d a r d D e v i a t i o n s of P a r e n t s a n d S t u d e n t s o n G o v e r n m e n t Laws t h a t c o u l d r e d u c e t h e c u r r e n t q u e s t f o r q u i c k money b y o u r y o u t h s o e o 64
Summary t a b l e of t-test a n a l y s i s of t h e d i f f e r e n c e b e t w e e n t h e MPan S c o r e s of t h e P a r e n t s a n d S t u d e n t s w i t h r e g a r d t o t h e F i n a n c i a l P o l j c i c s t h a t c a n i n c r e a s e M a l e e n r o l m e n t i n S e c o n d a r y S c h o o l s 66
Summary t a b l e of t- test a n a l y s i s of t h e d i f f e r e n c e b e t w e e n t h e Mean S c o r e s of t h e P a r e n t s a n d S t u d e n t s w i t h r e g a r d t o t h e e x t e n t t o w h i c h e m p l o y m e n t o p p o r t u n i t i e s c a n b r i n g a b o u t a c h a n q e i n a t t i t u d e of b o y s t o w a r d s S c h o o l i n g 0 0 0 67
AB ST R 9CT
T h e p u r p o s e of t h e s t u d y was t o d e t e r m i n e t h e
s t r a t e g i e s f o r i n c r e a s i n g and r e t a i n i n g male e n r o l m e n t i n
s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l s of Nsukka e d u c a t i o n zone. s p e c i f i c a l l y
t h e s t u d y was d e s i g n e d t o f i n d o u t what f i n a n c i a l policies
and l a w s ( r u l e s and r e g u l a t i o n s ) t h a t c a n be i n t r o d u c e d
by government t o increase and r e t a i n male e n r o l m e n t i n
s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l s . It was a l s o d e s i g n e d t o d e t e r m i n e the
e x t e n t t o which t h e i m p l e m e n t a t i o n o f a f u n c t i o n a l
c u r r i c u l u m , t h e p r o v i s i o n o f employment o p p o r t u n i t i e s a s
w e l l a s t h e p r o v i s i o n of s t u d e n t s s e r v i c e s w i l l b r i n g
a b o u t an i n c r e a s e of ma le e n r o l m e n t i n s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l s .
I n an a t t e m p t t o f o c u s t h e s t u d y , f i v e r e s e a r c h
q u e s t i o n s and t w o h y p o t h e s e s were f o r m u l a t e d . A r e v i e w
of l i t e r a t u r e was done t o e x p o s e t h ~ r e s e a r c h e r t o what
work h a s a l r e a d y been done i n t h i s a r e a and t o p r o v i d e
h e r w i t h a sound t h e o r e t i c a l f r ame work f o r t h e s t u d y ,
The review was based on m a t e r i a l s from t e x t b o o k s , j o u r n a l s ,
p a s t t h e s e s , newpapers , c o n f e r e n c e p a p e r s and gove,rnment
p u b l i c a t i o n s .
A 24-item q u e s t i o n n a i r e t i t l e d i i s t ra teg ics f o r
, i n c r e a s i n g and r e t a i n i n g male e n r o l m e n t i n s e c o n d a r y
s c h o o l s ~ ~ was deve loped and a d m i n i s t e r e d o n 420 s e n i o r
s e c o n d a r y male s t u d e n t s and t h e same number of p a r e n t s
from 28 s e l e c t e d s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l s i n t h e zone, A
f o u r p o i n t r a t i n g scale was u s e d t o e n a b l e t h e r e s p o n d e n t s
p r o v i d e a n s w e r s to t h e i t e m s i n t h e q u e s t i o n n a i r e , Means
and s t a n d a r d d e v i a t i o n s were u s e d i n a n s w e r i n g t h e f i v e
r e s e a r c h q u e s t i o n s w h i l e t h e t-test s t a t i s t i c w a s u s e d to
' e s t a b l i s h w h e t h e r t h e r e w e r e s i g n i f i c a n t d i f f e r e n c e s
b e t w e e n t h e mean scores of t h e s t u d e n t s on o n e hand and
t h e i r p a r e n t s o n t h e o t h e r , r e g a r d i n g t h e f i n a n c i a l
p o l i c i e s and employment o p p o r t u n i t i e s t h a t c o u l d e n h a n c e
male e n r o l m e n t i n t o s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l s .
~ h s r e s u l t s of t h e s t u d y i n d i c a t e d a s follows: t h e
s e n i o r s e c o n d a r y male s t u d e n t s and t h e i r p a r e n t s s t r o n g l y
a g r e e d t h a t t h e a b o l i t i o n or r e d u c t i o n of s c h o o l f e e s ,
award of s c h o l a r s h i p s and o t h e r a l l o w a n c e s a s w e l l a s the
p r o v i s i o n of j o b o p p o r t u n i t i e s f o r s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l
l e a v e r s i f i n t r o d u c e d by g o v e r n m e n t w i l l i n c r e a s e m a l e
e n r o l m e n t i n s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l s , T h e y a l s o i n d i c a t e d t h a t
the i m p l e m e n t a t i o n o f a f u n c t i o n a l c u r r i c u l u m and t h e
p r o v i s i o n and i n t e n s i f i c a t i o n of s t u d e n t s e r v i c e s w i l l
a l so t o a g r e a t e x t e n t e n h a n c e male s t u d e n t s e n r o l m e n t .
The r e s p o n d e n t s o p i n e d t h a t c e r t a i n l a w s a s w e l l a s p u b l i c
e n l i g h t e n m e n t c a m p a i g n n e e d e d t o be i n t r o d u c e d by government
t o r e d u c e t h e c u r r e n t q u e s t f o r q u i c k money by o u r youths b
ko t h e d e t r i m e n t o f b a s i c e d u c a t i o n ,
n i s c u s s i o n , e d u c a t i o n a l i m p l i c a t i o n s of t h e r e s u l t s
a s w e l l a s s u g g e s t i o n s f o r f u r t h e r s t u d i e s were a l s o h i g h -
l i g h t e d i n t h e s t u d y ,
CHAPTER ONE
INTROnUCTION
B a c k q r o u n d of the, S t u d y
E d u c a t i o n is o n e of t h e sectors t h a t t a k e s a l i o n
s h a r e i n t h e n a t i o n a l b u d q e t of most d e v e l o p i n g c o u n t r i e s ,
T h i s i s j u s t i f i a b l y b a s e d on t h e o b v i o u s need f o r q u a l i t a -
t i v e manpower d e v e l o p m e n t i n t h e v a r i o u s a r e a s of human
e n d e a v o u r . T h e N a t i o n a l P o l i c y o n E d u c a t i o n of t h e F e d e r a l
R e p u b l i c o f ~ i g e r i a ( 1981: 5 ) r e c o g n i s e d e d u c a t i o n as "an
i n s t r u m e n t p a r e x c e l l e n c e f o r e f f e c t i v e n a t i o n a l d e v e l o p -
mentcc. T h i s means t h a t t h e g o v e r n m e n t a c k n o w l e d g e s
e d u c a t i o n a s an i n v a l u a b l e tool f o r s o l v i n g t h e p o l i t i c a l ,
social a n d e c o n o m i c p r o b l e m s of t h e n a t i o n .
F o r e d u c a t i o n t o a s s i s t i n s o l v i n g some of t h e
p r o b l e m s of t h e n a t i o n , its r e c i p i e n t s m u s t a c q u i r e s k i l l s ,
a b i l i t i e s , v a l u e s and a t t i t u d e s t h a t w i l l e n a b l e them
c o n t r i b u t e p o s i t i v e l y t o t h e d e v e l o p m e n t o f t h e s o c i e t y .
I n d e e d t h e b a s i c aims of e d u c a t i o n are t o e q u i p t h e
i n d i v i d u a l w i t h t h e k n o w l e d g e and s k i l l s t h a t w i l l e n a b l e )I
him become u s e f u l t o h i m s e l f and t o t h e s o c i e t y .
. T h e n e e d t o e d u c a t e a l l c i t i z e n s h a d been r e c o g n i s e d
f ~ o m the e a r l i e s t times. F o r i n s t a n c e , t h e r e n o u n e d
p h i l o s o p h e r Plato (427-347 BC) h a d i n h i s days
t h e i n e x t r i c a b l e r e l a t i o n s h i p be tween e d u c a t i o n and t h e
o p e r a t i o n of a f r e e , j u s t and good s o c i e t y , I n h i s book
"The R e p u b l i c f 1 , P l a t o had s t r o n g l y a rgued t h a t e d u c a t i o n
was a p o w e r f u l i n s t r u m e n t of c i v i l i z a t i o n ,
T h e U n i v e r s a l D e c l a r a t i o n of Human R i g h t s which t h e
U n i t e d N a t i o n s G e n e r a l Assembly adop ted i n 1948 made a
number o f a s s e r t i o n s a b o u t t h e i n a l i e n a b l e r i g h t s of
e v e r y human b e i n g . Article 26 o f t h e D e c l a r a t i o n was
s p e c i f i c on t h e rights of t h e i n d i v i d u a l t o e d u c a t i o n as
fol lows :
lo Every i n d i v i d u a l s h a l l have t h e r i g h t t o e d u c a t i o n ,
T h i s s h a l l be f r e e a t l e a s t i n t h e e l e m e n t a r y and
' p r i m a r y s t a g e s ,
2, E l e m e n t a r y e d u c a t i o n s h a l l b e compu l so ry , w h i l e
t e c h n i c a l and p r o f e s s i o n a l e d u c a t i o n s h a l l be made
g e n e r a l l y a v a i l a b l e .
3, H i g h e r e d u c a t i o n s h a l l be e q u a l l y a c c e s s i b l e t o a l l
o n t h e b a s i s o f m e r i t ,
4, P a r e n t s s h a l l have a p r i o r r i g h t t o c h o s e t h e k i n d
of e d u c a t i o n t h a t s h a l l be g i v e n t o t h e i r c h i l d r e n .
U k e j e (1577) acknowledged t h e f a c t t h a t e d u c a t i o n i s
tool for a c h i e v i n g t h e p o l i t i c a l , economic and o the r
e f f i c i e n c i e s r e q u i r e d t o meet t h e t e c h n o l o g i c a l need of
t h e c o u n t r y . E d u c a t i o n is t h e r e f o r e a v e r y n e c e s s a r y
tool i f t h e c o u n t r y is t o a c h i e v e a c c e l e r a t e d n a t i o n a l
d e v e l o p m e n t o T h e e f f i c i e n c i e s U k e j e spoke o f c a n n o t be
a c h i e v e d a t t h e l e v e l of p r i m a r y s c h o o l e d u c a t i o n . If
g r e a t e r e f f i c i e n c y is d e s i r e d , t h e n s e c o n d a r y and p r o b a b l y
t e r t i a r y e d u c a t i o n becomes i m p e r a t i v e .
S e c o n d a r y s c h o o l e d u c a t i o n i s d e f i n e d b y N i g e r i a 1 s
N a t i o n a l P o l i c y on E d u c a t i o n a s ' I the form o f e d u c a t i o n
c h i l d r e n r e c e i v e a f t e r p r i m a r y e d u c a t i o n and b e f o r e t h e
t e r t i a r y s t a g e v (1981: 1 6 ) - T h i s l e v e l o f e d u c a t i o n i s
v e r y c r u c i a l i n t h e e d u c a t i o n a l d e v e l o p m e n t o f a n y
c o u n t r y . I t i s t h e most b e n e f i c i a l t o t h e l a r g e s t
number of c h i l d r e n and t h e r e f o r e p l a y s t h e g r e a t e s t role
i n p r e p a r i n g t h e w o r k force o f a n y c o u n t r y , I t s c u r r i c u l l m
m u s t be d e s i g n e d i n s u c h a way a s t o e f f e c t i v e l y i d e n t i f y ,
select and d e v e l o p t o t h e f u l l e s t t h e p o t e n t i a l s o f o u r
y o u t h s ,
I n o r d e r t o a c h i e v e t h e s e e n d s t h e F e d e r a l R e p u b l i c
of N i g e r i a i n 1977 f o r m u l a t e d t h e N a t i o n a l P o l i c y o n
- E d u c a t i o n , r e v i s e d i n 1981, w i t h s e c t i o n f o u r of t h a t
document set a s i d e fo r s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l e d u c a t i o n , T h e
N a t i o n a l P o l i c y s t a t e d t h e b r o a d a i m s of s e c o n d a r y
e d u c a t i o n w i t h i n t h e o v e r a l l n a t i o n a l o b j e c t i v e s t o be:
I,, P r e p a r a t i o n of y o u t h s f o r u s e f u l l i v i n g w i t h i n t h e
s o c i e t y ; and
2, P r e p a r i n g f o r h i g h e r e d u c a t i o n ,
F o r i n d i v i d u a l s t o a c q u i r e s e c o n d a r y e d u c a t i o n , t h e y
have t o e n r o l i n t o t h e programme. I n d e e d t h e i s s u e of
e n r o l m e n t i s a c ' r i t ica l i s s u e i n t h e e d u c a t i o n a l d e v e l o p -
ment of a n y c o u n t r y . T h e r e a s o n i s because when t h e r e is
m a s s i v e s t u d e n t s ' e n r o l m e n t , e d u c a t i o n a l a d m i n i s t a t o r s and
p l a n n e r s b o t h e r a b o u t a d e q u a c y of r e s o u r c e s a n d w h a t t o
d o w i t h t h e e x c e s s manpower t h a t w i l l be p r o d u c e d . On t h e
o t h e r hand when the re i s a d e c l i n e i n s t u d e n t s e n r o l m e n t ,
t h e y b o t h e r a b o u t p o s s i b l p s h o r t a g e of manpower, m a s s
i l l i t e r a c y and j u v e n i l e d e l i n q u e n c y . T h i s f a c t i s
s u p p o r t e d by Obe (1980: 114) who stated " t h a t a d e c l i n e i n
e n r o l m e n t c o u l d h a v e d i s a s t r o u s c o n s e q u e n c e s s u c h a s
f i n a n c i a l w a s t e , mass i l . l i t e r a c y , loss of p o t e n t i a l
manpower, m o r a l d e c a d e n c e , s o c i a l and e m o t i o n a l mal-
A number of r e s e a r c h e s i n c l u d i n g t h o s e o f A z i k i w e
. ( 198,9) , Ogbonnaya ( 1994) and Amaeze ( 1993) have shown t h a t
i n t h e p a s t t h e number o f f e m a l e s e n r o l e d i n t o s e c o n d a r y
s c h o o l s and i n t e r t i a r y i n s t i t u t i o n s was n e g l i g i b l e when b
c o m p a r e d w i t h t h e i r m a l e c o u n t e r p a r t s . V a r i o u s c o n s t r a i n t s
w e r e r e s p o n s i b l e f o r t h i s . T h e s e i n c l u d e c u l t u r a l a n d
r e l i g i o u s f ac tors s u c h a s e a r l y m a r r i a g e , t h e p r a c t i c e af
p u r d a h by moslems, t r a d i t i o n a l d i s c r i m i n a t o r y a t t i t u d e s ,
e c o n o m i c f a c t o r s s u c h a s t h e cost o f a c q u i r i n g e d u c a t i o n
a n d p a r o c h i a l v i e w s a b o u t t h e p l a c e of women i n s o c i e t y
( A z i k i w e , 1 9 8 3 ) ~
D e s p i t e t h e u g l y c o n s e q u e n c e s of a d e c l i n e i n s c h o o l
e n r o l m e n t , t h e r e i s g r o w i n g e v i d e n c e o f t h i s phenomenon
among male s t u d e n t s i n Enugu S t a t e s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l s ,
T h i s i s c o n f i r m e d from t h e e n r o l m e n t f i g u r e s i n t h e s c h o o l s .
D u r i n g t h e 1 9 9 1 / 9 2 s c h o o l y e a r for i n s t a n c e , t h e r e w e r e
16 ,317 ma les as a g a i n s t 1P,860 females i n Nsukka e d u c a t i o n
z o n e a l o n e , The f i g u r e s were 19,130 m a l e s a s a g a i n s t
2 1 , 6 6 4 f e m a l e s i n 1992/93 s c h o o l y e a r , S t a t e e d u c a t i o n
C o m m i s s i o n , P e r s o n n e l D e p a r t m e n t , S t a t i s t i c s U n i t an, 1 9 9 4 ) .
T h e c a t e g o r i e s of p u p i l s who c a u s e t h i s d e c l i n e
i n c l u d e :
( a ) T h o s e who n e v e r t o o k common e n t r a n c e e x a m i n a t i o n
, i n t o s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l s .
(b) T h o s e who r e j e c t e d t h e o f f e r of a d m i s s i o n a f t e r
p a s s i n q t h e common e n t r a n c e e x a m i n a t i o n ,
(c) T h o s e who d r o p p e d o u t before c o m p l e t i o n of
s e c o n d a r y e d u c a t i o n ,
T h e s i t u a t i o n h a s r e a c h e d a l l a r m i n g dimensions i n p a r t s
of Enugu S t a t e . I t h a s l e d t o t h e c o n v e r s i o n of many
male s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l s t o c o - e d u c a t i o n a l s c h o o l s i n a
f r a n t i c e f f o r t t o s u s t a i n t h e i r e x i s t e n c e ,
E a r l i e r r e s e a r c h e r s i n t h i s f i e l d i n c l u d i n g A l i ( 1988) , N n a n i , O k e n y i , Nwosu, D i k e , i; jobo, I l o e r i k a , O b o d o a z e a n d
N w a j i a k u ( 1990) h a v e i d e r , t i f ? e d t h e c a u s e s of t h e d e c l i n e
i n m a l e e n r o l m e n t i n our - e c o r l d z r y s c h o o l s . A c c o r d i n g t o
t h e i r f i n d i n g s , t h e i ~ a i n (:aLlsss i d e n t i f i e d i n c l u d e
i n o r d i n a t e q u e s t t o acquire m a t e r i a l w e a l t h , w h i c h i n
o r d i n a r y p a r l a n c e i s c a l h d ' 'The g e t - r i c h - q u i c k syndrome1' .
I n a c a p i t a l i s t economy like N i g e r i a , w e a l t h i s a d o r e d
a n d r e c o g n i s e d i n society more t h a n a n y o t h e r q u a l i t y
a n d t h e e n d a p p e a r s t o j u s t i f y t h e m e a n s * Unemployment
too i s a m a j o r c a u s e o f d e c l i n e i n m a l e e n r o l m e n t , a s
many s c h o o l l e a v e r s c o n t i n u e t o roam t h e s t reets i n
. s e a r c h of u n a v a i l - a b l e jobs. T h i s p r o b l e m o f u n e m p l o y m e n t
i s w o r s e n e d b y t h e i r r e l e v a n c e of t h e s c h o o l c u r r i c u l u m
i n r e a l . l i f e s i t u 3 t i o n s (ie, n o n - f u n c t i o n a l e d u c a t i o n ) .
Thus, t h e n e e d t o s e c u r e ?mp.'.oyment a n d t o set u p a
' s t e a d y m e a n s of l i v e l i h o o d i s a major f a c t o r t h a t forces
many m a l e s t o a b a n d o n r c t o n l y s e c o n d a r y e d u c a t i o n b u t b
a l s o o t h e r forms of i ? t c l l c c t u a l p u r s u i t s , I n t h e s e
h a r d times, w i t h s o a r i n g i n f l a t i o n and t r i c k l i n g
i n c o m e s , many f a m i l i e s c a n h a r d l y make e n d s meet. T h e
low and m i d d l e i n c o m e f a m i l i e s c a n j u s t no l o n g e r a f f o r d
t h e i r c h i l d r e n ' s school f e e s , t e x t b o o k s and o t h e r i l l e g a l
l e v i e s , T h e s i t u a t i o n i s n o t h e l p e d by t h e l a r g e s i z e
of t h e a v e r a g e N i g e r i a n f a m i l y , I t h a s become f a s h i o n a b l e
f o r these p a r e n t s t o e n g a g e t h e i r v e r y young m a l e c h i l d r e n
i n t r a d i n g and a p p r e n t i c e s h i p s i m e d i a t e l y a f t e r o r e v e n
w i t h o u t p r i m a r y e d u c a t i o n , I t i s an eye- saw t o see some
of t h e s e u n d e r a g e d b o y s ( e v e n a t t h e a g e of s e v e n y e a r s )
who c a n n o t e v e n wr i t e t h e i r names , s e r v i n g l o n g terms of
a p p r e n t i c e s h i p in m o t o r m e c h a n i c w o r k s h o p s e tc , It
seems o b v i o u s t h e r e f o r e t h a t s o m e t h i n g n e e d s t o be d o n e
u r g e n t l y t o b r i n g a b o u t a c h a n g e of a t t i t u d e of b o y s and
t h e i r p a r e n t s t o w a r d s s c h o o l i n g , T h i s s t u d y i s d e s i g n e d
t o a d d r e s s t h i s p r o b l e m ,
S t a t e m e n t o f t h e Problem
T h e r e i s e v i d e n c e o f d e c l i n i n g e n r o l m e n t of male . . s t u d e n t s i n s e n i o r s e c o n d a r y schools i n Enugu S t a t e ,
T h e e n r o l m e n t f i q u r e s o f t h e l a s t e i g h t y e a r s c o n f i r m
t h i s t r e n d ,
I f t h i s t r e n d i s n o t r e v e r s e d , w e s h o u l d be p r e p a r e d
t o f a c e a s i t u a t i o n w h e r e f e m a l e s t a k e over t h e h i g h e s t
r e a l m s of p o l i t i c a l , p r o f e s s i o n a l and by i m p l i c a t i o n
s o c i o - e c o n o m i c ~ o w e r of t h e n a t i o n .
T h i s t r e n d of d e c r e a s i n g m a l e e n r o l m e n t i n s e c o n d a r y
s c h o o l s w i l l e v e n t u a l l y g i v e f e m a l e s t h e lead i n a l l
p o s i t i o n s of r e s p o n s i b i l i t y and h i g h l e v e l manpower.
W h i l e n o t h i n g may .be wrong w i t h t h a t , i t i s a w e l l known
f a c t t h a t f e m a l e s g e n e r a l l y t e n d t o s h y away f r e m s u c h
a c a d e m i c d i s c i p l i n e s l i k e m a t h e m a t i c s , t h e p u r e s c i e n c e s
and t e c h n o l o g y , T h e r e a s o n f o r t h i s may n o t so much be
t h a t t h e s e s u b j e c t s a r e more d i f f i c u l t t o comprehend a s
t h a t f e m a l e s g e n e r a l l y d o n o t l i k e t o o v e r e x e r t them-
s e l v e s i n t e l l e c t u a l l y and p h y s i c a l l y . T h i s may l e a d t o
t h e o v e r p r o d u c t i o n of .Tanpower i n t h e a r e a s of a r t s and
t h e soc ' ra l s c i e n c e s , a t t h e e x p e n s e of s c i e n c e a n d
t e c h n o l o g y . T h i s will f u r t h e r u n d e r m i n e t h e n a t i o n a l
o b j e c t i v e t o p r o d u c e h i g h l e v e l manpower i n o r d e r t o meet
t h e t e c h n o l o g i c a l n e e d s o f t h e c o u n t r y f o r a c c e l e r a t e d
n a t i o n a l d e v e l o p m e n t . T h e p r o b l e m of t h i s s t u d y t h e r e f o r e w a s t o d e t e r m i n e
t h e s t r a t e g i e s f o r i n c r e a s i n q m a l e e n r o l m e n t i n s e c o n d a r y
s c h o o l s w i t h p a r t i c u l a r reference t o Nsukka e d l ~ c a t i o n zone .
P r t r p o s e of t h e S t u d y
T h e main p u r p o s e o f . t h i s s t u d y was t o e s t a b l i s h t h e
s t r a t e g i e s f o r i n c r e a s i n g and r e t a i n i n g male e n r o l m e n t i n
s e n i o r s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l s i n Nsukka e d u c a t i o n z o n e ,
I
S p e c i f i c a l l y the s t u d y was d e s i g n e d t o :
1. f i n d o u t t h e f i n a n c i a l p o l i c i e s t h a t c a n be i n t r o d u c e d
b y t h e g o v e r n m e n t t o i n c r e a s e and r e t a i n male e n r o l -
ment i n s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l s ;
2, d e t e r m i n e t h e e x t e n t t o which t h e i m p l e m e n t a t i o n
of a f u n c t i o n a l c u r r i c u l u m w i l l i n c r e a s e male
e n r o l m e n t i n s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l s of Nsukka e d u c a t i o n
z o n e ;
3 , d e t e r m i n e t h e e x t e n t t o which the p r o v i s i o n of
employment o p p o r t u n i t i e s w i l l b r i n g a b o u t i n c r e a s e
i n m a l e e n r o l m e n t i n s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l s ;
4, f i n d o u t t h e e x t e n t t o which t h e p r o v i s i o n and
i n t e n s i f i c a t i o n o f s t u d e n t s e r v i c e s w i l l e n h a n c e
m a l e e n r o l m e n t i n s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l s ;
5. f i n d o u t wha t l a w s ( r u l e s and r e g u l a t i o n s ) c a n be
i n t r o d u c e d by t h e g o v e r n m e n t t o i n c r e a s e and r e t a i n
m a l e e n r o l m e n t i n s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l s ,
S i q n i f i c a n c e - o f t h e S t u d y
T h i s s t u d y would be of g r e a t i m p o r t a n c e to:
( a ) E d u c a t i o n a l a d m i n i s t r a t o r s a n d p l a n n e r s .
(b) Government p o l i c y makers b
( c ) T e a c h e r s and g u i d a n c e c o u n s e l l o r s
( d l P u p i l s and p a r e n t s
(el E d u c a t i o n a l r e s e a r c h e r s ,
T h e f i n d i n g s m f t h i s s t u d y s h o u l d d r a w t h e a t t e n t i o n
of e d u c a t i o n a l a d m i n i s t r a t o r s and p l a n n e r s t o t h e n e e d to
f o r m u l a t e e d u c a t i o n a l programmes t h a t meet t h e a s p i r a t i o n s
of p u p i l s , p a r t i c u l a r l y m a l e s . They s h o u l d e n s u r e t h a t
wha t i s s t u d i e d i s r e l e v a n t t o d i f f e r e n t s p h e r e s of
t a l e n t a n d i n t e r e s t s , as t h i s c o n s t i t u t e s a m a j o r f a c t o r
m i l i t a t i n g a g a i n s t m a l e e n r o l m e n t i n s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l s ,
T h e e x i s t i n g c u r r i c u l u m may n e e d t o b e r e v i s e d or e v e n
c h a n g e d o u t r i g h t w h e r e n e c e s s a r y , t o e n s u r e t h a t s c h o o l
l e a v e r s c a n p r a c t i c e and e f f e c t i v e l y e a r n a l i v i n g o u t
o f what i s t a u g h t i n s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l s .
T h e f i n d i n g s s h o u l d a l s o be of i n t e r e s t t o d i f f e r e n t
l e v e l s of g o v e r n m e n t and p o l i c y m a k e r s i n d e t e r m i n i n g t h e
r e m e d i e s f o r d e c l i n i n g m a l e e n r o l m e n t i n u r b a n and r u r a l
s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l s , I t may h e l p them fo r i n s t a n c e t o t a k e
d e c i s i o n s r e g a r d i n g amount of s c h o o l fees t o be c h a r g e d ,
p r o v i s i o n of s c h o l a r s h i p s / b u r s a r y a w a r d s t o s t u d e n t s ,
t r a i n i n g and r e c r u i t m e n t of g u i d a n c e c o u n s e l l o r s to
s e r v e p r i m a r y a n d s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l s etc, I n d e e d a s
. U k e j e (1967) r i q h t l y p o i n t e d o u t , n o c o u n t r y c a n rise
a b o v e t h e q u a l i t y of i t s e d u c a t i o n .
It i s a l s o h o p e d t h a t t h i s s t u d y would be o f immense
h e l p t o s e c o n d a r y school a u t h o r i t i e s , t e a c h e r s and
g u i d a n c e c o u n s e l l o r s o I t c o u l d e n a b l e t e a c h e r s t o
r e a s s e s s t h e i r m e t h o d s of t e a c h i n g , It c o u l d e n l i g h t e n
t h e n o n t h e n e e d s t o m o t i v a t e t h e i r s t u d e n t s a n d i n c u l c a t e
i n them good v i r t u e s a s m o d e l s o f e d u c a t i o n . T h e f a c t
t h a t many b o y s e n t e r e d t r a d e o r b u s i n e s s s t r a i g h t f r o m 7
primary s c h o o l s i s d u e p a r t l y t o lack of p r o p e r g u i d a n c e
c o u n s e l 1 i n g i n p r i m a r y s c h o o l s .
P a r e n t s and g u a r d i a n s , a s w e l l a s the m a l e p u p i l s
t h e m s e l v e s may be h e l p e d by t h i s s t u d y t o r e - a p p r a i s e
t h e i r o b j e c t i v e s f o r a b a n d o n i n g s e c o n d a r y e d u c a t i o n for
f a s t b u s i n e s s e s , I t i s h o p e d t h a t it w i l l h e l p them t o
r e a l i z e t h a t a s o u n d e d u c a t i o n i s t h e bed-rock of
e f f e c t u a l human development and t h e f o u n d a t i o n of a n y
m e a n i n g f u l b u s i n e s s v e n t u r e .
F i n a l l y , i t i s hoped t h a t t h i s s t u d y w i l l add t o t h e
e x i s t i n g body of e d u c a t i o n a l r e s e a r c h which m i g h t be
h a r n e s s e d f o r f u r t h e r r e s e a r c h i n t h i s and o t h e r r e l a t e d
f i e l d s .
. scope of the S t u d y '
T h i s s t u d y was l i m i t e d t o s e n i o r s e c o n d a r y
s c h o o l s i n t h e six L o c a l Government A r e a s of Msukka
e d u c a t i o n z o n e o f Enugu S t a t e , T h e f o l l o w i n g a r e a s I -
f d r m e d t h f f o c u s of t h e s t u d y :
1. F i n a n c i a l p o l i c i e s
2. F u n c t i o n a l c u r r i c u l u m
3, Employment o p p o r t u n i t i e s
4 , S t u d e n t s e r v i c e s a n d
5, G o v e r n m e n t l a w s ( r u l e s a n d r e g u l a t i o n s )
Research Quest i o n s
A s a g u i d e t o t h e c o n d u c t of t h i s s t u d y , t h e f o l l o w i n g
r e s e a r c h q u e s t i o n s a n d h y p o t h e s e s Wen@ f o r m u l a t e d :
What f i n a n c i a l p o l i c i e s c a n be i n t r o d u c e d b y t h e
g o v c r n m e n t t o i n c r e a s e m a l e e n r o l m e n t i n s e c o n d a r y
s c h o o l s ?
T o w h a t e x t e n t w i l l t h e i m p l e m e n t a t i o n of a
f u n c t i o n a l curriculum i n c r e a s e m a l e e n r o l m e n t i n
s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l s ?
T o w h a t e x t e n t , w i l l t h e p r o v i s i o n of e m p l o y m e n t < o p p o r t u n i t i e s b r i n g a b o u t a c h a n q e i n a t t i t u d e of
b o y s t o w a r d s s c h o o l i n g ?
T o w h a t e x t e n t w i l l t h e p r o v i s i o n a n d i n t e n s i f i c a t i o n
o f s t u d e n t s e r v i c e s e n h a n c e m a l e e n r o l m e n t i n t o
s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l s ?
i J h a t l a w s ( r u l e s a n d r e g u l a t i o n s ) s h o u l d be i n t r o d u c e d
b y t h e g o v c r n m e n t t o r e d u c e t h e c u r r e n t quest for
q u i c k money b y o u r y o u t h s , t o t h e d e t r i m e n t of b a s i c
e d u c a t i o n ,
Hypotheses
1 T h e o p i n i o n s of s t u d e n t s a n d p a r e n t s w i l l n o t
differ s i g n i f i c a n t l y w i t h r e g a r d t o t h e f i n a n c i a l ,
p o l i c i e s t h a t c a n be i n t r o d u c e d by government t o
i n c r e a s e m a l e e n r o l m e n t i n s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l s .
2. T h e o p i n i o n s of s t u d e n t s and p a r e n t s w i l l not
d i f f e r s i q n i f i c a n t l y w i t h r e g a r d t o t h e e m p l o y m e n t
o p p o r t u n i t i e s t h a t c o u l d b r i n g about a change o f
a t t i t u d e of boys t o w a r d s s c h o o l i n g ,
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
T h e r e l a t e d l i t e r a t u r e h a s b e e n r e v i e w e d u n d e r t h e
f o l l o w i n g h e a d i n g s :
- C o n c e p t o f e n r o l m e n t - - T r e n d s i n s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l e n r o l m e n t in N i g e r i a
- C a u s e s o f d e c l i n i n g e n r o l m e n t i n s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l s
- Problems o f s e c o n d a r y e d u c a t i o n i n N i g e r i a
- Makinq s e c o n d a r y e d u c a t i o n more f u n c t i o n a l
E v e n t s i n o u r c o u n t r y s i n c e i n d e p e n d e n c e h a v e shown
t h a t d e s p i t e d e c a d e s of c o n t a c t w i t h W e s t e r n e d u c a t i o n and
t h e s u b s e q u e n t h e a v y i n v e s t m e n t i n human and m a t e r i a l
r e s o u r c e s by q o v e r n m c n t , v o l u n t a r y a g e n c i e s and i n d i v i d u a l s ,
t h e bssic aims of e d u c a t i o n h a v e n o t b e e n f u l l y r e a l i s e d .
O b s e r v e r s o f t h e s y s t e m h a v e n o t e d t h a t t h e n a t i o n h a s
p r o d u c e d a s i g n i f i c a n t number o f p e o p l e w i t h a d m i r a b l e
p a p e r q u a l i f i c a t i o n s , y e t s h e s t i l l l a c k s p e o p l e who c a n
e x h i b i t a s c i e n t i f i c k n o w l e d g e o f e n q u i r y and c r i t i c a l
'. mind,
A c c o r d i n g t o U k e j e (1978:78) , " t h i s i n a d e q u a c y h a s
6 e e n t r a c e d t o t h e l i m i t e d ro le o f m i s s i o n a r y and c o l o n i a l
e d u c a t i o n " , The c u r r i c u l u m was f a s h i o n e d t o p r o d u c e
d e v o t e d c h r i s t i a n s and l i ters te c l e r k s who c o u l d r e a d and
w r i t e , T h c r e s u l t was t h a t most N i g e r i a n e a r l y g r a d u a t e s
who s e r v e d a s a d m i n i s t r a t o r s were o f t h e l i b e r a l a r t s ,
T h e n e e d s and a s p i r a t i o n s of t h e p e o p l e t h e c u r r i c u l u m was
mean t t o serve was n o t c o n s i d e r e d a t all.
I n a n a t t e m p t t o correct t h i s t r e n d , t h e F e d e r a l
Government o f N i g e r i a i n 1977 f o r m u l a t e d t h e N a t i o n a l
P o l i c y on E d u c a t i o n , r e v i s e d i n 1981, Ayo (1988: 13)
o b s e r v e d t h a t t h e new P o l i c y w a s "an a t t e m p t t o p r o v i d e
a d i r e c t i o n fo r N i g e r i a n e d u c a t i o n " , T h i s i s b e c a u s e \
t h e P o i i c y s i q n i f i e s a n a w a r e n e s s o n t h e p a r t o f t h e
F e d e r a l Government t o remodel e d u c a t i o n i n t h e l i g h t of
t h e N i g e r i a n ' e x p e r i e n c e ,
T h i s e f f o r t by t h e F e d e r a l Government h a s o v e r t h e
y e a r s r u n i n t o a h i t c h i n most S t a t e s of t h e F e d e r a t i o n ,
a s a r e s u l t of s e v e r a l f a c t o r s . T h e few s t u d e n t s t h a t
p r i v i l e g e d t o be i n I
t h e f o r m a l s c h o o l s y s t e m ,
d r o p p e d - o u t e a r l y b e f o r e t h e y c o u l d c o m p l e t e t h e i r c o u r s e s .
T h e s i t u a t i o n now i s so a l a r m i n g t h a t e d u c a t i o n i s t s and
w e l l - m e a n i n g i n d i v i d u a l s i n t h e c o u n t r y h a v e s t a r t e d
' e x p r e s s i n g f e a r s t h a t t h i s may p o s e a s e r i o u s t h r e a t t o
the f u t u r e of e d u c a t i o n a n d q u a l i t a t i v e manpower d e v e l o p -
m>nt i n t h e c o u n t r y . I m p l i c a t i o n of t h i s i s t h a t e d u c a t 5 o n
which i s s u p p o s e d t o b e t h e b e d r o c k of o u r s o c i o - e c o n o m i c
d e v e l o p m e n t is now p l a y i n g s e c o n d f i d d l e .
I n o r d e r t o . e s t a b l i s h a f i r m f ramework f o r t h i s
s t u d y , a t h o r o u g h r e v i e w of a l l a v a i l a b l e l i t e r a t u r e on
s e c o n d a r y s c h o e l e n r o l m e n t t r e n d s ; a s w e l l a s v a r i o u s
,views and o p i n i o n s e x p r e s s e d b y s e v e r a l e d u c a t i o n a l
a u t h o r i t i e s and i n d i v i d u a l s , on t h e f a c t o r s r e s p o n s i b l e
f o r t h e d e c l i n e o b s e r v e d i n s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l e n r o l m e n t ,
i n t h i s p a r t of t h e c o u n t r y i s e x a m i n e d a c c o r d i n g l y .
& -. C o n c e p t of E n r o l m e n t
E n r o l m e n t , a c c o r d i n g t o t h e D i c t i o n a r y 'of E d u c a t i o n
( l 9 5 9 : 2 O l ) , "is t h e p r o c e s s o f e n t r a n c e i n t o s c h o o l ,
C o l l e g e o r U n i v e r s i t y , o r C o u r s e t h a t e v e n t u a t e s i n t h e
a c t of w r i t i n g t h e s t u d e n t ' s name on t h e roll . , r e g i s t e r
o r f i l e s o f t h e i n s t i t u t i o n . I t i s t h e number o'f p u p i l s
r e g i s t e r e d gn t h e r o l l ~f a g i v e n s c h o o l a t a n y g i v e n d a t e
d u r i n g t h e s c h o o l y e a r , semester or term; e a c h name b e i n g
c o u n t e d o n l y o n c e t o a v o i d d u p l i c a t i o n " , E n r o l m e n t i s a
n e c e s s a r y p r e r e q u i s i t e f o r t h e commencement o f a n y
e d u c a t i o n a l programme.
I n N i g e r i a , thct p r o c e s s of e n r o l m e n t i n t o s e c o n d a r y
s c h o o l begins a f t e r p r i m a r y e d u c a t i o n , w i t h t h e s t u d e n t
s i t t i n g t h e common e n t r a n c e e x a m i n a t i o n ,
P r i o r t o t h e g o v e r n n e n t t a k e o v e r of s c h o o l s , and i n
p r i v a t e s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l s , t h e e n t r a n c e e x a m i n a t i o n s a r e
o r g a n i s e d b y t h e - i n d i v i d u a l s c h o o l s , u s u a l l y f o l l o w e d by
an o r a l i n t e r v i e w . T h e common e n t r a n c e e x a m i n a t i o n
consisted of w r i t t e n p a p e r s on E n g l i s h l a n g u a g e ,
m a t h e m a t i c s , g e n e r a l p a p e r and an a p t i t u d e test , It i s
o n l y a f t e r p a s s i n g t h i s e n t r a n c e e x a m i n a t i o n a n d payment
of t h e n o n - r e f u n d a b l e fee t h a t t h ~ s t u d e n t i s r e g i s t e r e d
i n t h e f i r s t fo rm of s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l , and g i v e n a c o p y
of t h e s c h o o l p r o s p e c t u s , c o n t a i n i n g d e t a i l s of items
r e q u i r e d for t h e commencement of s c h o o l i n g ,
1 T r e n d s i n Secondary School Enrolment in ~ i ~ e r i a
A d e s i n a and O g u n s a j u (1984), i n d i s c u s s i n g t r e n d s i n
s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l e n r o l m e n t s i n N i g e r i a , s a i d t h a t :
When N i q e r i a ' s f i r s t s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l was s t a r t e d i n 1859 (C,M,S, Grammar S c h o o l , L a g o s ) . , , t h e r e were r o u g h l y t w e n t y - f i v e s t u d e n t s e n r o l l e d i n i t , , . I n 1984, t h e r e were n e a r l y f o u r ' m i l l i o n students i n N i g e r i a ' s cs t i m a t e d 2,700 secondary s c h o o l s o T h e e n r o l m e n t f i q u r e s w i l l c o n t i n u e t o s o a r a s e d u c a t i o n becomes i n c r e a s i n g l y p o l i t i c i z e d and w i t h e v e r y minu t t - communi ty d e s i r i n g a secondary s c h o o l ,
Most of t h e e a r l y s c h o o l s were e s t a b l i s h e d b y
c h r i s t i a n m i s s i o n a r i e s , a s an i n t e g r a l p a r t of t h e i r
' e v a n g e l i c a l work, T h e s e s c h o o l s were m o d e l l e d a f t e r t h e
E n g l i s h Grammar S c h o o l s w i t h i t s c l a s s i c a l t r a d i t i o n and
t h e u s u a l l y heavy d o s e of r e l i g i o u s i n s t r u c t i o n s ,
A t f i r s t , t h e a t t i t u d e o f N i q c r i a n s t o w e s t e r n
e d u c a t i o n was t h a t o f . s c e p t i c i s r n and r e s i s t a n c e . By t h e
t u r n of t h e c e n t u r y , A f r i c a n s had come t o r e a l i s e t h a t
w i t h a r u d i m e n t a r y k n o w l e d g e of r e a d i n q , w r i t i n g and
r e l i g i o n , o n e c o u l d become a c l e r k , a t e a c h e r , a
c a t e c h i s t o r a n i n t c r p r e t e r . CJ i th t h e s e p r o s p e c t s i n
v i e w , t h e i r a t t i t u d e s t o w e s t e r n e d u c a t i o n g r a d u a l l y c h a n g e d ,
T h i s l e d t o a r a p i d g r o w t h i n t h e number of s c h o o l s i n
S o u t h e r n N i q e r i a b e t w e e n 1910 and 1 9 3 0 , Between 1 9 4 0 and
1 9 6 0 , p e o p l c h a d become so e n t h u s i a s t i c a b o u t W e s t e r n
e d u c a t i o n t h a t i t became a t h i n g of p r i d e t o a c q u i r e
education i n Uiqeria, Fafunwa ( 1 9 7 4 ) .
A s a r e s u l t , s c h o o l e n r o l m c n t i n c r e a s e d t r e m e n d o u s l y ,
A c c o r d i n g t o F a j a n a ( 1967) , t h e s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l e n r o l m e n t
i n t h e c o u n t r y g r e w from n e a r l y 1 0 , 0 0 0 i n 1 9 4 7 t o o v e r
5 5 , 0 0 0 i n 1 9 6 0 , T h e s u c c e s s f u l l a u n c h i n g of t h e U n i v e r s a l
Free Primary E d u c a t i o n ( u P E ) i n t h e c o u n t r y i n S e p t e m b e r
1 9 7 6 , u s h e r e d i n a new e r a of h o p e s for a l l c h i l d r e n of
s c h o o l age, i r r e s p e c t i v e o f sex or s o c i o - e c o n o m i c b a c k -
g r o u n d , N a t u r a l l y , t h i s d e v e l o p m e n t b r o u g t t w i t h i t an
b n p r e c e d e n t e d i n c r e a s e i n p r i m a r y s c h o o l e n r o l m e n t
t h r o u g h o u t t h e c o u n t r y , The f i rs t set of t h e p r o d u c t s
of t h e U,P,E programme e n t e r e d s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l s i n
S e p t e m b e r 1982, t h u s c r e a t i n g a f lood i n s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l
e n r o l m e n t . T h e s t a t u s o f s t u d e n t s ' p o p u l a t i o n and
e n r o l m e n t i n N i g e r i a n s e c o n d a r y grammar s c h o o l s u p t o 1984
are shown i n t h e table below.
A f t e r t a k i n g t h e s c h o o l c e r t i f i c a t e e x a m i n a t i o n s a t
t h e e n d of t h e i r s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l career, s t u d e n t s were
e a s i l y absorbed i n government o f f i c e s a s c l e r k s , teachers
etc, !d i th t i m e hoW€v€?r, t h e a v a i l a b l e employment o p p o r t u -
n J t i e s g o t f i l l e d u p . And w i t h t h e v e r y slow g r o w t h of
t h e economy, t h e c r e a t i o n of nc:w jobs b y g o v e r n m e n t
c o u l d no l o n g e r m a t c h t h e r a t e of t u r n o v e r of t h e
s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l s o T h i s e v e n t u a l l y l e d t o t h e m a s s i v e
' g r a d u a t e ' unemployment now e x p e r i e n c e d i n t h e c o u n t r y .
A s t i m e wen t o n , a new wave of c h a n g e set i n ,
r e s u l t i n g i n a g r a d u a l d e c l i n e i n e n r o l m e n t of b o t h sexes
i n s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l s t h r o u g h o u t t h e c o u n t r y , C u r r e n t l y ,
most s t a t e s af N i g e r i a a r e e x p e r i e n c i n g t h i s u r g l y
phenomenon o f s c h o o l s g e t t i n g i n c r e a s i n g l y e m p t y o
~ep&r t s from v a r i o u s s t a t e s of t h e f e d e r a t i o n a r e q u i t e
a l a r m i n g , F o r i n s t a n c e , t h e N i g e r i a n T r i b u n e of J u n e 7 t h
a ~ d May 22nd 1985 b o t h h a v e a r t i c l e s on d e c l i n i n g s t u d e n t s
e n r o l m e n t , e v e n a t t h e l e v e l o f p r i m a r y s c h o o l s . T h i s
t r e n d i s c e r t a i n l y d i s t u r b i n g .
SECONDARY GKAMMAR- SCHOOL ENROLMENT BY REGION IN N I G E R I A
Year East
8 ,644
9 ,182
9 , 5 4 4
10,584
11,118
12,2a2
13,960
15 ,789
18 ,263
20,706
26,785
33,631
4 1 , 1 8 1
SO, 729
60,148
YIVIL WAR
Lagos N o r t h
- STATES CREATION -
West/ Mid-West T o t a l
b TABLE 1
N i g e r i a a n n u a l r e p o r t o f Department of Education-Government , P r i n t e r , Lagos.
SECOMDARY SCHOOL ENROLMENT I N N S U K K A EDUCATION ZONK BY S E X
S t a t e Educat ion Commission P e r s o n n e l Depa r tmen t , S t a t i s t i c -.~ -.--. - - Unit, N s u k k a ,
MALE FEMALE
1988 /8 9 15,336 14,200
TOTAL
26,536
14,560 , 14,600 29,160 1
13,428
1992/93 19,573 21,519
1993/94 24,835 27,489
1994/95 26,720 30,710
28,446
35,377
41,044
52,324
57,430
TABLE 2
C a u s e s *f D e c l i n i n q E n r o l m e n t i~ N i g e r i a n S e c o n d a r y S c h o o l s
Most c h i l d r e n come from homes w h e r e b e c a u s e o f
m e a g r e i n c o m e s , s p i r a l l i n g i n f l a t i o n a n d l a r g e f a m i l y
size, p a r e n t s f i n d it' d i f f i c u l t t o e v e n feed a n d c l o t h e
t h e i r c h i l d r e n , Most o f ~ i g e r i a n p a r e n t s are p o o r
s u b s i s t e n c e f a r m e r s , AS Nwagwu ( 1 9 7 6 : 9 7 ) p o i n t e d o u t :
I n s u c h c a s e s , even free ,,, e d u c a t i o n does n o t g u a r a n t e e f o r t h e c h i l d t h e o p p o r t u n i t y t o c o m p l e t e h i s ,,, s c h o o l i n g , T h e p a r e n t s may s t i l l n o t be ab l e t o p r o v i d e t h e money f o r b o o k s , s c h o o l u n i f o r m , p o c k e t money e tc , a n d t h e s e are e n o u g h r e a s o n s f o r c h i l d r e n t o d r o p o u t of s c h o o l ,
W i t h t h e r e t u r n of t u i t i o n and o t h e r fees i n most S t a t e
s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l s i n N i g ~ : r i a , f o l l o w i n g t h e p r e s e n t
e c o n o m i c d o w n - t u r n , most p a r e n t s are f i n d i n q it i n c r e a s i n g l y
d i f f i c u l t t o meet w i t h t h e f i n a n c i a l d e m a n d s of t h e i r
c h i l d r e n ' s e d u c a t i o n , T h i s r e s u l t s i n t h e w i t h d r a w a l of
t h e i r w a r d s f r o m s c h o o l s a n d t h i s a d v e r s e l y a f f e c t s
s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l e n r o l m e n t f i g u r e s , T h e r e i s n o d o u b t
t h e r e f o r e t h a t money i s a v e r y v i t a l p r e r e q u i s i t e for
e d u c a t i o n a l a c h i e v e m e n t of a c h i l d , n o m a t t e r how
i n t e l l i g e n t h e may be.
This v i e w was s u p p o r t e d b y Nwankwo (1979:4) i n h i s
a u n p u b l i s h e d t h e s i s w h e r e h e s a i d :
b e c a u s e .o f t h e f i n a n c i a l i m b a l a n c e of most f a m i l i e s , some s t u d e n t s p r e f e r r e d t o w i t h d r a w f r o m s c h o o l t o a p p r e n t i c e s h i p i n the job t h e y w e r e n o t t a l e n t e d i n , T h o s e o f t hem t h a t m a n a g e t o f i n d money a n d s i t t h e common e n t r a n c e e x a m i n a t i o n i n t o s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l s , may p a s s b u t a b a n d o n t h e i d e a a s s o o n a s t h e r e s u l t s a r e o u t a n d t h e y d i s c o v e r t h a t t h e i r p a r e n t s c a n n o t a f f o r d t h e cos t ,
T h i s a s s e r t i o n was f u r t h e r s u p p o r t e d b y M i n e r ( 1968) i n a
r e s e a r c h h e c o n d u c t e d w h e r e he d i s c o v e r e d t h a t t h e socio-
e c o n o m i c b a c k g r o u n d of t h e c h i l d w a s d i r e c t l y r e l a t e d
t o t h e l e v e l of a c a d e m i c a c h i e v e m e n t h e a t t a i n e d .
F u r t h e r m o r e , t h e r e l a t i o n s h i p b e t w e e n p a r e n t a l
i l l i t e r a c y a n d l o w e d u c a t i o n a l a s p i r a t i o n of c h i l d r e n h a s
been w e l l d o c u m e n t e d b y many r e s e a r c h e r s , F o r i n s t a n c e ,
P h i l i p F o s t e r f o u n d c u t i n Ghana t h a t " t h e o f f s p r i n g of
e d u c a t e d p a r e n t s w i t h u r b a n p a t t e r n o f r e s i d e n c e a p p e a r
t o h a v e g r e a t e r c h a n c e s of o b t a i n i n g a c c e s s t o s e c o n d a r y
e d u c a t i o n , t h a n o t h e r q r o u p s w i t h i n the s o c i e t y ' f o F o s t e r
(1965: 2 4 4 ) , T h e morr-3 e d u c a t e d p a r e n t s a r e , t h e more
e d u c a t i o n t h e y are l i k e l y to d e s i r e f o r t h e i r c h i l d r e n .
. T h e p o i n t is t h a t i l l i t e r a t e p a r e n t s may n o t e a s i l y see
t h e i m p o r t a n c e of f o r m a l e d u c a t i o n a n d may n o t d e v e l o p the
p o s i t i v e a t t i t u d e s t o s c h o o l i n q w h i c h wou ld e n c o u r a g e t h e i r
c h i l d r e n t o p e r s e v e r e i n s c h o o l u n t i l t h e c o u r s e of
e d u c a t i o n is c o m p l ~ t e d , Nwagwu (1976: 98) g o e s f u r t h e r
t o p o i n t o u t t h a t q t u n e d u c a t e d p a r e n t s are a p t t3 e x p e c t
q u i c k r e t u r n s from t h e i r c h i l d ' s e d u c a t i o n
t h e h i g h e r t h e e d u c a t i o n a l l e v e l c o m p l e t e d t h e better the
c h i l d ' s c h a n c e s of s e c u r i n g t h e l u c r a t i v e jobs i n s o c i e t y i 7 ,
A n o t h e r major factor t h a t c a u s e s many s t u d e n t s to
d r o p o u t o f s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l s i s t h e h o s t i l e e n v i r o n m e n t a n d
sad e x p e r i e n c e s many o f them e n c o u n t e r i n t h e s c h o o l s ,
H u m i l i a t i n g and e x c e s s i v e p u n i s h m e n t s o f t e n metted o u t t o
s t u d e n t s b y t e a c h e r s a n d s o m e t i m e s e v e n b y senior s t u d e n t s ,
who a re s c h o o l f u n c t i o n a r i e s a r e enough t o d i s c o u r a g e many
a b e g i n n e r , T h e s e p u n i s h m e n t s are o f t e n fo r m i n o r o f f e n c e s
a n d f a i l u r e t o c o n f o r m w i t h set s t a n d a r d s a n d t o a b i d e h y
s c h o o l r e g u l a t i o n s , I n some s c h o o l s , t h e s i t u a t i o n
e s p e c i a l l y i n t h e d o r m i t o r i e s c a n be s u c h t h a t s e n i o r
. . s t u d e n t s u s e , e x p l o i t a n d some times v i r t u a l l y enslave
t h e j u n i o r o n e s ,
Many t e a c h e r s d o n o t realise t h a t how t h e y t e a c h , how
t h e y S z h a v e a n d how t h e y i n t e r a c t w i t h t h e s t u d e n t s
g e n e r a l l y are v e r y v i t a l f a c t o r s i n h e l p i n g t h e s t u d e n t s t o
d e v e l o p a n d s u s t a i n i n t e r e s t i n wha t h a p p e n s i n t h e s c h o o l ,
The u t t e r a n c e s a n d a t t i t u d e s of t h e t e a c h e r s towards t h e
s t u d e n t s s h o u l d be s a c h t h a t g u a r a n t e e r a p p o r t b e t w e e n
t h e l e a r n e r a n d t h e t e a c h e r , I n d e e d as Adeyerno (1972) I
25
s t a t e d , i f t h e c h i l d f i n d s g r e a t e r i n t e r e s t and c o m f o r t
i n a c t i v i t i e s o u t s i d e t h e s c h o o l , h e becomes w i t h d r a w n
a n d s t o p s t o e n j o y h i m s e l f at s c h o o l u n t i l h e returns home.
The i m p l i c a t i o n of a l l t h e s e i s t h a t t h e s c h o o l e n v i r o n m e n t
must be c h a l l e n g i n g , stimulating, i n t e r e s t i n g a n d above
a l l r e a s s u r i n g , s o a s t o k e e p t h e minds o f t h e s t u d e n t s
w i t h i n i t s f o u r w a l l s ,
T h e classroom n e e d s t o be set p r o p e r l y , in o r d e r t o
c r e a t e a c o n d u c i v e a t m o s p h e r e f o r l e a r n i n g , F o r i n s t a n c e ,
t h e r e s h o u l d be a d e q u a t e s p a c i n g , a d e q u a t e seats, v e n t i l l a -
t i o n a n d l i g h t i n g i n t h e c l a s s r o o m s , t o e n s u r e maximum
comfort f o r t h e s t u d e n t s d u r i n g c l a s s - w o r k . A s i t u a t i o n
w h e r e t h e s t u d e n t s s c r a m b l e fo r seats , f o r i n s t a n c e i n t h e
'-. s c i e n c e l a b o r a t o r i e s or i n t h e a s s e m b l y h a l l , o r w h e r e
s t u d e n t s s t a n d u p t o c o p y l e s s o n n o t e s c a n be a n y t h i n g b u t
i n t e r e s t i n g ,
A g a i n i t i s p r . r t i n e n t to a d d t h a t t h e r e a r e a l o t of
o t h e r social a n d f a m i l y p r e s s u r e s w h i c h c a u s e many s t u d e n t s
t o d r o p out or delay t h e i r commencement of s c h o o l i n g . F o r
- i n s t a n c e , i t is n o t u n u s u a l f o r a w o r k i n g c lass mother t o
w i t h d r a w h e r o l d e r d a u q h - t e r or s o n f r o m s c h o o l t o look
a f te r t h e i r y o u n g e r c h i l d r e n a s b a b y s i t t e r s , w h i l e m o t h e r
goes t o work. I t may a l s o be t h e n e e d f o r more h a n d s i n t h e
farm work t h a t o f t e n f o r c e s p a r e n t s t o w i t h d r a w t h e i r
grown-up c h i l d r e n f rom s c h o o l s , L a b o u r fo r f a r m and
d o m c s t i c w o r k h a s become r a t h e r s c a r c e and too e x p e n s i v e ,
and n o t many f a m i l i e s c a n a f f o r d t o p a y h i r e d l a b o u r e r s
t h e s e h a r d d a y s , A p a r t from t h e grown u p c h i l d r e n who
h e l p i n f a r m work , e v e n t h e y o u n g e r o n e s may n e e d t o be
w i t h d r a w n f r o m s c h o o l , so t h a t t h e y c a n f e t c h w a t e r , f i re
wood, o r l o o k a f t e r t h e b a b i e s and c o o k e tc , w h i l e mother
g o e s t o t h e farm o r to m a r k e t . P r o f e s s o r F o s t e r c l e a r l y
showed i n his r e s e a r - h t h a t t h e r e i s a d e f i n i t e a s s o c i a t i o n
b e t w e e n p a r e n t a l o c c u p a t i o n a l c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s and t h e
c h i l d ' s access t o s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l e d u c a t i o n .
T h e s e a r c h f o r t h e r i g h t t y p e o f e d u c a t i o n t h a t w i l l
g u a r a n t e e employment o p p o r t u n i t i e s fo r t h e s t u d e n t s a f t e r
s c h o o l i n g , h a s l e d t o t h e d e f i n i t i o n and r e d e f i n i t i o n o f
t h e c o n c e p t and p o l i c i e s of e d u c a t i o n i n N i g e r i a , w i t h a
v i e w t o a c h i e v i n g t h e d e s i r e d g o a l , U n f o r t u n a t e l y ,
N i g e r i a ' s e d u c a t i o n a l p o l i c i e s a s e n u n c i a t e d by b o t h t h e . c o l b n i a l m a s t e r s and t h e new N a t i o n a l P o l i c y seem n o t t o
h a v e g o n e f a r i n s o l v i n g t h e p e r e n n i a l p r o b l e m of o u r
n o n - f u n c t i o n a l e d u c a t i o n a l s y s t e m . b
Most p a r e n t s s e n d t h e i r c h i l d r e n t o s c h o o l s w i t h t h e
a h o p e t h a t i n t h e e n d t h e y may p a s s the p r e s c r i b e d
e x a m i n a t i o n s and q u a l i f y to s e c u r e a g a i n f u l employment
i n s o c i e t y . O n l y f e w p e o p l e i n t o d a y ' s N i g e r i a , if a n y ,
w a n t f o r m a l e d u c a t i o n fo r t h e p u r e p u r p o s e o f b e i n g
e d u c a t e d . Most p e o p l e see e d u c a t i o n a s a k i n d o f
i n v e s t m e n t and w e i g h i t s cost and s a c r i f i c e s a g a i n s t i ts
p r o j e c t e d f u t u r e b e n e f i t s . " C o s t - b e n e f i t a n a l y s i s f f
a c c o r d i n g t o Woodha l l (1970: 12) " p r o v i d e s a means of
j u d g i n g e x p e c t e d f u t u r e b e n e f i t s i n t h e l i g h t o f t h e costs
t h a t m u s t be i n c u r r e d i n t h e p r e s e n t f t . Do n o t f o r g e t t h a t
p a r e n t s and s t u d e n t s a s w e l l a r e c o n s t a n t l y m a k i n g t h i s
t y p e of a n a l y s i s i n t h e i r m i n d s , i n c o n n e c t i o n w i t h t h e i r
e d u c a t i o n and f u t u r e p r o s p e c t s ,
I f t h e v o c a t i o n a l t r a i n i n g p r o v i d e d by t h c e d u c a t i o n a l
s y s t e m i s s u c h , a s i n th<? c a s e o f N i g e r i a , t h a t i t n e i t h e r
g e n e r a t e s s e l f - e m p l o y m e n t n o r p r o v i d e s p a i d employment i n
t h e p r o d u c t i v e s e c t o r s of t h e economy and t h e c i v i l
s e r v i c e , i t i s c o n s i d e r e d a s w a s t a g e o f t i m e and r e s o u r c e s
by most p a r e n t s and s t u d e n t s , T h i s s i t u a t i o n h a s f o r c e d
many c h i l d r e n of s c h o o l a g e to abandon f o r m a l e d u c a t i o n
and e n g a g e t h e m s e l v e s i n o t h e r f o r m s o f p r o d u c t i v e
v e n t u r e s , ' T h e i m p l i c a t i o n of t h i s i s t h a t o u r e d u c a t i o n a l b
s y s t e m h a s f a i l e d t o u s h e r i n employment o p p o r t u n i t i e s
t o t h e y o u t h s , d u e t o p o o r p l a n n i n g a n d i m p l e m e n t a t i o r i " .
Lerman (1986: 12) 0 P a r e n t s who f o r m e r l y t h o u g h t t h a t
e d u c a t i o n w i l l h e l p t h e m i m p r o v e t h e i r f a m i l y s t a t u s
f i n a n c i a l l y s t a r t e d becoming s c e p t i c a l a b o u t t h e w h o l e
' s i t u a t i o n and o f t e n d e c i d e d t o w i t h d r a w t h e i r w a r d s from
s c h o o l ,
il~e c a n n o t wind u ? t h i s r e v i e w of t h e p r o b l e m s of
s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l e n r o l m e n t i n N i g e r i a w i t h o u t m e n t i o n i n g
t h e g r o w i n g q u e s t f o r m a t e r i a l i s m now p r e v a l e n t among o u r
y o u t h s , More t h a n e v e r before, y o u t h s a rc becoming more
a n d more i n t e r e s t e d i n t h e p u r s u i t of money a t t h e e x p e n s e
of a c q u i r i n g b a s i c e d u c a t i o n , T h e present s i t u a t i o n ,
e s p e c i a l l y i n o u r m a j o r c i t i es i s s u c h t h a t e v e r y y o u t h I
now w a n t s t o own a ca r , become an i m p o r t e r and a
m i l l i o n i e r o v e r n i g h t , b y f a i r o r f o u l means . The s o c i a l
i m p l i c a t i o n i s t h e p r e p o n d e r a n c e of h i d e o u s crimes l i k e
f r a u d , s m u g g l i n g , r o b b e r y , d a n g e r o u s d r u g p e d d l i n g a n d
e v e n r i t u a l m u r d e r , The m o r a l i m p l i c a t i o n s are e v e n more
c a t a s t r o p h i c ,
I n t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s o f Amer ica , J o n e s and E s t r i n
( 1 9 6 7 ) d e s c r i b e d t h i s g r o w i n q q u e s t , desire a n d z e a l f o r
making money b y C o l l e g e s t u d e n t s , b
They q u o t e d G e o r g e S a n t a y a a s h a v i n g declared : ' A
t h a t " t h e c h i e f v i r t u e of t h e American C o l l e g e system was
i n k e e p i n g young men away from t h e p u r s u i t of money .., and women". I t h a s b e e n p o s t u l a t e d t h a t c h i l d r e n m a t u r e
e a r l i c r t h e s e d a y s t h a n t h e y d i d i n t h e p a s t . A l v i n (1968).
P e r h a p s t h i s may a c c o u n t f o r t h i s mad r u s h f o r m a t e r i a l
w e a l t h a t a much e a r l i e r a g e t h e s e d a y s b y t h e y o u t h s .
f iowever , I J i g e r i a n s hrlve a l w a y s b e e n known f o r t h e i r
g e n e r a l and i n o r d i n a t e d e s i r e t o a c q u i r e m a t e r i a l w e a l t h
Orji (1982 ) ,
T h i s h a d l e d t o a d e r a n g e m e n t of t h e s o c i e t y ' s v a l u e s
f o r e d u c a t i o n , e s p e c i a l l y among t h e less i n f o r m e d members
o f t h e s o c i e t y , A s h a s b e e n p o i n t e d o u t e a r l i e r i n t h i s
s t u d y , m a t e r i a l w e a i t h a l o n e w i t h o u t a s o u n d e d u c a t i o n a l
b a s e c a n n o t a c h i e v e f o r a n i n d i v i d u a l t h e l a s t i n g s e n s e
of p s y c h o l o g i c a l f u l f i l m e n t h e n e e d s i n l i f e . F u r t h e r m o r e ,
O r j i (1982) i s q u i c k t o e x p l a i n t h a t t h i s t r e n d i s
d a n g e r o u s and h a s v c ~ - y a d v e r s e r e p e r c u s s i o n s o n t h e
n a t i o n a l p s y c h e and e c o n o m i c d e v e l o p m e n t , if N i g e r i a i s t o
s u r v i v e a s a n a t i o n . P a r e n t s o f s u c h s t u d e n t s a r e o f t e n
. t p b l a m e f o r t h i s b e h a v i o u r , Some p a r e n t s g i v e t h e i r
. = h i l d r e n k t h e wrong i m p r e s s i o n t h a t t h e y do n o t need t o
r e a d o r work h a r d i n o r d e r t o g e t w e a l t h y and a t t a i n a
h i g h s t a n d a r d of l i v i n g o More o f t e n t h a n n o t h o w e v e r ,
i t i s a s a r e s u l t of b a d company o n t h e p a r t ef t h e
s t u d e n t s t h e m s e l v e s . . .
Problems o f S e c o n d a r y , , E d u c a t i o n i n N i g e r i a
A c c o r d i n g t o t h e World Book E n c y c l o p a e d i a ( l 9 7 9 ) ,
e d u c a t i o n i s t h e p r o c e s s b y which p e o p l e a c q u i r e
, k n o w l e d g e , s k i l l s , h a b i t s , v a l u e s and a t t i t u d e s t h a t w i l l
h e l p them bccome u s e f u l members of t h e s o c i e t y ; d e v e l o p
an a p p r e c i a t i o n of t h e i r c u l t u r a l h e r i t a g e and l i v e
b e t t e r l i v e s . E d u c a t i o n h e l p s p e o p l e g e t more o u t of
l i f e , a s i t i n c r e 3 s e s their k n o w l e d g e and u n d e r s t a n d i n g
of t h e w o r l d a r o u n d them. I t a l s o h e l p s p e o p l e a d j u s t t o
t h e i r e v e r c h a n g i n g e n v i r o n m e n t ,
E d u c a t i o n h a s a l s o been d e f i n e d by Nwagwu,
t h e p r o c e s s b y which e v e r y s o c i e t y a t t e m p t s t o p r e s e r v e and u p - g r a d e t h e a c c u m u l a t e d k n o w l e d g e , s k i l l s and a t t i t u d e s i n i t s c u l t u r a l h e r i t a g e , i n o r d e r t o foster c o n t i n u o u s l y t h e w e l l - b e i n g of mankind and g u a r a n t e e i t s s u r v i v a l a g a i n s t t h e u n p r e d i c t a b l e , a t times h o s t i l e a n d d e s t r u c t i v e e l e m e n t s and f o r c e s of man and n a t u r e .
E d u c a t i o n s h o u l d be a d a p t e d t o t h e m e n t a l i t y , a p t i u d e s ,
. o c c u p a t i o n s and t r a d i t i o n s of t h e v a r i o u s p e o p l e s , con-
- s e r v i n g a s f a r a s p o s s i b l e a l l s o u n d and h e a l t h y e l e m e n t s
i n t h e fabric of thc - , i r s o c i a l l i f e ; a d a p t i n g them w h e r e
n e c e s s a r y t o c h a n g i n g c i r c u m s t a n c e s and p r o q r e s s i v e i d e a s .
I t s aim s h o u l d be t o r e n d e r t h e i n d i v i d u a l more e f f i c i e n t
i n h i s / h e r c o n d i t i o n of l i f e and t o p r o m o t e t h e a d v a n c e m e n t
of t h e communi ty a s a whole .
A t t h i s p o i n t , i t i s r e a s o n a b l e t o a s k w h e t h e r t h e c o l o n i a l s y s t e m o f e d u c a t i o n was r e a l l y d e s i g n e d fo r o u r s o c i a l improve- m e n t , i n v iew o f t h e f a c t t h a t u n d e r t h e s y s t e m , e d u c a t i o n was e n t i r e l y d i v o r c e d from t h e l i f e of t h e p e o p l e . They t a u g h t t h e s t u d e n t s what t o t h i n k b u t n o t how t o t h i n k , t h u s t h e p e o p l e l e a r n t t o memorise b u t n o t t o d i g e s t , t o r e p e a t b u t n o t t o r e f l e c t anc! t o a d o p t r a t h e r t h a n t o a d a p t . Above a l l ,,, t h e p u p i l s were t a u g h t t o re ject t h e i r own c u l t u r e r a t h e r t h a n t o c o n s e r v e t h e h e a l t h y e l e m e n t s and a d a p t them t o t h e c h a n g i n g c i r c u m s t a n c e s , Ukeje, (1966:60),
T h e o r i g i n of t h e p r o b l e m s o f t h e e d u c a t i o n a l s y s t e m
i n N i g e r i a t o d a y l i e s i n t h e f a c t t h a t r i g h t from t h e
k i n d e r g a r t e n t o t h e U n i v e r s i t y , t h e s y s t e m i s a p o o r
a t t e m ~ t t o i m i t a t e t h e B r i t i s h e d u c a t i o n a l m o d e l , E d u c a t i o n ,
a s w e h a v e a l r e a d y n o t e d , s h o u l d be a f u n c t i o n of t h e
c u l t u r a l e n v i r o n m e n t i n which i t o p e r a t e s . S o t h e B r i t i s h
e d u c a t i o n a l s y s t e m a r e f l e c t i o n of t h e B r i t i s h c u l t u r e
and t r ' a d i t i o n . S i n c c N i g e r i a and B r i t a i n d o n o t s h a r e
. s i m i l a r c u l t u r e s , t h e w h o l e - s a l e i m p o s i t i o n of t h e B r i t i s h
- s y s t e m of e d u c a t i o n on N i g e r i a i s t o t a l l y u n r e a l i s t i c , a s
i t w i l l n o t s c r v e t h e n e e d s and a s p i r a t i o n s of N i g e r i a n s .
I n d i s c u s s i n g t h i s , Uke je, (1966: 105) s a i d :
T h e e v i z a a p p a r e n t i n N i g e r i a t o d a y a r e t h e r e s u l t of g e a r i n g a n e d u c a t i o n a l s y s t e m s u p p o s e d t o s e r v e o n e c u l t u r e t o a n o t h e r a n d d i s s i m i l a r c u l t u r e , Once t h i s i s d o n e , t h e p r o d u c t s a t best w i l l be p r e p a r e d f o r a c u l t u r e d i f f e r e n t f rom t h e i r own. The n a t u r a l r e s u l t i s m a k i n g them m i s f i t s i n t h e i r own c u l t u r e and s o c i e t y ,
T h i s i n f o r m e d t h e n e e d t o d e v e l b p an e d u c a t i o n a l
s y s t e m i n d i g e n o u s t o N i g e r i a n l i f e and c u l t u r e , w i t h an
aim t h a t i s r e a l i s t i c and r e l a t e d t o t h e n e e d s a n d
a s p i r a t i o n s of N i g e r i a n s . T h e s e were t h e f a c t o r s which
made t h e F e d e r a l Government t o f o r m u l a t e t h e N a t i o n a l
P o l i c y on E d u c a t i o n i n 1977, I n t h e w o r d s of t h e N a t i o n a l
P o l i c y i tself- :
g o v e r n m e n t h a s a l s o s t a t e d t h a t f o r t h e b e n e f i t o f a 1 1 c i t i z e n s the c o u n t r y ' s e d u c a t i o n a l g o a l s i n terms of i t s r e l e v a n c e t o t h e n e e d s of t h e i n d i v i d u a l s a s w e l l a s i n terms of t h e k i n d o f s o c i e t y d e s i r e d , i n r e l a t i o n t o the e n v i r o n m e n t and t h e r e a l i t i e s of t h e modern w o r l d and r a p i d soc ia l c h a n g e s s h o u l d be c l e a r l y set o u t . F e d e r a l R e p u b l i c n f N i g e r i a (1981: 5).
Even t h e n , many y e a r s a f t e r i t s l a u n c h i n g , t h e
N a t i o n a l P o l i c y h a s n o t y e t r e c t i f i e d most o f t h e s e
a n o m a l i e s , b e c a u s e o f numerous p r o b l 2 m s i n i t s irnplernenta-
t i ron. A case i n p o i n t i s t h e h u g e cost of i m p o r t a t i o n
and s u p p l y o f s o p h i s t i c a t e d i n t r o d u c t . o r y t e c h n o l o g y
e q u i p m e n t t o a l l j u n i o r s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l s i n N i g e r i a .
I t i s an e x e r c i s e i n f u t i l i t y * Most of t h e s e e q u i p m e n t s
h a v e n o t and w i l l n e v e r be i n s t a l l e d ; and e v e n when
i n s t a l l e d , w i l l n o t h a v e t h e c o m p e t e n t p e r s o n n e l t o
u t i l i s e and service them e f f e c t i v e l y f o r t h e p r e v o c a t i o n a l
t r a i n i n g of t h e new j u n i o r s e c o n d a r y ~ c h o o l s . A s Fafunwa
(1984) p o i n t e d o u t , o n e c a n n h t t e a c h t h e p r i n c i p l e of
s e l f - r e l i a n c e u s i n g i h p o r t e d t e c h n o l o g y , H e wen t f u r t h e r
t o s u g g e s t t h a t w e s h o u l d i n t r o d u c e l o c a l m a t e r i a l s s u c h
a s n a t i v e c o o k i n g p o t s and o v e n s i n Home E c o n o m i c s , m e t a l
g o n g s and l o c a l l y - m a d e x y l o p h o n e s i n m u s i c t e a c h i n g etc.
We d o n o t n e c e s s a r i l y n e e d s o p h i s t i c a t e d g a d j e t s and
e x p e n s i v e w o r k s h o p s i n order t o i n t r o d u c e y e a r o n e
c o u r s e s t o j u n i o r s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l s t u d e n t s .
A n o t h e r case i s t h e u n r e a l i s t i c p l a n n i n g a n d
f r e q u e n t c h a n g e s i n t h e s c h o o l y e a r i n N i g e r i a . The
3-month l o n g v a c a t i o n p e r i o d i n B r i t a i n which i s p l a n n e d
t o c o i n c i d e w i t h t h e warm summer m o n t h s of J u l y t o
. September ( t h e t r a d i t i o n a l summer h o l i d a y p e r i o d o v e r s e a s )
h a s n o b e a r i n g i n t h e N i g e r i a n s e t t i n g . We l i v e i n a
p r e d o m i n a n t l y r u r a l and a g r i c u l t u r a l e n v ' i r o n m e n t . T h e
i m p o r t a n t p l a n t i n g s e a s o n i s f rom F e b r u a r y t o May and
- t h e h a r v e s t s e a s o n S e p t e m b e r t o December. O u r s c h o o l y e a r
o u g h t t o bc p l a n n e d so t h a t t h e l o n g v a c a t i o n p e r i o d
c o i n c , i d c s w i t h t h e p l a n t i n g o r h a r v e s t p e r i o d s . Many
p a r e n t s c a n n o t a f f o r d t o lose t h e f r e e l a b o u r s u p p l i e d
by t h e i r c h i l d r e n o f s c h o o l a g e d u r i n g t h e p l a n t i n g and
h a r v e s t s e a s o n s . T h i s may l e a d t o some p a r e n t s w i t h -
d r a w i n g t h e i r c h i l d r e n from s c h o o l , a t l e a s t d u r i n g t h e s e
p e r i o d s , so t h a t t h e y c a n h e l p i n t h e f a r m o r t a k e c a r e of
t h e y o u n g e r o n e s w h i l e t h e i r p a r e n t s g o t o t h e fa rm.
T h e e a f l y e d u c a t i o n i s t s and t e a c h e r s i n t h i s c o u n t r y w i l l b e a l w a y s remembered f o r t h e i r h e a v y r e l i a n c e upon t h e w h i p and o t h e r forms of c o r p o r a l p u n i s h m e n t s f o r i n s t i l l i n g and m a i n t a i n i n g d i s c i p l i n e among t h e i r s t u d e n t s . They were a l w a y s c o n s c i o u s o f t h e g o l d e n maxim-spare t h e r o d and s p o i l t h e c h i l d .
T o d a y , t h e q u e s t i o n of t h e u s e o f p u n i s h m e n t a s a n
i n s t r u m e n t of d i s c i p l i n e i n the s c h o o l h a s become r a t h e r
r i s k y , b e c a u s e p a r e n t s and s t u d e n t s a r e now b e c o m i n g
i n c r e a s i n g l y more c o n s c i o u s of t h e i r f u n d a m e n t a l human
r i g h t s and t h e l e g a l p r o c e s s . I n s t e a d , s c h o o l a u t h o r i t i e s
a r e e n c o u r a g e d t o e s t a b l i s h s t i m u l a t i n g , l e a r n i n g e n v i r o n -
m e n t s , good t e a c h i n g m e t h o d s , a d e q u a t e c o m m u n i c a t i o n
b e t w e e n s t a f f and s t u d e n t s , and t h e s e t t i n g of good
e x a m p l e s a s ways of e n c o u r a g i n q good s t u d e n t s ' c o n d u c t .
A c c o r d i n g t o E z e o c h a (19851, t h e a u t h o r i t i e s s h o u l d
s t r i v e t o e s t a b l i s h a f i n e t r a d i t i o n of a c a d e m i c b
e x c e l l e n c e and good b e h a v i o u r .
U n f o r t u n a t e l y , s i n c e a f t e r t h e c i v i l war i n
N i g e r i a a n d p a r t i c u l a r l y s i n c e t h e g o v e r n m e n t t a k e - o v e r
of s c h o o l s , t h e m o r a l s t a n d a r d s i n m - s t o f o u r s e c o n d a r y
s c h o o l s h a v e r e m a i n e d v e r y low. Mora l d e c a d e n c e and
w i d e - s p r e a d c o r r u p t i o n i n t h e N i g e r i a n s o c i e t y h a s bred
a g e n e r a t i o n o f y o u t h s where m t i - s o c i a l and e v e n
c r i m i n a l p r a c t i c e s h a v e become t h e norm. " P r i n c i p a l s a n d
t e a c h e r s , o w i n g t o ecohdmic and s o c i a l p r e s s u r e s c a n n o t
g i v e o f t h e i r .best bo th i n terms of t h e q u a l i t y of t h e i r
t e a c h i n g and i n terms o f t h e l e a d e r s h i p r o l e t h e y a r e
e x p e c t e d t o p l a y i n t h e s c h o o l , , , " E z e o c h a ( 1 9 8 5 : 7 8 ) .
T h e s t u d e n t s , b e c a u s e t h e y lack c o n f i d e n c e i n t h e m s e l v e s
and i n t h e i r t e a c h e r s h a v e r e s o r t e d t o i r r e s p o n s i b i l i t y ,
i n d o l e n c e , d i s l o y a l t y , d i s h o n e s t y and c h e a t i n g i n o r d e r
, t o p a s s t h e i r e x a m i n a t i o n s , S t u d e n t s col lect money from
t h e i r p a r e n t s t o buy o f f t h e e x a m i n e r s and s e c u r i t y a g e n t s ,
who t h e n a l l o w a n y t h i n g from i m p e r s o n a t i o n o f t h e
c a n d i d a t e a t t h e e x a m i n a t i o n h a l l t o leakage of t h e
- q u e s t i o n p a p e r s b e f o r e hand. E x a m i n a t i o n m a l p r a c t i c e s
a r e a l s o a i d e d a n d a b e t t e d by t h e s c h o o l a u t h o r i t i e s
and t e a c h e r s , i n t h e i r u n r e a l i s t i c e f f o r t t o o b t a i n a
h i g h p e r c e n t a g e o f s u c c e s s f o r t h e i r s c h o o l s i n e x t e r n a l
e x a m i n a t i o n s .
T h e i n c i d e n c e of t e e n a g e p r e g n a n c i e s , d r u g a b u s e ,
t r u a n c y and s c h o o l d r o p o u t s h a v e e v e r b e e n on t h e
i n c r e a s e . T h e r e i s n o d o u b t a t a l l t h a t t h e g o v e r n m e n t
' t a k e - o v e r o f s c h o o l s h a s been a t t h e root o f t h e p r o g r e s s i v e
d e c l i n e i n rnorsl and a c a d e m i c s t a n d a r d s o b s e r v e d i n o u r
s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l s . B u t t h e l a s t s t r a w t h a t broke t h e
c a r m e l t s b a c k i s t h e p r e s e n t s i t u a t i o n w h e r e o u r economy
h a s b e e n w r e c k e d b y t h e m i l i t a r y and t h e p o l i t i c a l c l a s s .
" T e a c h e r s 1 s a l a r i e s a r e n o t p a i d f o r m o n t h s . " Even
when t h e y a r e p a i d they c a n n o t l a s t a week f o r an
a v e r a g e h o u s e h o l d u n d e r t h e p r e s e n t s o a r i n g i n f l a t i o n ,
" C o n s e q u e n t l y , t e a c h e r s h a v e t o l o o k f o r o t h e r means of
l i v e l i h o o d and t h o s e who k i n d l y v i s i t c l a s s e s d o n o t
t e a c h f t , Udoh ( 1988: 3 0 ) . Most of t h e s e t e a c h e r s
e n g a g e t h e m s e l v e s i n v a r i o u s money y i e l d i n g v e n t u r e s
l i k e h a w k i n g , m o t o r c y c l e t r a n s p o r t , p r i v a t e e v e n i n g
classes fo r s t u d e n t s and f a r m i n g . T h e s u b s e q u e n t l o s s of
. m o r a l e and d e d i c a t i o n t o d u t y b y t e a c h e r s and s c h o o l
. a u t h o r i t i e s h a v e lcd t o i n a d e q u a t e t e a c h i n g and s u p e r v i s i o n
o f b o t h c u r r i c u l a r and e x t r a c u r r i c u l a r a c t i v i t i e s of
s t u d e n t s . I t h a s ( 3 1 ~ 0 l c d t o i n c e s s a n t i n d u s t r i a l
a c t i o n s b y t e a c h e r s , Udoh went on t o e m p h a s i z e t h e
o b v i o u s f a c t t h a t t h e q u a l i t y of e d u c a t i o n can o n l y be
a s h i g h a s i t s t e a c h e r s . W h e n t e a c h e r s a r e s u b j e c t e d
t o a l l forms o f inhuman t r e a t m e n t s and t h e p r o f e s s i o n
i s n e g l e c t e d , how d o e s o n e e x p e c t t h a t t e a c h e r s c a n do a
good w o r k ". Udo (1988: 3 0 ) .
A n o t h e r m a j o r p r o b l e m of s e c o n d a r y e d u c a t i o n i n
N i g e r i a i s t h e i s s u e o f i n a d e q u a t e f u n d i n g . I n t h e v e r y
o p e n i n g s t a t e m e n t of t h e r e v i s e d N a t i o n a l P o l i c y o n
E d u c a t i o n , i t i s s t a t e d t h a t " e d u c a t i o n i n N i g e r i a i s n o
more a p r i v a t e e n t e r p r i s e b u t a h u g e g o v e r n m e n t v e n t u r e
t h a t h a s w i t n e s s e d a p r o g r e s s i v e e v o l u t i o n of g o v e r n m e n t ' s
c o m p l e t e and d y n a m i c i n t e r v e n t i o n and a c t i v e p a r t i c i p a t i o n l ' .
N a t i o n a l P o l i c y on E d u c a t i o n (1981 : 1).
T h e g o v e r n m e n t t a k e - o v e r of v o l u n t a r y a g e n c y and
p r i v a t e s c h o o l s i n N i g e r i a was a g r e a t m i s c a l c u l a t i o n o n
t h e p a r t o f o u r e d u c a t i o n a l p l a n n e r s . Wi th t h e t a k e - o v e r ,
t h e q u a l i t y of e d u c a t i o n beg,?? t o f a l l , p a r t l y d u e t o
i n a d e q u a t e f u n d i n g of t h c s c h o o l s o With t h e l a u n c h i n g of
t h e u n i v e r s a l free p r i m a r y e d u c a t i o n scheme ( U P € ) i n 1976 ,
t h e r e was u n p r e c e d e n t e d p r o l i f e r a t i o n of p r i m a r y and
s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l s . T h e r e was n o c o n s i d e r a t i o n of t h e
a v a i l a b i l i t y o f q u a l i f i e d t e a c h e r s , classrooms, t e x t b o o k s ,
J a b o r a t o r y and o t h e r e q u i p m e n t s n e e d e d t o p r o v i d e
q u a l i t a t i v e e d u c a t i o n . A g a i n , i n a bid t o r e d u c e t h e
f r e q u e n t i n c i d e n c e of s t u d e n t u n r e s t a r i s i n g f rom
c o m p l a i n t s of p o o r f c s d i n g and b a s i c a m e n i t i e s like
w a t e r , most b o a r d i n g s c h o o l s were d e b o a r d e d . I t i s an
o b v i o u s f a c t t h a t b o z r d i n g s c h o o l s i n s t i l l a s e n s e of
, o r d e r a n d d i s c i p l i n e i n s t u d e n t s , wh ich c o u l d be t r a n s f e r r e d
t o t h e i r s t u d i e s , B e s i d e s , some homes a r e n o t c o n d u c i v e
t o l e a r n i n g a c t i v i t i e s a f t e r s c h o o l , b e c a u s e of numerous
d i s t r a c t i o n s .
I n s p i t e o f t h e f a c t t h a t most S t a t e s f r e c u r r e n t
e x p e n d i t u r e s o n e d u c a t i o n g o t o s e c o n d a r y e d u c a t i o n , t h e r e
i s no d o u b t t h a t t h e p r e s e n t l e v e l of f u n d i n g i s
i n c r e a s i n g l y b e c o m i n g i n a d e q u a t e t o meet c e r t a i n v i t a l
n e e d s of s e c o n d a r y e d u c a t i o n . G i v e n t h e g loomy f i n a n c i a l
o u t - l o o k of t h e f u t u r e , g o v e r n m e n t e x p e n d i t u r e o n
s e c o n d a r y e d u c a t i o n w i l l w e n l i k e l y be much less t h a n
t h e r a t e o f g r o w t h of enrolment i n t h e s e i n s t i t u t i o n s ,
One m a j o r c o n s t r a i n t i n o u r e d u c a t i o n a l s y s t e m i s i t s
n o n - f u n c t i o n a l i t y . T h i s r e s u l t s i n o u r s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l
l e a v e r s n o t b e i n g a b l e t o f i t p r o d u c t i v e l y i n t o t h e
s o c i e t y a f t e r s c h o o l i n g . When e d u c a t i o n i s n o t d i r e c t e d
t o w a r d s t h e p r a c t i c a l u t i l i t y of t h e i n d i v i d u a l and
t o w a r d s t h e s o l u t i o n of t h e p r o b l e m s of i t s i m m e d i a t e
e n v i r o n m e n t , t o q u o t e E z e o c h a " such a s y s t e m o f e d u c a t i o n
i s non-functional . . , and l i k e t h e b i b l i c a l ' s a l t t h a t h a s
lost i t s t a s t e ' , i t s h o u l d be d o n e away w i t h M , E z e o c h a
T h e r e i s t h e n e e d t o r e - o r i e n t a t e o u r e d u c a t i o n a l
s y s t e m , s o t h a t i t c a n become s s n s i t i v e t o t h e n e e d s of
t h e i n d i v i d u a l and thc s o c i e t y , T h i s s i m p l y means t h a t
t h e t y p e of e d u c a t i o n o f f e r e d s h o u l d be s u c h t h a t w i l l be
u s e f u l t o t h e l e a r n e r i n h i s p e c u l i a r c i r c u m s t a n c e s . I n
o t h e r w o r d s , e v e r y e x p t ? r i e n c e t o which t h e s t u d e n t is
exposed mus t be j u s t i f i e d on t h ? g r o u n d s of r e l e v a n c e and
a n t i c i p a t e d a p p l i c a t i o n .
E d u c a t i o n , a s h a s e a r l i c r b e e n p o i n t e d o u t , s h o u l d
be a means t o a n e n d n o t an e n d i n i t s se l f . I n t h e words
of G i n z b e r g , (1969: 201) :
. ., o n e of t h e o v e r - r i d i n g c o n d i t i o n s t h a t d e t e r m i n e m.?n' s e x i s t e n c e i s h i s a b i l i t y , t o e a r n a 1 i v e l j . h o o d . If e d u c a t i o n d o e s n o t h e l p o n e t o a c c o m p l i s h t h i s i m p e r a t i v e , i t mus t be j u d g e d (3 f a i l u r e , no m a t t e r w h s t i t may c o n t r i b u t ~ t o h o n i n g o f t h e m i n d , t h e r e f i n e m e n t o f h i s s e n s e s ; t o t h e c l a r i t y of h i s m o r a l judgement .
F u r t h e r m o r e , O k p a l a , ( 198 1) e x p l a i n s t h a t c e r t a i n b
u n i v e r s a l g o a l s a r e c o n c e a v e d a s n e e d s b y man. Such
n e e d s i n c l u d e , among o t h e r t h i n g s : s u f f i c i e n t n o u r i s h m e n t ,
, a d e q u a t e c l o t h i n g , a c o m f o r t a b l e home, a h o s p i t a b l e
e n v i r o n m e n t , r e l i a b l e f r i e n d s a n d be t te r l i f e , g e n e r a l l y
s p e a k i n g . E d u c a t i o n is t h e m a j o r t od l e m p l o y e d t o
, , a c h i e v e t h e s e g o a l s .
What i s c o n s i d e r e d t h e n r i t i o n a l g o a l s of e d u c a t i o n i n
N i g e r i a are c l e a r l y s p e l t o u t i n t h e N a t i o n a l P o l i c y o n
E d u c a t i o n a s f o l l o w s :
1. T h e i n c u l c a t i o n of n a t i o n 3 1 c o n s c i o u s n e s s and
n a t i o n a l u n i t y .
2. T h e i n c u l c a t i o n o f t h e r i g h t type of v a l u e s and
a t t i t u d e s f o r t h e s u r v i v a l of t h e i n d i v i d u a l a n d
t h e N i g e r i a n s o c i e t y .
3, T h e t r a i n i n g of t h e mind i n t h e u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f
the w o r l d a r o u n d ; a n d
4 , T h e a c q u i s i t i o n of t h e a p p r o p r i a t e s k i l l s , a b i l i t i e s
a n d c o m p e t e n c e s , b o t h m e n t a l a n d p h y s i c a l a s e q u i p m e n t
for t h e i n d i v i d u a l t o l i v e i n a n d c o n t r i b u t e t o t h e
d e v e l o p m e n t of h i s s o c i e t y . N a t i o n a l P o l i c y o n
E d u c a t i o n ( 1 9 8 1 : 3 ) ,
Also E z e o c h a (1985) i d e n t i f i e d 8 f a c t o r s w h i c h
c o n t r i b u t e d t o t h e n o n - f u n c t i o n a l n a t u r e of N i g e r i a n
' s econ .ds ry e d u c a t i o n s y s t e m a s f o l l o w s :
1, P o o r e d u c a t i o n a l p l a n n i n g .
2. T h e g e t - r i c h - q u i c k a t t i t u d e of N i g e r i a n s ,
3, N i g e r i a ' s slow p a c e of i n d u s t r i a l i s a t i o n
4, E m p l o y e r s ' l a c k of confidence i n o u r c e r t i f i c a t e s ,
5. M a s s i v e r u r a l - u r b a n m i g r a t i o n .
6 D i s r e s p e c t f o r t h e d i g n i t y o f l a b o u r ,
7 , N i g e r i a ' s o i l boom, a n d
8. O u r t e n d e n c y f o r q u i c k a s s i m i l a t i o n of f o r e i g n c u l t u r e s .
T h e n e e d fo r a more r e l e v a n t a n d b a l a n c e d s e c o n d a r y
s c h o o l c u r r i c u l u m i n N i g e r i a c a n n o t be o v e r - e m p h a s i z e d ,
T h e new c u r r i c u l u m s h o u l d be a d a p t e d t o t h e n e e d s of
s t u d e n t s and of o u r N i g e r i a n s o c i e t y , S i n c e modern
c i v i . l i z a t i o n r e q u i r e s t h e a p p l i c a t i o n o f t e c h n o l o g y a t
a l m o s t e v e r y p o i n t , t h e s t u d e n t s s h o u l d b e e n c o u r a g e d t o
a c q u i r e t e c h n i c a l s k i l l s , t o c n a h l e them be e a s i l y a b s o r b e d
by t h c economy, T h e c u r r i c u l u m s h o u l d be d i v e r s i f i e d
t o i n c l u d e , n o t o n l y c o n v e n t i o n a l a r t s and s c i e n c e s u b j e c t s
b u t a l s o c o m m e r c i a l and t e c h n i c a l s u b j e c t s a s w e l l a s local
c r a f t s . M o r e o v e r , t h e a v a i l a b i l i t y of a l l t h e s e c o u r s e s
and a l a r g e v a r i e t y o f s u b j e c t s i n a s i n g l e s e c o n d a r y
. s c h o o l , p r o v i d e t h e s t u d e n t s ample o p p o r t u n i t y fo r
e x p l o r a t i o n i n t o d i v e r s e i n t e l l e c t u a l d i s c i p l i n e s and
. v o c a t i o n a l o c c u p a t i o n s , 'vJith a d e q u a t e g u i d a n c e , t h e y can
t h e n h a v e t h e f r e e d o m t o c h o o s e t h e s u b j e c t s t h a t w i l l
l e a d t o a c o u r s e o f s t u d y and f u t u r e o c c u p a t i o n which
w i l l b r i n g them p e r s o n a l s a t i s f a c t i o n and maximum service
t o h u m a n i t y . F r e n c h (1955: 10) p u t s i t t h i s way:
" t h e C o m p r e h e n s i v e H i g h S c h o o l i s o n e o f t h e best means
o f c r e a t i n g s o c i a l i n t e g r a t i o n w i t h o u t c r u s h i n g i n d i v i -
d u a l i t y a n d f o r c l e f r e l o p i n g d i v e r s i t y w i t h o u t c u l t i v a t i n g
soc i a l c l e a v a g e s ". A n o t h e r a s p e c t o f t h e e d u c a t i o n a l s y s t e m t h a t n e e d s
t o be r e v i s e d is t h e i s s u e o f m e a s u r e m e n t a n d e v a l u a t i o n .
T h e N a t i o n a l P o l i c y c l e a r l y s t a t e s t h e n e e d f o r c o n t i n u o u s
a s s e s s m m t a s a m e a n s o f ( v a l u a t i n g s t u d e n t s ' a c a d e m i c
p e r f o r m a n c e s . , I f w e l l i m p l e m e n t e d , t h c c o n t i n u o u s a s s e s s -
m e n t p rog ramme i s c a p a b l e o f t r e m e n d o u s l y c u r b i n g t h e
p e r e n n i a l n a t i o n a l p r o b l e m o f e x a m i n a t i o n m a l p r a c t i c e s .
S t u d e n t s ' p e r f o r m a n c e s wou ld t h e n be c o n t i n u o u s l y m o n i t o r e d
r a t h e r t h a n j u d g e d b y t h e i r f a t e i n a s i n g l e e x a m i n a t i o n ,
a s i s t h e p r e s e n t p r a c t i c e . What i s more! t h e e m p h a s i s
p l a c e d o n p a p e r q u a l i f i c a t i o n a n d c e r t i f i c a t e s s h o u l d be
r e p l a c e d w i t h e m p h a s i s o n p r a c t i c a l i t y a n d a c h i e v e m e n t .
S t a n d a r d i z a t i o n o f t h c t e s t s f o r t h e c o n t i n u o u s a s s e s s m e n t
proqramme i s v e r y i m p o r t a n t , i f i t i s t o a c h i e v e t h e
d e s i r e d r e s u l t o T h e n e e d t o e d u c a t e t e a c h e r s o n t h e
a h a n d l i n g o f t h c t e s t i n g m 2 t c r i a l s s h o u l d e q u a l 1 y be
e m p h a s i z e d .
E x p e r i e n c e s h o w s t h a t t h e a d e q u a t e s u p p l y o f w e l l -
q u a l i f i e d a n d m o t i v a t e d t e a c h e r s i s c e n t r a l t o t h e i s s u e
of a s o u n d , f u n c t i o n a l e d u c a t i o n , T h i s i s b e c a u s e t h e
e n t i r e e d u c a t i o n a l p r o c e s s and t h e m a i n t e n a n c e of h i g h
s t a n d a r d s of a c a d e m i c a c h i e v e m e n t d e p e n d l a r g e l y upon an
" a d e q u a t e s u p p l y of t p a i n e d and d e d i c a t e d t e a c h e r s . I n
t h e w o r d s o f Nwagwu,
h e i s r e s p o n s i b l e fo r h e l p i n q p u p i l s t o d e v e l o p i n t e l l e c t u a l l y , m o r a l l y and p h y s i c a l l y ,, , S u b j e c t m a t t e r m a s t e r y i s i m p o r t a n t , b u t it i s n o t t h e o n l y c r i t e r i o n f o r e f f e c t i v e and successful t e a c h i n g ,., h e s h o u l d bc a b l e t o i n s t r u c t and i n s p i r e , e n c o u r a g e r e s p e c t f o r t h e t r a d i t i o n a l c u l t u r e s o f h i s p e o p l e and a t t h e same t i m e a c t a s an a g e n t of m o d e r n i s a t i o n .
I n f a c t t e a c h e r s o c c u p y a k e y p o s i t i o n n o t o n l y i n t h e
e d u c a t i o n a l s y s t e m b u t a l s o i n a l l f a c e t s of n a t i o n a l
l i f c and d e v e l o p m e n t .
T h e p r o b l e m t h e s e d a y s i s n o t so much t h a t of
i n a d e q u a c y of q u a l i f i e d t e a c h e r s , a s t h a t o f l o w m o r a l e .
" T e a c h i n g s u f f e r s f rom l o w p r e s t i g e , n o t o n l y b e c a u s e of
t h e l o w r e m u n e r a t i o n a s s o c i a t e d w i t h i t , b u t a l so b e c a u s e
i t s c l i e n t e l l e g e n e r a l l y come from l o w income f a m i l i e s
and a r e made u p o f s t v d e n t s w i t h a v e r a g e a c a d e m i c a b i l i t y " ,
Nwagwu (1976:66) , T e a c h e r s s h o u l d be p a i d r e g u l a r l y
.and p r o m p t l y and g i v e n o t h e r i n c e n t i v e s , t o make them
committed and d e d i c a t e d t o t h e i r job,
T h e s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l p e r i o d c o v e r s m o s t l y t h e p e r i o d
o f a d o l e s c e n c e . T h i s i s a c r i t i c a l s t a g e i n t h e
d e v e l o p m e n t of t h e y o u t h , when t h e y a r e u n d e r c o n s t a n t
p h y s i c a l and e m o t i o n a l stress. "They n e e d a s s i s t a n c e ih
t h e d e v e l o p m e n t of self u n d e r s t a n d i n g a n d ... a r e a l i s t i c
a p p r a i s a l of t h e i r a p t i t u d e s . . . Uke j e (1966: 153) . T h e j u n i o r s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l o u g h t t o aim a t h e l p i n g t h e
s t u d e n t s t o e x p l o r e t h e v a r i o u s d i s c i p l i n e s a n d v o c a t i m s ,
t o e n a b l e them c h o o s e e f f e c t i v e l y wha t t h e y c a n and
would l i k e t o b e , I n d e e d t h e i m p o r t a n c e o f g u i d a n c e and
c o u n s e l 1 i n g f o r s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l s t u d e n t s c a n n o t be over-
e m p h a s i z e d ,
Today , i n many o f o u r s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l s h o w e v e r ,
t h e r e a r e n o g u i d a n c e c o u n s e l l o r s t o h e l p s t u d e n t s i n
t h e i r p e r s o n a l p r o b l e m s ( e g . p o o r l e a r n i n g h a b i t s ,
h a t r e d o f p a r t i c u l a r s u b j e c t s , h e a l t h and e m o t i o n a l
p r o b l e m s etc.); h o w much less a d v i s e them on t h e c h o i c e
o f s u b j e c t s which best f i t t h e i r a p t i t u d e s . A s a r e s u l t ,
students tend to choose ;prestige s u b j e c t s ' , sometimes
- t o s a t i s f y t h e d e s i r e s o f t h e i r p a r e n t s , r e g a r d l e s s o f
t h e i r a p t i t u d e or i n t e r e s t i n t h e a r e a , I n t h e v a r i o u s
e x a m i n a t i o n s , t h e y f a i l t o p e r f o r m w e l l . T h i s
i n v a r i a b l y l e a d s t o t e n s i o n s and f r u s t r a t i o n s i n l i fe .
,Sgmmar7~ , ,~ f U c r a t u r e Review
E n r o l m e n t i s n e c e s s a r i l y t h e f i r s t s t e p for t h e
,.commencement o f a n y formal e d u c a t i o n p r o c e s s , I n t h i s
c h a p t e r , t h e e n r o l m e n t t r e n d s i n N i g e r i a ' s f o r m a l
e d u c a t i o n a l i n s t i t u t i o n s h a v e b e e n t r a c e d r i g h t from t h e
e a r l y d a y s o f t h e c h r i s t i a n m i s s i o n a r y a c t i v i t i e s i n
N i g e r i a . I t h a s b e e n shown by v a r i o u s a u t h o r s a n d
e d u c a t i o n i s t s t h a t n f t e r an i n i t i a l p e r i o d of i n e r t i a a s
a r e s u l t of i g n o r a n c e and s c e p t i c i s m , N i g e r i a n s had
m a s s i v e l y e m b r a c e d f o r m a l w e s t e r n e d u c a t i o n ; when it became
clear t h a t e d u c a t i o n c o u l d be t h e g a t e way t o p r e s t i g e o u s
w h i t e c o l a r j o b s a n d t o a n e n h a n c e d social and e c o n o m i c
b a s e , S e c o n d a r y s c h o o l e n r o l m e n t s r o s e t o a phenomenal
l e v e l i n 1982 f o l l o w i n g t h e UoPmE i n N i g e r i a .
However, a s a r e s u l t o f several s o c i o - e c o n o m i c
f a c t o r s , p a r t i c u l a r l y t h e c u r r e n t p o o r s t a t e of t h e
economy, s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l s h a v e b e e n g e t t i n g i n c r e a s i n g l y
empty , T h i s u n f o r t u n a t e t r e n d o f abandonment o f b a s i c
f o r m a l e d u c a t i o n f o r t h e b u s i n e s s s e c t o r b y o u r y o u t h s
is more p r e v a l e n t amongs t t h e m a l e s . Government ,
e d u c - a t i o n i s t s and a l l c i t i z e n s who c a r e a b o u t t h e f u t u r e
of t h i s c o u n t r y u n a n i m o u s l y decry t h i s s i t u a t i o n as a
d i s t u r b i n g t r e n d ,
A l o t of s t u d i e s h a v e been d o n e by v a r i o u s
r e s e a r c h e r s , as c a n be s e e n i n t h i s c h a p t e r , o n t h e
, . v a r i o u s f a c t o r s r e s p o n s i b l e fo r t h i s ma lady . A l s o i n
t h i s s t u d y , a g e h e r a l r e v i e w o f t h e p r o b l e m s of
s e c o n d a r y e d u c a t i o n i n N i g e r i a h a s been done . Among
o t h e r t h i n g s , i t h a s b e e n s u g g e s t e d t h a t t h e c u r r i c u l u m
c o n t e n t of o u r s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l s n e e d e d t o be r e - o r i e n t a t e d
t o w a r d s m e e t i n g t h e n e e d s and a s p i r a t i o n s of t h e
i n d i v i d u a l and o f s o c i e t y . O t h e r f a c t o r s s u g g e s t e d a s
n e c e s s a r y fo r the much needed f u n c t i o n a l i t y of o u r
s e c o n d a r y e d u c a t i o n i n c l u d e : - w e l l q u a l i f i e d and
m o t i v a t e d t e a c h e r s a s w e l l a s c a r e e r g u i d a n c e c o u n s e l l o r s
i n o u r s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l s .
Armed w i t h these n e c e s s a r y r e s e a r c h i n f o r m a t i o n , we
. s h a l l t h e n be i n a better p o s i t i o n t o map o u t t h e p o s s i b l e
s t r a t e g i e s f o r i n c r e a s i n g m a l e e n r o l m e n t i n s e c o n d a r y
s c h o o l s , ' i n o u r i m m e d i a t e e n v i r o n m e n t , t h e Nsukka
e d u c a t i o n zone.
CHAPTER THREE
METHODOLOGY AND PROCEDURE
T h i s c h a p t e r p r e s e n t s a n d e x ~ i a i n s t h e r e s e a r c h
p r o c e d u r e s o f t h e s t u d y , The i s s u e s d i s c u s s e d h e r e
i n c l u d e the f o l l o w i n g :
- R e s e a r c h d e s i g n
- A r e a of s t u d y
- P o p u l a t i o n
- Sample a n d s a m p l i n g t e c h n i q u e
- ~ n s t r u m e n t d e v e l o p m e n t
- V a l i d a t i o n of I n s t r u m e n t
- R e l i a b i l i t y a n d p i l o t t ~ s t i n g of i n s t r u m e n t
- M e t h u d of data c o l l e c t i o n a n d
- Method of d a t a a n a l y s i s
R e s e a r c h D e s i g n
T h e r e s e a r c h e r a d o p t e d t h e d e s c r i p t i v e s u r v e y
r e s e a r c h d e s i g n i n t h i s s t u d y .
Area o f t h e S t u d y
T h e a r e a o f t h i s s t u d y was N s u k k a E d u c a t i o n z o n e of
Enugu S t a t e , T h e z o n e i s made u p of s i x L o c a l G o v e r n m e n t
A r e a s n a m e l y : I g b o - E t i t i , I g b o - E z e N o r t h , I g b o Eze South, b
Isi-Uzo, N s u k k a Urban a n d Uzo-Uwani L o c a l G o v e r n m e n t
A r e a s .
P o p u l a t i o n o f t h e S t u d y -I
T h e p o p u l a t i o n o f t h i s s t u d y c o n s i s t e d o f t h e
fo l lowing:
1. S c h o o l P o p u l a t i o n : T h e s c h o o l p o p u l a t i o n f o r t h i s
study c o n s i s t e d o f a l l t h e m a l e a n d c o - e d u c a t i o n a l
s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l s i n t h e s i x L o c a l Government Areas o f
Nsukka e d u c a t i o n z o n e , Rasc?d on t h e 1995 a c a d e m i c
s e s s i o n , t h e r e are a t o t a l number of 8 3 s u c h s e c o n d a r y
s c h o o l s i n t h e zone .
2 , S t u d e n t s P o p u l a t i o n : T h e s t u d e n t s 1 p o p u l a t i o n for
t h i s s t u d y was made u p of a l l t h e s e n i o r s e c o n d a r y m a l e
s t u d e n t s i n t h e s i x ( 6 ) L o c a l Government A r e a s of Nsukka
e d u c a t i o n z o n e , Based on a v a i l a b l e s t a t i s t i c s a t the
time of t h e s t u d y , t h i s p o p u l a t i o n was 10,688, T h i s
r e p r e s e n t s a p p r o x i m a t e l y 40% o f t h e t o t a l male s t u d e n t s
p o p u l a t i o n of 26,720 i n t h e z o n e f o r t h e 1994/95 a c a d e m i c
s e s s i o n .,
. 3. P a r e n t s t P o p u l a t i o n : T h e p a r e n t s ' p o p u l a t i o n f o r
- t h i s s t u d y c o m p r i s e d a l l l i t e r a t e p a r e n t s / g u a r d i a n s of
s e n i o r s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l m a l e s t u d e n t s i n t h e s i x ( 6 ) L o c a l
Government A r e a s of Nsukka e d u c a t i o n z o n e .
~ a m p l e / ~ a m p l i n g T e c h n i q u e
P r o p o r t i o n a t e random s a m p l i n g t e c h n i q u e w a s adoptad
t o select 28 s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l s from t h e 8 3 m a l e and
49
c o - e d u c a t i o n a l s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l s i n t h e s i x ( 6 ) L o c a l
G o v e r n m e n t Areas o f t h e z o n e ,
T h e p r o p o r t i o n a t e r andom s a m p l i n g t e c h n i q u e was
c h o s e n b e c a u s e some of t h e L'ncal G o v e r n m e n t Areas have
more s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l s t h a n o t h e r s , F o r i n s t a n c e , t h e r e
a r e 23 s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l s i n Nsukka L o c a l G o v e r n m e n t Area,
18 s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l s i n I g b o - E z e N o r t h , 8 i n I g b o - E z e
South etc, (see t a b l e 3 ) -
S t u d e n t s ' S a m p l e : S i m p l e r andom s a m p l i n g t e c h n i q u e was -- e m p l o y e d t o select 1 5 s e n i o r s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l m a l e
s t u d e n t s from e a c h o f t h e 28 s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l s s a m p l e d i n
t h e s i x L o c a l G o v ~ r n m c n t A r e a s o f N s u k k a e d u c a t i o n z o n e .
S o , a l t o g e t h e r t h e r e w e r e a t o t a l o f 4 2 0 male s t u d e n t s
r c s e a r c h s u b j e c t s , T h i s r e p r e s e n t s n e a r l y 5% of t h e
t o t a l s e n i o r s e c o n d a r y male s t u d e n t s 1 p o p u l a t i o n ,
T h e r a t i o n a l e f o r s a m p l i n g 5% o f t h e s t u d y p o p u l a t i o n
i s i n l i n e w i t h N w a n a l s ( 1 9 8 2 : 7 2 ) p o s t u l a t i o n w h i c h
s t a t e d t h a t :
I f t h e p o p u l a t i r ~ n o f a s t u d y i s i n a few h u n d r e d s , a 40% o r more s a m p l e w i l l d o , I f a few t h o u s a n d s , a 10% s a m p l e w i l l d o a n d i f s e v e r a l t h o u s a n d s , a 5% o r less s a m p l e w i l l d o .
P a r e n t s t S a m p l e : T h e same number of p a r e n t s / g u a r d i a n s b ,,
of t h e s e l e c t e d s t u d e n t s f o r m e d t h e p a r e n t s s a m p l e f o r
t h e s t u d y ,
I n s t r u m e n t a t i o n
I n t h i s s t u d y , t h e i n s t r u m e n t t h a t was u s e d f o r d a t a
c o l l e c t i o n was t h e q u e s t i o n n a i r e , which was d e s i q n e d b y
t h e r e s e a r c h e r , t i t l e d : STI?ATEGIF:S FOR INCREASING AND
RETAINING MALE ENROLMENT I N SECONDARY SCHOOLS, A s i t was
des igned t o a c h i e v e t h e same p u r p o s e , t h e items i n t h e
q u e s t i o n n a i r e were b a s i c a l l y t h e same f o r b o t h t h e s t u d e n t s
a n d t h e i r p a r e n t s ,
T h e r e was a l i t t l e d i f f e r e n c e b e t w e e n t h e p a r e n t s '
and s t u d e n t s 1 q u e s t i o n n a i r e i n t h e f i r s t section. T h e
parents' q u e s t i o n n a i r e s o u g h t f o r s u c h i n f o r m a t i o n a s t h e i r
p l a c e o f work , r a n k and e x p e r i e n c e ; w h i l e t h a t of t h e
s t u d e n t s e l i c i t e d i n f o r m a t i o n on name of e d u c a t i o n a l
i n s t i t u t i o n and t h e class t o w h i c h t h e y b e l o n g ( w h e t h e r
SS I , I1 or IX1le
T h e q u e s t i o n n a i r e c o n s i s t e d o f t w e n t y - f o u r ( 2 4 ) items
b u i l t u p i n f i v e c l u s t e r s A - Z , w i t h i n s t r u c t i o n s f o r
r e s p o n d i n g t o i t set o u t i n s i m p l e E n g l i s h l a n g u a g e t o
c a t e r f o r t h e b a c k g r o u n d and l e v e l o f t h e s t u d e n t
- - r e s p o n d e n t s , A f o u r - p o i n t L i k e r t - t y p e s c a l e of S t r o n g l y
A g r e e , k g r e e , D i s a g r e e and S t r o n g l y D i s a g r e e was p r o v i d e d
f o r t h e r e s p o n d e n t s t o make t h e i r r e s p o n s e s t o t h e
q u e s t i o n n a i r e , The scalc was r a t e d a s f o l l o w s :
S t r o n g l y Agree ( S A ) - 4 p o i n t s
Agree ( A ) - 3 ?I
D i s a g r e e ( D ) 2 v
S t r o n g l y D i s a g r e e (SD)- 1 p o i n t
The p u r p o s e of t h e Q - p o i n t r a t i n g s c a l e was t o e n a b l e a
q u a n t i f i c a t i o n . o f t h e r e s p o n s e s o n t h e q u e s t i o n n a i r e s ,
V a l i d a t i o n of t h e R e s e a r c h I n s t r u m e n t
T h e q u e s t i o n n a i r e was face and c o n t e n t v a l i d a t e d ,
!: It was s e n t t o t h r e e p r o f e s s i o n a l e x p e r t s i n t h e a r e a of
e d u c a t i o n a l a d m i n i s t r a t i o n and p l a n n i n g o f t h e D e p a r t m e n t
of E d u c a t i o n of t h e U n i v e r s i t y of N i g e r i a , Nsukka f o r
v a l i d a t i o n . T h e s e e x p e r t s were r e q u e s t e d t o c r i t i c a l l y
and a n a l y t i c a l l y e x a m i n e t h e r e s e a r c h i n s t r u m e n t f o r
r e l e v a n c e of t h e c o n t e n t s and c l a r i t y of t h e s t a t e m e n t s .
They w e r e r e q u e s t e d t o p o i n t o u t t o t h e r e s e a r c h e r ,
s t a t e m e n t s t h a t w e r e poor1.y worded and t h o s e t h a t d o n o t
agree w i t h t h e p u r p o s e o P t h e s t u d y . They w e r e a l s o a sked
t o a d v i c e t h e r e s e a r c h b r on t h e s u i t a b i l i t y of t h e r a t i n g
s c a l e , T h e i r recommendat i o n s w e r e t a k e n i n t o c o n s i d e r a t i o n
i n t h e f i n a l d e v e l o p m e n t of t h e i n s t r u m e n t .
R e l i a b i l i t y o f I n s t r u m e n t
T o d e t e r m i n e t h e r c l i a b t l i t y of t h e r e s e a r c h i n s t r u m e n t ,
a test-retest r e l i a b i l i t y e s t i m a t e was c a r r i e d o u t . T h e
' q u e s t i o n n a i r e was a d m i n i s t e r e d on t w e n t y s e n i o r s e c o n d a r y
m a l e s t u d e n t s , and t w e n t y p a r e n t s , Two w e e k s l a t e r , t h e
i n s t r u m e n t was re-administered on t h e same s u b j e c t s . b
U s i n g t h e f i r s t and s e c o n d scores a f te r t h e a d m i n i s t r a t i o n
o f t h e i n s t r u m e n t s , t h e r e l i a b i l i t y was computed u s i n g
Spearman-Brown c o - e f f i c i e n t o f c o r r e l a t i o n . T h e co-effici-
e n t v a l u e s o b t a i n e d i n d i c a t e d the scores' c o n s i s t e n c y
o v e r t i m e and t h e r e f o r e t h e r e l i a b i l i t y of t h e r e s e a r c h
i n s t r u m e n t ,
P i l o t T e s t i n g of t h e I n s t r u m e n t
T h e r e s e a r c h i n s t r u m e n t was p i l o t t e s t e d o n t w e n t y
' s e n i o r s e c o n d a r y m a l e s t u d e n t s and t w e n t y p a r e n t s ,
T h e p u r p o s e of t h e p i l o t - t e s t i n g was t o a s c e r t a i n
w h e t h e r a n y c a s e s o f i n a p p r o p r i a t e r e s p o n s e s would o c c u r
a s a r e s u l t o f a m b i g u i t y o r p o o r w o r d i n q o f t h e i n s t r u -
m e n t a n d t t e n a b l e t h c r e s e a r c h e r r e v i s e t h e i n s t r u m e n t
b a s e d on t h e r e s u l t s of t h e p i l o t s t u d y . T h e r e s u l t s of
t h c s t u d y h o w e v e r , showed t h a t t h e i n s t r u c t i o n s o n how t o
r e s p o n d t o t h e items were w e l l u n d e r s t o o d by t h e s t u d e n t s
and p a r e n t s a s t h e y f i l l e d t h e i n s t r u m e n t c o r r e c t l y and
a c c o r d i n g t o d i r e c t i o n ,
Method o f D a t a C o l l e c t i o n
W i t h let ters of i n t r o d u c t i o n f rom t h e o f f i c e o f t h e
Head of D e p a r t m e n t o f E d u c a t i o n o f t h e U n i v e r s i t y of
N i g e r i a , Nsukka and t h e r e s e a r c h e r ' s own s u p e r v i s o r , t h e
r e s e a r c h e r , w i t h t h e h e l p o f f i v e o t h e r r e s e a r c h a s s i s t a n t s ,
- v i s i t e d e a c h of t h e 28 s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l s s e l e c t e d for t h e
s t u d y e I n e a c h s c h o o l , t h e r e s e a r c h e r and t h e r e s e a r c h
. a s s i s t a n t s , first of a l l , s o u g h t t h e p e r m i s s i o n of t h e
s c h o o l a u t h o r i t i e s . C o p i e s o f t h e q u e s t i o n n a i r e were
a d m i n i s t e r e d on t h e s t u d e n t s i n t h e i r classrooms. T h e
q u e s t i o n n a i r e s w e r e r e t r i e v e d from t h e s e r e s p o n d e n t s
i m m e d i a t e l y a f t e r t h e i r c o m p l e t i o n , t o a v o i d i n s t r u m e n t
m o r t a l i t y .
A c o p y of t h e q u e s t i o n n a i r e was g i v e n t o e a c h s t u d e n t
t o t a k e home f o r t h o s e who h a d l i t e ra te p a r e n t s , T h e s e
q u e s t i o n n a i r e s w e r e f i l l e d a t home b y t h e i r p a r e n t s a n d
r e t u r n e d Ly t h e S t l ~ d e n t s , T h e r a t e of r e t u r n of t h e
c o m p l e t e d q u e s t i o n n a i r e s was 100 p e r c e n t fcr t h e s t u d e n t s ,
b u t n o t so f o r t h e p a r c n t s , who r e t u r n e d o n l y 380 o u t of
t h e 420 q u c ~ s t i o n n a i r e s d i s t r i b u t e d .
Me thod of D a t a ~ n a l y s i s
I n t h e a n a l y s i s of t h e f i v e r e s e a r c h q u e s t i o n s , m e a n s
a n d s t a n d a r d d e v i a t i o n s were u s e d , F o r e a c h r e s e a r c h
q u e s t i o n , t h e r e s p c n s e s r e l a t i n g t o i t were t a l l i e d and
w e i g h t e d . T h e t o t a l w e i g h t e d f r e q u e n c i e s w e r e u s e d t o
d e t e r m i n e t h e mean s c o r e s f o r e a c h i t e m , I n t a k i n g a
, d e c i s i o n o n each of t h e r e s e a r c h q u e s t i o n s , a mean score
of 2,50 a n d a b o v e o n t h c f o u r - p o i n t r a t i n g scale w a s
c h o s e n a s a c c e p t a n c e ,
. T h e two h y p o t h e s e s were a n a l y s e d u s i n g t-test s t a t i s t i c ,
'. a p p l i e d a t 0.05 l e v e l of s i g n i f i c a n c e . T h i s e n a b l e d t h e
r e s e a r c h e r t o e s t a b l i s h w h e t h e r any s i g n i f i c a n t d i f f e r e n c e s
' e x i s t e d b e t w e e n t h e mean scores o f t h e s t u d e n t s o n one
h a n d , a n d t h e mean scores of t h e p a r e n t s o r t h e o t h e r ,
r e g a r d i n g t h e s t r a t e g i e s f o r i n c r e a s i n g a n d r e t a i n i n g male
e n r o l m e n t i n s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l s ,
T a b l e 3
Distribution of S e c o n d a r y S c h o o l s i n t h e six L o c a l - G o v e r n m e n t A r e a s of N s u k k a ducat ion Zone
I r/:
LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA
- I N S U K K A URBAN 1 ( IGBO-EZE NORTH I - I IGBO-EZE SOUTH I
U Z0,-U'd AN 1 1 r 1 I_. .
I TOTAL
(State L d u c a t i o n C o m m i s s i o n , P e r s o n n e l Department, Statistic Unit, Nsukka) , 1995,
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS
T h i s c h a p t e r d e a l s w i t h t h e p r e s e n t a t i o n of
r e s u l t s of t h e c o m p u t e r - a n a l y s e d d a t a , The d a t a i s
p r e s e n t e d a c c o r d i n g t o t h e o r d e r of t h e f i v e r e s e a r c h
q u e s t i o n s and t w o h y p o t h e s e s t h a t g u i d e d t h e s t u d y ,
T h e f o l l o w i n g n o t a t i o n s w e r e u s e d i n t h e t a b l e s :
SA - S t r o n g l y a g r e e
A Agree
D - D i s a g r e e
SD - S t r o n g l y d i s a g r e e
- Mean
SD- - S t a n d a r d d e v i a t i o n
R e s e a r c h Q u e s t i o n 1
What f i n a n c i a l p o l i c i e s d o you t h i n k t h a t government
s h o u l d i n t r o d u c e t o i n c r e a s e male enrolment i n s e c o n d a r y
s c h o o l s ?
D a t a r e l e v a n t for a n s w e r i n g r e s e a r c h q u e s t i o n 1
a s t h e y a f f e c t p a r e n t s and m a l e s t u d e n t s o f s e n i o r
s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l s o f Nsukka e d u c a t i o n z o n e are p r e s e n t e d b
i n t a b l e 4 below,
T a b l e 4
Mean S c o r e s a n d S t a n d a r d ~ e v i a t i o n s of P a r e n t s a n d - s t u d e n t s i n ~ i n a n c i a l p o l i c i e s , t h a t can i n c r e a s e male e n r o l m e n t i n s e c o n d a r y S c h o o l s
I Par Item
1. A b o l i t i o n o f s c h o o l I fees ) 3 - 3 5
2. ~eduction i n s c h o o l 1 fees p a i d by s t u d e n t s 1 3 - 1 5
3. Award o f s c h o l a r s h i p s t o i n d i g e n t s t u d e n t s 3-18 I
4. p r o v i s i o n of p o c k e t money a n d book a l l o w a n c e s 3 - 1 4
c l u s t e r mean a n d c l u s t e r s t a n d a r d d e v i a t i o n s
T h e t a b l e s h o w s t h e i t e m mean s c o r e s a n d t h e i r corres-
p o n d i n g s t a n d a r d d e v i a t i o n s f o r both p a r e n t s a n d s t u d e n t s .
The c l u s t e r mean a n d c l u s t e r s t a n d a r d d e v i a t i o n f o r p a r e n t s
a n d s t u d e n t s were also shown i n t h e t a b l e ,
T h e item mean scores f o r p a r e n t s r a n g e from 3 - 1 4 t o
3.35 w i t h s t a n d a r d d e v i a t i o n s r a n g i n g from 0 . 6 5 t o 0 - 7 7 .
T h e c l . u s t e r mean fo r p a r e n t s i s 3,21 w h i l e t h e c l u s t e r
' s t a n d a r d d e v i a t i o n is 0 .65 .
F o r s t u d e n t s t h e i t e m mean r a n g e s from 3 - 0 0 t o 3-40
w h i l e t h e s t a n d a r d d e v i a t i o n r a n g e s f r o m 0 .90 t o 1 0 2 5 .
. The c l u s t e r mean f o r s t u d e n t s i s 3,18 a n d t h e c l u s t e r
s t a n d a r d d e v i a t i o n i s 1 , 1 2 ,
57
From t h e t ab l e a b o v e i t c o u l d be o b s e r v e d t h a t t h e
mean scores of t h e t w o c a t e g o r i e s o f r e s p o n d e n t s ( m a l e
s t u d e n t s a n d p a r e n t s ) f o r a l l t h e f o u r items are a b o v e
t h e c u t - o f f p o i n t of 2-50, T h i s s h o w s t h a t i n t h e i r
. o p i n i o n , a b o l i t i o n o r r e d u c t i o n of s c h o o l fees p a i d by
s t u d e n t s , a w a r d of s c h o l a r s h i p s t o i n d i g e n t s t u d e n t s a n d
p r o v i s i o n of p o c k e t money, a s w e l l a s book a l l o w a n c e s
c o n s t i t u t e t h e f i n a n c i a l p o l i c i e s t h a t c a n be i n t r o d u c e d
b y t h e g o v e r n m e n t t o i n c r e a s e a n d r e t a i n male e n r o l m e n t
i n s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l s ,
R e s e a r c h ~ u e s t i o n 2
What c h a n g e s i n t h e s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l c u r r i c u l u m d o
y o u t h i n k s h o u l d be made a n d i m p l e m e n t e d t o i n c r e a s e and
r e t a i n m a l e e n r o l m e n t i n s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l s ?
T h e d a t a r e l e v a n t f o r a n s w e r i n g r e s e a r c h q u e s t i o n
N o . 2 a s t h e y a f f ec t p a r e n t s a n d s e n i o r male s e c o n d a r y
s c h o o l s t u d e n t s i n Nsukka e d u c a t i o n z o n e a p e p r e s e n t e d
i n t a b l e 5 b e l o w ,
T a b l e 5 .
Me.an. S c o r e s of, ,Parents- a n d S t u d e n t s o n t h e F u n c t i o n a l C u r r i c u l u m t h a t can- ,be I m p l e m e n t e d t o i n c r e a s e a n d r e t a i n m a l e E n r o l m e n t i n S e c o n d a r y S c h o o l s
Item
5 T e a c h i n g o f d e s i r e d t r a d e o r v o c a t i o n s
6 T e a c h i n g s t u d e n t s t o a c q u i r e t e c h n i - c a l s k i l l s f o r e m p l o y m e n t
7 I n v o l v e m e n t of s t u d e n t s i n p r a c t i c a l a g r i - c u l t u r e
8 E x t e n s i v e d e v e l o p - m e n t of g a m e s a n d s p o r t s
9 P r o v i s i o n of a d e q u a t e and w o r k - e q u i p p e d s c i e n c e l a b o r a - t o r i e s
. O P r o v i s i o n of i n s t r u c t i o n a l m a t e r i a l s a n d r e s o u r c e s
-1 T r a i n i n g of s t u d e n t s fo r s e l f r e l i a n c e
C l u s t e r mean a n d s t a n d a r d d e v i a - t i o n
P a r e n t s N = 380 S t u d e n t s N = 420
T h e t a b l e s h o w s t h a t i t e m 5 h a s a mean score o f
3 , 2 8 a n d a s t a n d a r d d e v i a t i o n of 1 . 0 2 , Item 6 h a s a
mean score of 3 - 0 6 w i t h a s t a n d a r d d e v i a t i o n of 1.13.
Items 7 a n d 8 h a v e t h e mean scores of 3 - 2 5 a n d 3 - 4 4 w i t h
!' s t a n d a r d d e v i a t i o n s of 1.03 a n d 0 . 8 7 , Items 9 , 1 0 a n d 11
h a v e mean scores of 3 - 5 2 , 2 - 9 3 a n d 3 - 0 7 r e s p e c t i v e l y w i t h
s t a n d a r d d e v i a t i o n s of 0 . 7 4 , $29 a n d 1,15 r e s p e c t i v e I y ,
T h e s e r e s u l t s are fo r t h e p a r e n t r e s p o n d e n t s ,
F o r t h e s t u d e n t r e s p o n d e n t s , t h e mean scores a r e 3 - 2 0 ,
3-00, 2 - 8 5 , 3 - 2 3 , 3 , 2 6 , 3 - 1 0 a n d 2.99 w i t h s t a n d a r d
d e v i a t i o n s o f 1 - 1 4 , 1 - 2 5 , 1030, 1-00, 1 - 0 3 , 1.27 a n d 1-34
r e s p e c t i v e l y for items 5 t o 11.
I t c o u l d be observed from t h e t a b l e t h a t t h e mean
scores f o r t h e t w o c a t e g o r i e s of r e s p o n d e n t s , n a m e l y :
male s t u d e n t s a n d t h e i r p a r e n t s , f o r a l l t h e s e v e n items
i n t h i s c l u s t e r a r e w e l l a b o v e t h e c u t o f f p o i n t of 2-50.
T h i s i n d i c a t e s t h a t t h e m a l e s t u d e n t s and t h e i r p a r e n t s
a g r e e with t h e s e v e n s u g g e s t e d s t r a t e g i e s . So, i n t h e i r
o p i n i o n , i m p l e m e n t a t i o n o f a f u n c t i o n a l c u r r i c u l u m w o u l d
- 9 n c r e a s e a n d r e t a i n male e n r o l m e n t i n s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l s
t o a g r e a t e x t e n t .
T h i s f i n d i n g i s i n t e r e s t i n g b e c a u s e i t s h o w s t h a t
t h e s e s t u d e n t s a n d t h e i r p a r e n t s are a w a r e of t h o s e
e l m e n t s i n t h e c u r r i c u l u m t h a t c o u l d be t a u g h t a n d
e m p h a s i z e d t o a t t r a c t a n d r e t a i n m a l e s t u d e n t s i n
s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l s i n t h e z o n e ,
R e s e a r c h Q u e s t i o n N o , 3
What t y p e of employment o p p o r t u n i t i e s s h o u l d be
p r o v i d e d for s t u d e n t s a f t e r s c h o o l i n g , t o b r i n g a b o u t a
c h a n g e i n a t t i t u d e of b o y s t o w a r d s s c h o o l i n g ?
D a t a w i t h r e s p e c t t o r e s e a r c h q u e s t i o n Noo 3 a s
. t h e y c o n c e r n p a r e n t s and m a l e s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l s t u d e n t s
i n Msukka e d u c a t i o n z o n e a r e p r e s e n t e d i n t a b l e '6 b e l o w ,
T a b l e 6
Mean S c o r e s and S t a n d a r d D e v i a t i o n s o f P a r e n t s and S t u d e n t s on t h e e x t e n t t o which employment o p p o r t u n i t i e s c a n b r i n g a b o u t a c h a n g e i n a t t i t u d e of b o y s t o w a r d s s c h o o l i n g
The t a b l e shows t h a t t h e i t e m mean scores f o r
p a r e n t s r a n g e from 2.88 to 3 .31 w i t h s t a n d a r d d e v i a t i o n s
r a n g i n g f rom 0 , 7 7 t o 1.22, I t e m 1 2 h a s a mean score o f
3 ,19 w i t h s t a n d a r d d e v i a t i o n o f 0 , 9 0 , i t e m 1 3 h a s mean
score of 3 , 1 3 w i t h s t a n d a r d d e v i a t i o n of 0 , 8 1 , and items
1 4 , 1 5 and 1 6 h a v e mean scores of 3.07, 3 , 3 1 and 2.88
r e s p e c t i v e l y w i t h s t a n d a r d d e v i a t i o n s o f 1 , 0 1 , 0 , 7 7 and
1 - 2 2 r e s p e c t i v e l y , T h e c l u s t e r mean f o r p a r e n t s i s 3.12
w i t h c l u s t e r s t a n d a r d d e v i a t i o n o f 0.80,
F o r s t u d e n t s , t h e i t e m mean s c o r e s r a n g e f rom 2.76 to
3 ,27 w i t h s t a n d a r d d e v i a t i o n s r a n g i n g f rom 0 - 9 9 t o 1 - 2 8 ,
Item 1 2 h a s a mean score of 3.04 w i t h s t a n d a r d d e v i a t i o n
of 1 , 1 0 , items 13, 1 4 , 1 5 and 1 6 h a v e mean scores of 3,16,
3.11, 3 ,27 and 2 - 7 6 r e s p e c t i v e l y w i t h s t a n d a r d d e v i a t i o n s
o f 1 - 0 8 , 0 , 9 9 , 1 .03 and 1 , 2 8 r e s p e c t i v e l y , The c l u s t e r
mean s c o r e f o r s t u d e n t s is 3 - 0 7 and c l u s t e r s t a n d a r d
d e v i a t i o n is 0.75,
I t i s e v i d e n t f rom a l l t h e f i v e i t e m means and t h e
c l u s t e r means f o r b o t h r e s p o n d e n t s ( m a l e s t u d e n t s and
p a r e n t s ) t h a t employment o p p o r t u n i t i e s c a n b r i n g a b o u t a
c h a n g e i n t h e a t t i t u d e o f b o y s t o w a r d s s c h o o l i n g t o a v e r y
g r e a t e x t e n t ,
R e s e a r c h Q u e s t i o n No. 4
What k i n d o f s t u d e n t s ' s e r v i c e s d o you t h i n k s h o u l d be
p r o v i d e d t o s t u d e n t s t o p o s i t i v e l y i n f l u e n c e m a l e e n r o l m e n t
i n t o s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l s ?
Data col lec ted w i t h r e s p e c t t o r e s e a r c l h q u e s t i o n
No. 4 a s t h e y c o n c e r n p a r e n t s a n d male s t u d e n t s of s e n i o r
s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l s of Nsukka E d u c a t i o n z o n e are p r e s e n t e d
i n t a b l e 7 below.
Table 7
Mean S c o r e s a n d S t a n d a r d d e v i a t i o n $ o f P a r e n t s a n d S t u d e n t s on s t u d e n t S e r v i c e s t h a t w i l l p o s i t i v e l y e
r P a r e n t s N = 380
I I I 1
17 E m p l o y i n g a n d p o s t i n g g u i d a n c e c o u n s e l l o r s t o s c h o o l s
.8 I n f o r m i n g s t u d e n t s a b o u t d i f f c r e n t c o u r s e s of s t u d y o p e n t o t h e m
.9 ~ n f o r m i n g s t u d e n t s a b o u t job o p p o r t u - n i t i e s a v a i l a b l e t o t h e m
'0 C o u n s e l l i n g s t u d e n t s t o see t h e r e l e v a n c e o f e d u c a t i o n
I 3.21 0.67 I
C l u s t e r mean a n d c l u s t e r s t a n d a r d d e v i a t i o n
e s u l t
S t u d e n t s N = 420 - R e s u l t
T h e t a b l e shows t h a t items 17 a n d 18 h a v e mean scores
of 2 - 8 3 and 3.08 w i t h s t a n d a r d d e v i a t i o n s of 0.99 a n d 0-80
r e s p e c t i v e l y . ~ tems 19 and 20 have mean scores of 3.11
and 3.21 w i t h s t a n d a r d d e v i a t i o n s o f 0.76 and #.67
' r e s p e c t i v e l y , w i t h r ~ g a r d s t o t h e p a r e n t r e s p o n d e n t s ,
The c l u s t e r mean score and c l u s t e r s t a n d a r d d e v i a t i o n
for p a r e n t s a r e 3,06 and 0.66 r e s p e c t i v e l y ,
F o r t h e s t u d e n t s , items 1 7 and 18 h a v e mean scores
of 2.99 a n d 3-06 w i t h s t a n d a r d d e v i a t i o n s of 1,01 and
0.98 r e s p e c t i v e l y . Items 1 9 and 20 h a v e mean scores of
3.04 a n d 2.95 w i t h s t a n d a r d d e v i a t i o n s of 0.92 and 1.00.
T h e c l u s t e r mean score and s t a n d a r d d e v i a t i o n are 3.01
and 0.75 f o r s t u d e n t r e s p o n d e n t s ,
I t c o u l d be o b s e r v e d f rom t h e t a b l e t h a t t h e mean
scores of a l l t h e r e s p o n d e n t s f o r a l l t h e items a r e v e r y
much a b o v e t h e c u t - o f f p o i n t of 2,50, I t i s t h e r e f o r e
t h e o p i n i o n of t h e m a l e s t u d e n t s and t h e i r p a r e n t s t h a t
t h e p r e v i s i o n and i n t e n s i f i c a t i o n of s t u d e n t s ' s e r v i c e s
w i l l p o s i t i v e l y i n f l u e n c e m a l e e n r o l m e n t i n s e c o n d a r y
s c h o o l s t o a g r e a t e x t e n t - T h i s f i n d i n g i s i n t e r e s t i n g
b e c a u s e it shows t h a t p a r e n t s and s t u d e n t s a r e a w a r e of
the c r u c i a l role of s t u d e n t s e r v i c e s i n s e c o n d a r y e d u c a t i o n ,
R e s e a r c h Q u e s t i o n No. 5
What l a w s ( r u l e s and r e g u l a t i o n s ) s h o u l d be i n t r o d u c e d
, by t h e g o v e r n m e n t t o r e d u c e t h e c u r r e n t q u e s t for q u i c k
money b y o u r y o u t h s t o t h e d e t r i m e n t of b a s i c
e d u c a t i o n ?
T h e d a t a r e l e v a n t f o r a n s w e r i n g r e s e a r c h q u e s t i o n
N o , 5 a s it a f f e c t s p a r e n t s and s e n i o r s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l
: m a l e s t u d e n t s of Nsukka e d u c a t i o n z o n e a r e p r e s e n t e d i n
table 8 below,
T a b l e 8
Mean S c o r e s and S t a n d a r d D e v i a t i o n s of P a r e n t s a n d S t u d e n t s on Government l a w s t h a t c o u l d r e d u c e t h e C u r r e n t wes t fo r w i c k money b y o u r y o u t h s
Item
2 1 Government s h o u l d make it c o m p u l s o r y for a l l c h i l d r e n t o f i n i s h at l e a s t s e n i o r s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l b e f o r e l e a r n - i n g a n y t r a d e , b u s i n e s s o r a p p r e n t i c a s h i p
22 s t u d e n t s s h o u l d be made t o r e m a i n i n s c h o o l u n t i l t h e y a r e u p t o 1 7 y e a r s of a g e ,
23 str icter p e n a l t i e s -. s h o u l d be i rnprosed - o n y o u t h s c a u g h t i n
f r a u d , s m u g g l i n g o r d r u g p u s h i n g
24 P u b l i c e n l i g h t e n m e n t c a m p a i g n s a g a i n s t the q u e s t for f a s t money m a k i n g a t t h e exp.., "7se o f basic e d u c a t i o n s h o u l d be i n t r o d u c e d
C l u s t e r means and s t a n d a r d d e v i a t i o n s
l e s u l t
A
9t
I ?
A
A
l e s u l t -c.c.-
S A
A
D
A
A
F o r p a r e n t s , t h e
have mean scores a n d
t a b l e s h o w s t h a t items 2 1 a n d 22
s t a n d a r d d e v i a t i o n s of 2.73, 2 -76 ,
1 - 2 8 a n d 1,26 r e s p e c t i v e l y . W h i l e items 2 3 a n d 24 h a v e
2 . 5 1 a n d 2.86 a s t h e i r mean scores. T h e c l u s t e r mean i s
:. 2 ,72 ,
F o r s t u d e n t s , t h e t a b l e s h o w s t h a t t h e item mean
scores f o r items 21 , 2 2 , 2 3 a n d 24 a r e 3.12, 2.62, 2.39
a n d 2.99 r e s p e c t i v e l y , T h e c l u s t e r mean score for s t u d e n t s
i s 2.78. W h e r e a s t h e mean scores f o r items 2 1 , 2 2 a n d
24 a r e a b o v e t h e c u t o f f p o i n t o f 2 .50 , item 2 3 w i t h a
mean score of 2,39 i s below t h i s c r i t e r i o n mean of
a c c e p t a n c e . T h i s i n d i c a t e s t h a t t h e s t u d e n t s s a m p l e d do
n o t c o n s i d e r s t r ic te r p e n a l t i e s i m p o s e d o n y o u t h s c a u g h t
i n f r a u d , s m u g g l i n g a n d d r u g - p u s h i n g e tc , , as t h e p r o p e r
m e a n s of r e d u c i n g t h e c u r r e n t q u e s t for q u i c k money, 1t
c a n be s e e n a l s o t h a t t h c c l u s t e r mean scores a r e 2.72
f o r p a r e n t s a n d 2.78 f o r t h e s t u d e n t r e s p o n d e n t s . T h i s
shows t h a t t h e p a r e n t s a n d s t u d e n t s m e r e l y a g r e e t h a t
c e r t a i n l a w s s h o u l d be i n t r o d u c e d by g o v e r n m e n t t o
r e d u c e t h e c u r r e n t quest f o r q u i c k money b y o u r y o u t h s t o
the d e t r i m e n t of b a s i c e d u c a t i o n , However , a c o m p a r i s o n
of t h e c l u s t c r m e a n s of t a b l e 8 w i t h t h e c l u s t e r m e a n s of
t a b l e s 4 t o 7 s h o w s t h a t t h i s i s t h e o n l y c l u s t e r i n which
the p a r e n t s a n d s t u d e n t s d o n e t a q r e e t o a g r e a t e x t e n t
. w i t h t h e s u g g e s t e d s t r a t e g i e s ,
T h e two h y p o t h e s e s f o r m u l a t e d t o g u i d e t h i s study
were a n a l y s e d u s i n g t- test .
The o p i n i o n s of s t u d e n t s and p a r e n t s w i l l n o t d i f f e r
s i g n i f i c a n t l y with r e g a r d t o t h e f i n a n c i a l p o l i c i e s t h a t
c a n be i n t r o d u c ~ d by g o v e r n m e n t t o i n c r e a s e m a l e e n r o l m e n t
i n s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l s ,
summary t a b l e o f t-test a n a l y s i s o f t h e d i f f e r e n c e between t h e mean scores o f t h e p a r e n t s and s t u d e n t s with r e g a r d t o t h e f i n a n c i a l p o l i c i e s that c a n i n c r e a s e m a l e e n r o l m e n t i n S e c o n d a r y S c h o o l s
R e s u l t and I n t e r ~ r e t a t i o n - -
L o o k i n g a t t h i s t a b l e , i t c a n be o b s e r v e d t h a t t h e
c a l c u l a t e d t - v a l u e i s 0 - 4 7 a t 798 d e g r e e of f r e e d o m and
0,05 1-eve1 o f s i q n i f i c a n c e , s i n c e t h i s calculated t - v a l u e
of 0,47 i s less t h a n t h e c r i t i c a l v a l u e of 1.96, t h e f i rs t
n u l l h y p o t h e s i s of t h e study is a c c e p t e d . T h e r e f o r e , t h e r e
is n o s i g n i f i c a n t d i f f e r e n c e i n t h e o p i n i o n s of p a r e n t s
and s t u d e n t s r e g a r d i n q t h e f i . n a n c i a 1 p o l i c i e s t h a t s h o u l d
be i n t r o d u c e d by g o v e r n m e n t t o i n c r e a s e m a l e e n r o l m e n t i n
s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l s ,
" ~ y p o t h e s i s Two
T h e o p i n i o n s of s t u d e n t s and p a r e n t s w i l l n o t d i f f e r
s i g n i f i c a n t l y w i t h r e g a r d t o t h e employment o p p o r t u n i t i e s
t h a t c o u l d b r i n g a b o u t a c h a n g e i n a t t i t u d e of boys
t o w a r d s s c h o o l i n g ,
T a b l e 10
Summary t a b l e of t - tes t a n a l y s i s of t h e d i f f e r e n c e between ? h e mean S c o r e s o f t h e P a r e n t s a n d S t u d e n t s w i t h r e q a r d t o u- a b o u t a c h a n g e i n a t t i t u d e of b o y s t o w a r d s s c h o o l i n q
6
R e s u l t and I n t e r p r e t a t i o n
From t h e t a b l e , i t c a n be o b s e r v e d t h a t t h e c a l c u l a t e d
t - v a l u e of 0 - 9 1 i s less t h a n t h e c r i t i c a l v a l u e of 1.96.
T h e r e f o r e t h e s e c o n d n u l l h y p o t h e s i s of t h e s t u d y i s
accepted, T h i s means t h a t n o s i g n i f i c a n t d i f f e r e n c e
e x i s t s i n t h e o p i n i o n s of t h e p a r e n t s and s t u d e n t s w i t h
r e g a r d t o t h e e x t e n t t o which employment o p p o r t u n i t i e s
can b r i n g a b o u t a c h a n g e i n a t t i t u d e of b o y s t o w a r d s
s c h o n l i n g , T h i s i s t o s a y t h a t e v e n t h o u g h t h e m a g n i t u d e
of t h e p a r e n t s ' mean score ( 3 . 1 2 ) i s g r e a t e r t h a n t h a t of
t h e s t u d e n t s ( 3 - 0 7 ) b y n n a r r o w m a r g i n , t h e d i f f e r e n c e i s
n o t s t a t i s t i c a l l y s i q n i f i c a n t .
Summary of R e s u l t s
T h e f o l l o w i n g c o n s t i t u t e a summary of t h e r e s u l t s of
t h e f i v e r e s e a r c h q u e s t i o n s and t w o h y p o t h e s e s o f t h e
s t u d y ,
1, T h e s e n i o r s e c o n d a r y m a l e s t u d e n t s o f Nsukka
e d u c a t i o n z o n e and t h e i r p a r e n t s s t r o n g l y a g r e e d
t h a t t h e a b o l i t i o n o r a t l e a s t , t h e r e d u c t i o n of
f e e s p a i d by s t u d e n t s ; awfird of s c h o l a r s h i p s t o
i n d i g e n t s t u d e n t s and p r o v i s i o n o f p o c k e t money
a s w e l l a s book a l l o w a n c e s , i f i n t r o d u c e d b y
- g o v e r n m e n t , w i l l t o a v e r y g r e a t e x t e n t , i n c r e a s e
m a l e e n r o l m e n t i n s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l s ,
The s t u d e n t s and p a r c n t s a l s o i n d i c a t e d t h a t t h e
t e a c h i n g o f d e s i r e d t r a d e s and v o c a t i o n s , i n v o l v e m e n t
o f s t u d e n t s i n p r a c t i c a l a g r i c u l t u r e and t h e t r a i n i n g
o f s t u d e n t s fo r s e l f - r e l i a n c e w i l l t o a v e r y g r e a t
e x t e n t a t t r a c t a n d r e t a i n m a l e e n r o l m e n t i n
s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l s . However, t h e s t u d e n t s m e r e l y
a g r e e d t h a t t h e p r o v i s i o n o f i n s t r u c t i o n a l
m a t e r i a l s and r e s o u r c e s is l i k e l y t o a c h i e v e t h e
same r e s u l t ,
3, T h e s e n i o r s e c o n d a r y m a l e s t u d e n t s and their p a r e n t s
s t r o n g l y a g r e e d t h a t t h e p r o v i s i o n of job o p p o r t u n i -
t i es for s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l g r a d u a t e s , e s t a b l i s h m e n t
of s m a l l s c a l e i n d u s t r i e s a n d g r a n t i n g o f l o a n s
f o r c o - o p e r a t i v e s and c o m m e r c i a l f a r m s w i l l b r i n g
a b o u t a c h a n g e i n a t t i t u d e of b o y s t o w a r d s s c h o o l i n g .
B o t h r e s p o n d e n t s ( p a r e n t s and s t u d e n t s ) h o w e v e r
a g r e e t o a lesser e x t e n t t h a t t h e r e a c t i v a t i o n fif
palm p l a n t a t i o n s and f a r m s e t t l e m e n t s w i l l a c h i e v e
t h e d e s i r e d r e s u l t s ,
4. The s t u d e n t s and p a r e n t s a l s o i n d i c a t e d t h a t the
p r o v i s i o n 2nd i n t e n s i f i c a t i o n o f s t u d e n t s e r v i c e s
w i l l t o a v e r y g r e a t e x t e n t p o s i t i v e l y i n f l u e n c e
male e n r o l m e n t i n s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l s o However, the
s t u d e n t s and p a r e n t s a r e u n a n i m o u s i n t h e i r
, p e r c e p t i o n t h a t t h e mere employment and p o s t i n g of
g u i d a n c e c o u n s e l l o r s t o s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l s w i l l t o
a lesser e x t e n t i n f l u e n c e m a l e e n r o l m e n t ,
5, T h e s e n i o r s e c o n d a r y m a l e s t u d e n t s of Nsukka
e d u c a t i o n z o n e a g r e e d t h a t p u b l i c e n l i g h t e n m e n t
c a m p a i g n and c e r t a i n l a w s s h o u l d be i n t r o d u c e d b y
g o v e r n m e n t t o r e d u c e the c u r r e n t mad r u s h for
m a t e r i a l w e a l t h a t t h e e x p e n s e of b a s i c e d u c a t i o n ,
However , t h e y g e n e r a l l y d i s a g r e e d t h a t s tr icter
p c n a l t y s h o u l d be imposed o n y o u t h s c o n v i c t e d of
f r a u d u l e n t p r a c t i c e s . T h e p a r e n t s s a m p l e d m e r e l y
a g r e e d t h a t i f s e n i o r s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l i s made
c o m p u l s o r y , c h i l d r e n made t o r e m a i n i n s c h o o l u n t i l
t h e y a r e u p t o s e v e n t e e n y e a r s of aqe and stricter
p e n a l t i e s impos::d o n y o u t h s c a u g h t i n t h e f r a u d u l e n t
p u r s u i t of money a t the e x p e n s e o f b a s i c e d u c a t i o n ,
t h e d e s i r e d r e s u l t w i l l be a c h i e v e d .
6 , No s i g n i f i c a n t d i f f e r e n c e s were f o u n d b e t w e e n t h e
p e r c e p t i o n s of the s e n i o r s e c o n d a r y m a l e s t u d e n t s
o n o n e h a n d and t h e i r p a r e n t s o n t h e o t h e r ,
r e g a r d i n g t h e f i n a n c i a l p o l i c i e s and employment
o p p o r t u n i t i e s t h a t c a n b r i n g a b o u t an i n c r e a s e i n
m a l e e n r o l m e n t i n s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l s ,
CEAPTEK FIVE
DISCUSSION OF RESULTS, IMPLICATIONS OF THE RESEARCH FINDINGS, RLCOMMENDATIONS , LIMITA- TIONS OF THE STUDY, SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION
T h i s c h a p t e r is a d i s c u s s i o n of t h e r e s u l t s of t h i s
' ' s t u d y , T h e d i s c u s s i o n was b a s e d o n t h e r e s e a r c h findings
as p r e s e n t e d i n c h a p t e r f o u r of t h i s work, T h e d i s d u s s i o n
of t h e r e s u l t s i s t h e n f o l l o w e d by i m p l i c a t i o n s of t h e
r e s e a r c h f i n d i n g s , r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s , l i m i t a t i o n s , s u g g e s t i o n s
for further r e s e a r c h s t u d i e s , summary and c o n c l u s i o n ,
D i s c u s s i o n of R e s u l t s
I n t h i s c h a p t e r , t h e r e s u l t s of t h e t h r e e research
q u e s t i o n s t h a t h w e n o h y p o t h e s e s w e r e d i s c u s s e d
s e p a r a t e l y and i n d i v i d u a l l y ; w h i l e t h e t w o r e s e a r c h
q u e s t i o n s t h a t h a v e h y p o t h e s e s b o r d e r i n g on t h e same
i s s u e s a r e d i s c u s s e d j o i n t l y w i t h t h e i r h y p o t h e s e s . So,
w e h a v e r e s e a r c h q u ~ s t i o n s 2 , 4 a n d 5 e a c h d i s c u s s e d
s e p a r a t e l y , R e s e a r c h q u e s t i o n 1 a n d h y p o t h e s i s 1 a r e
d i s c u s s e d t o g e t h e r while r e s e a r c h q u e s t i o n 3 and h y p o t h e s i s
2 a r e a l s o d i s c u s s e d j o i n t l y o
'. R e s e a r c h Q u e s t i o n One and H y p o t h e s i s One
What f i n a n c i a l p o l i c i e s d o you t h i n k g o v e r n m e n t
' s h o u l d i n t r o d u c e t o i n c r e a s e m a l e e n r o l m e n t i n s e c o n d a r y
s c h o o l s ?
The r e s u l t of t h i s r e s e a r c h q u e s t i o n i s p r e s e n t e d on
t a b l e 4, I t was t h e o p i n i o n s o f p a r e n t s and m a l e s t u d e n t s
sampled t h a t a b o l i t i o n o r a t l e a s t r e d u c t i o n of s c h o o l
fees, award o f s c h o l a r s h i p s t o i n d i g e n t s t u d e n t s and
p r o v i s i o n o f p o c k e t money a s w e l l a s book a l l o w a n c e s
c o n s t i t u t e t h e f i n a n c i a l p o l i c i e s t h a t c a n be i n t r o d u c e d
b y t h e g o v e r n m e n t t o i n c r e a s e m a l e e n r o l m e n t i n s e c o n d a r y
s c h o o l s .
T h e f i r s t n u l l h y p o t h e s i s of t h e s t u d y s t a t e s t h a t
t h e r e w i l l be no s i g n i f i c a n t d i f f e r e n c e be tween t h e
o p i n i o n s of s t u d e n t s a n d p a r e n t s w i t h r e g a r d t o t h e
f i n a n c i a l p o l i c i e s t h a t c a n be i n t r o d u c e d by g o v e r n m e n t
t o i n c r e a s e m a l e e n r o l m e n t i n s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l s .
T h e a n a l y s i s o f h y p o t h e s i s o n e i s o u t l i n e d i n t ab l e
9,, It i n d i c a t e d n o s i g n i f i c a n t d i f f e r e n c e s b e t w e e n t h e
mean s c o r e s of t h e s t u d e n t s and p a r e n t s , I n o t h e r words ,
even t h o u g h t h e m a g n i t u d e of t h e mean scores of t h e
p a r e n t s a r e s l i g h t l y d i f f e r e n t from t h a t of t h e s t u d e n t s ,
t h e d i f f e r e n c e s arc n o t s t a t i s t i c a l l y s i g n i f i c a n t , T h i s
is t o s a y t h a t b o t h t h e p a r e n t s and s t u d e n t s s t r o n g l y
. agreed w i t h t h e s u g g e s t e d r e m e d i e s w i t h r e g a r d t o t h e
f i n a n c i a l p o l i c i e s t h a t c a n i n c r e a s e m a l e e n r o l m e n t i n
, s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l s , R e s e a r c h q u e s t i o n o n e and h y p o t h e s i s
o n e b o t h e r on t h e same i s s u e o f f i n a n c i a l p o l i c i e s a s
p e r c e i v e d by t h e ~ t u ~ e n t s and p a r e n t s s a m p l e d ,
T h e f i n d i n g s . are c o n s i s t e n t w i t h t h e r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s
of N a n n i e , O k e n y i , Ojobo, Nwosu, D i k e , I l o e r i k a , Obodoeze
a n d N w a j i a k u ( 1 9 9 0 ) i n t h e i r s u r v e y s t u d y of t h e c a u s e s
of d e c l i n e i n male e n r o l m e n t i n Anambra S t a t e S e c o n d a r y
' S c h o o l s , N a n n i e et a1 s u g g e s t e d t h a t t h e Anambra S t a t e
g o v e r n m e n t s h o u l d a b o l i s h fees i n s c h o o l s a n d a w a r d
s c h o l a r s h i p s a n d b u r s a r y t o i n d i g e n t s t u d e n t s , A
r e s e a r c h work b y Nwankwo (1979:4) h a s shown t h a t ' ' b e c a u s e
of t h e f i n a n c i a l i m b a l a n c e of most f a m i l i e s some s t u d e n t s
p r e f e r r e d t o w i t h d r a w from s c h o o l t o a p p r e n t i c e s h i p i n
t h e j o b t h e y a r e n o t t a l e n t e d 1 ? . T h e i m p l i c a t i o n of t h i s
is t h a t g o v e r n m e n t s h o u l d make s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l e d u c a t i o n
t u i t i o n free t o accommoda te t h o s e s t u d e n t s whose p a r e n t s q
s o c i o - e c o n o m i c b a c k g r o u n d c a n n a k a l l o w t h e m t o f u l l y
a c h i e v e t h e i r l i f e a m b i t i o n .
R e s e a r c h Q u e s t i o n Two
What c h a n g e s i n t h e s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l c u r r i c u l u m
s h o u l d be made t o i n c r e a s e a n d r e t a i n m a l e e n r o l m e n t i n
s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l s 2
T h e a n a l y s i s of r e s e a r c h q u e s t i o n two i s p r e s e n t e d
i n t a b l e 5. T h e r e s u l t s h o w s t h a t b o t h p a r e n t s a n d
s t u d e n t s s t r o n g l y a g r e e d t h a t t h e i m p l e m e n t a t i o n of a
f u n c t i o n a l c u r r i c u l u m c a n i n c r e a s e a n d r e t a i n m a l e
e n r o l m e n t i n s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l s . T h i s f i n d i n g s h o w s t h a t
74
t h e s e s t u d e n t s and t h e i r p a r e n t s a r e a w a r e of t h o s e
e l e m e n t s i n t h e c u r r i c u l u m t h a t c o u l d be i n t r o d u c e d
a t t r a c t and r e t a i n male s t u d e n t s i n s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l s .
Some e d u c a t o r s and r e s e a r c h e r s i n c l u d i n g A d a r a l e g b e i n
, A d e s i n a , kin ye mi and A j a y i (19831, E z e o c h a (1985) a n d
Alaezi (1988) h a v e shown t h a t t h e a c q u i s i t i o n 6 f appro-
p r i a t e i n t e l l e c t u a l and m a n i p u l a t i v e s k i l l s , t h e
i n v o l v e m e n t of s t u d e n t s i n p r a c t i c a l a g r i c u l t u r e and t h e
p r o v i s i o n o f a d e y u a t e i n s t r u c t i o n a l m a t e r i a l s and r e s o u r c e s
w i l l a t t r a c t , i n c r e a s e and r e t a i n s t u d e n t s i n s c h o o l s .
T h i s w i l l h o p e f u l l y , a s Nzurumike ( 1971) n o t e d , r e k i n d l e
t h e i n t e r e s t of t h o s e s t u d e n t s who h a v e l o s t i n t e r e s t i n
t h e s c h o o l s n o t b e c a u s e t h e y wan t t o g o t o work b u t
b e c a u s e t h e y a r e d i s s a t i s f i e d w i t h t h e a c a d e m i c programmes
of t h e s c h o o l s . S i n c e s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l e d u c a t i o n is
e x p e c t e d t o t r a i n y o u t h s t o become u s e f u l and r e s p o n s i b l e
c i t i z e n s , n o t o n l y t o t h e m s e l v e s a n d t h e i r i m m e d i a t e
e n v i r o n m e n t b u t a l s o t o t h e l a r g e r s o c i e t y , t h e n e e d f o r
an e f f e c t i v e secondary s c h o o l c u r r i c u l u m becomes
i m p e r a t i v e ,
R e s e a r c h Q u e s t i o n T h r e e and H y p o t h e s i s Two b
.To wha t e x t e n t w i l l employment o p p o r t u n i t i e s b r i n g
about a c h a n g e i n a t t i t u d e of b o y s t o w a r d s s c h o o l i n g ?
T h e a n a l y s i s of t h i s r e s e a r c h q u e s t i o n i s presented
i n t a b l e 6 , The r e s u l t s show t h a t t h e s t u d e n t s a s w e l l
as t h e p a r e n t s s t r o n g l y a g r e e d t h a t t h e p r o v i s i o n o f
employment o p p o r t u n i t i e s t o , s t u d e n t s a f t e r s c h o o l i n g c a n
t o a v e r y g r e a t e x t e n t b r i n g a b o u t a c h a n g e i n a t t i t u d e
of b o y s t o w a r d s s c h o o l i n g . However , from t h e p a r e n t s
mean score of 2-08 and t h e s t u d e n t s mean score of 2-76 it
c a n be s e e n t h a t t h e r e s p o n d e n t s do n o t s t r o n g l y a g r e e
( i t e m 16) t h a t r e a c t i v a t i o n o f pa lm p l a n t a t i o n s and farm
s e t t l e m e n t s c a n b r i n g a b o u t a c h a n g e i n a t t i t u d e of b o y s
t o w a r d s s c h o o l i n g .
T h e s e c o n d n u l l h y p o t h e s i s s t a t e s t h a t t h e r e w i l l be
n o s i g n i f i c a n t d i f f e r w c e b e t w e e n t h e mean scores o f t h e
p a r e n t s a n d s t u d e n t s w i t h r e g a r d s t o t h e employment
o p p o r t u n i t i e s t h a t can b r i n g a b o u t a c h a n g e i n a t t i t u d e
of b o y s t o w a r d s s c h o o l i n g , T h e a n a l y s i s of h y p o t h e s i s
t w o i s p r e s e n t e d i n t a b l e 10, Even t h o u g h t h e r e were
s l i g h t d i f f e r e n c e s b e t w e e n t h e mean scores of t h e p a r e n t s
and s t u d e n t s , t h e d i f f e r e n c e s are n o t s i g n i f i c a n t e n o u g h
t o d i s p r o v e t h e h y p o t h e s i s , I n o t h e r words , t h e p a r e n t s
- and s t u d e n t s i n d i c a t e d no s i g n i f i c a n t d i f f e r e n c e s i n
t h e i r p e r c e p t i o n s w i t h r e g a r d t o t h e employment o p p o r t u n i -
ties' t h a t c a n b r i n g a b o u t a c h a n g e i n a t t i t u d e o f b o y s
t o w a r d s s c h o o l i n g .
T h i s f i n d i n g i s s u p p o r t e d by t h e s t a t e m e n t o f
E z c o c h a ( 1985) and O n w u k a i n L'tim and A l a e z i who a r g u e d
t h a t s t u d e n t s w i l l n o t o n l y f i n d o u r s c h o o l s r e l e v a n t
and w o r t h w h i l e b u t w i l l r e m a i n i n them when t h e y d i s c o v e r
t h a t t h e r e a r e o p p o r t u n i t i e s f o r employment f o r them o n
g r a d u a t i o n , T h e s h a r p d r o p i n o u r n a t i o n a l r e v e n u e
a c c r u i n g from t h e o i l sector, which c o n t r i b u t e s o v e r 80%
of o u r n a t i o n s t o t a l r e v e n u e e a r n i n g s h a s l e d t o t h e
i n a b i l i t y o f o u r i n d u s t r i e s t o o p e r a t e a t f u l l c a p a c i t y ,
Most s c h o o l l e a v e r s n o t o n l y f a i l e d t o s e c u r e employment ,
h u t t h o s e a l r e a d y employed a r e c o n t i n u o u s l y b e i n g
r e t r e n c h e d o r f o r c e f u l l y r e t i r e d f r o m t h e p u b l i c and
p r i v a t e s e c t o r s . T h i s s i n g l e f a c t o r i s high1.y r e s p o n s i b l e
fo r t h e low m a l e s t u d e n t s e n r o l m e n t i n o u r s e c o n d a r y
s c h o o l s , T h i s c o n f i r m s t h e f e a r s e x p r e s s e d b y Lerman
(1986: 14) t h a t
O u r monotypc economy b a s e d o n o i l w i l l i n f u t u r e a f f e c t o u r e d u c a t i o n sector. T h e c o n t i n u o u s r e t r e n c h m e n t and f o r c e f u l r e t i r e m e n t of w o r k e r s a s w e l l a s t h e h i g h r a t e of unemployment h a s i n recent y e a r s f o r c e d p a r e n t s and s t u d e n t s who f o r m e r l y t h o u g h t t h a t e d u c a t i o n w i l l h e l p t o i m p r o v e t h e i r f a m i l y s t a t u s f i n a n c i a l l y , t o s t a r t b e c o m i n g s k e p t i c a l a b o u t t h e w h o l e s i t u a t i o n and d e c i d e t o w i t h d r a w t h e i r wards from s c h o o l , '
T h e i m p l i c a t i o n o f t h i s is t h a t a n i m p r o v e d economy
m e a n t g n i n c r e a s e d r a t e of job o p p o r t u n i t i e s for y o u t h s ,
T h i s w i l l , i n t u r n i n c r e a s e t h e i r c o n f i d e n c e i n e d u c a t i o n
and b r i n g a b o u t ' a g e n e r a l improvement i n t h e n a t i o n s
s o c i o - e c o n o m i c d e v e l o p m e n t ,
R e s e a r c h Q u e s t i o n F o u r
What kind o f s t u d e n t s s e r v i c e s s h o u l d be p r o v i d e d t o
p o s i t i v e l y i n f l u e n c e m a l e e n r o l m e n t i n s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l s ?
T h e a n a l y s i s of r e s e a r c h q u e s t i o n f o u r as it a f f e c t s
s t u d e n t s and p a r e n t s i n Nsukka e d u c a t i o n z o n e i s p r e s e n t e d
i n t a b l e 7, I t c o u l d b? o b s e r v e d f rom t h e t a b l e t h a t the
mean scores of b o t h r e s p o n d e n t s f o r a l l t h e items are
v e r y much above t h e c u t - o f f p n i n t of 2-50 . I t shows
t h e r e f o r e t h a t i n t h e o p i n i o n of t h e m a l e s t u d e n t s and
t h e i r p a r e n t s , t h e p r o v i s i o n and i n t e n s i f i c a t i o n of
s t u d e n t s s e r v i c e s w i l l p o s i t i v e l y i n f l u e n c e male e n r o l m e n t
i n s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l s t o a v e r y g r e a t e x t e n t . T h e item
mean scores of 2,83 for p a r e n t s and 2-99 f o r s t u d e n t s
(item 17) h o w e v e r shows t h a t b o t h r e s p o n d e n t s a g r e e but
n o t t o a g r e a t e x t e n t t h a t t h e mere employment and
p o s t i n g of g u i d a n c e c o u n s e l l o r s t o s c h o o l s w i l l p o s i t i v e l y
i n f l u e n c e male e n r o l m e n t
The r e s p o n d e n t s t h e r e f o r e s u p p o r t t h e i m p o r t a n c e
which c o u n s e l l i n g e x p e r t s and e d u c a t o r s , i n c l u d i n g Denga
(1986) and Mallum (1988) a t t a c h e d t o t h e p r o v i s i o n of
g u i d a n c e a n d c o u n s e l l i n q s e r v i c e s i n s e c o n d a r y schoolso
R e s e a r c h Q u e s t i o n F i v e
What l a w s ( r u l e s and r e g u l a t i o n s ) s h o u l d be
i n t r o d u c e d by t h e g o v e r n m e n t t o r e d u c e t h e c u r r e n t quest
fo r q u i c k money b y o u r y o u t h s t o t h e d e t r i m e n t o f b a s i c
' e d u c a t i o n ?
T h e r e s u l t of r e s e a r c h q u e s t i o n f i v e i s p r e s e n t e d
i n t a b l e 8 , From t h e t a b l e , i t c a n be s e e n t h a t t h e
c l u s t e r mean score for p a r e n t s i s 2 - 7 2 and fo r s t u d e n t s
i t i s 2,78" T h i s shows t h a t b o t h r e s p o n d e n t s a g r e e b u t
n o t s t r o n g l y t h a t t h e s u g g e s t e d r e m e d i e s c o u l d r e d u c e
t h e c u r r e n t q u e s t f o r q u i c k money b y o u r y o u t h s t o t h e
d e t r i m e n t of b a s i c e d u c a t i o n . I n item 23, t h e s t u d e n t s '
mean score of 2-39 i n d i c a t e s t h a t t h e y d i s a g r e e t h a t
stricter p e n a l t y s h o u l d be imposed o n y o u t h s c a u g h t i n
f r a u d , s m u g a l i n g and d r u g p u s h i n g a s a s o l u t i o n t o t h i s
malady ,
AS h a s b e e n s t a t e d , b o t h r e s p o n d e n t s h a v e p e r c e i v e d
t h e n e e d fo r a r e v e r s a l of t h i s t r e n d o f r u n n i n g a f t e r
money w i t h o u t f i r s t a c q u i r i n g b a s i c e d u c a t i o n , I n most
.- d e v e l o p e d c o u n t r i e s o f the w o r l d l i k e G r e a t B r i t a i n ,
F r a n c e and S w i t z e r l a n d , b a s i c e d u c a t i o n , a t l e a s t u p
' to j u n i o r s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l i s free and c o m p u l s o r y ,
T h i s l e g i s l a t i o n , mak ing b a s i c d u c a t i o n free and
c o m p u l s o r y , i s an i n d i c a t i o n of t h e i r s o l i d commitment
t o u n i v e r s a l e d u c a t i o n , I n a d e v e l o p i n g c o u n t r y l i k e
N i g e r i a , t h i s commitment i s e v e n more u r g e n t .
The a c h i e v e m e n t of t h e r i g h t t o e d u c a t i o n r e q u i r e s
t h a t young p e o p l e s h o u l d be g i v e n t h e o p p o r t u n i t i e s
n e c e s s a r y f o r t h e a c q u i s i t i o n of t h e k n o w l e d g e , s k i l l s
and v a l u e s which w i l l e n a b l e them t o l e a d h a p p y , p r o d u c -
t i v e l i v e s a s i n d i v i d u a l s and d i s c h a r g e t h e i r s o c i a l
o b l i g a t i o n s for t h e b e t t e r m e n t of l i f e i n the s o c i e t y
a t l a r g e , T h e e d u c a t i o n p r o v i d e d m u s t be d i r e c t e d t o w a r d s
t h e f u l l d e v e l o p m e n t o f t h e human p e r s o n a l i t y and t h e
s t r e n g t h e n i n g of r e s p e c t for t h e d i g n i t v , r i g h t s and
f u n d a m e n t a l f r e e d o m s of o t h c r human b e i n g s ; as w e l l as
t h e p r o m o t i o n of u n d e r s t a n d i n g , t o l e r a n c e and f r i e n d s h i p
among p e o p l e s of a l l tribes, races and a l l n a t i o n s of t h e
w o r l d .
I m p l i c a t i o n s of t h e R e s e a r c h F i n d i n q s
From t h e r e s u l t s of t h e d a t a a n a l y s i s and i n t e r p r e t a -
t i o n s t h e r e o f , some m e a n i n g f u l d i s c u s s i o n s were made,
B a s e d o n s u c h d i s c u s s i o n s , some i m p o r t a n t i m p l i c a t i o n s of
t h i s s t u d y were e v o l v e d ,
One of t h e r e s u l t s o f the s t u d y showed t h a t t h e r e
*is t h . e u r g e n t n e e d t o a b o l i s h o r a t l e a s t r e d u c e s c h o o l
f e e s p a i d hv s t u d e n t s , award s c h o l a r s h i p s t o b r i g h t ,
i n d i g e n t s t u d e n t s and p r o v i d e s t u d e n t s w i t h book and
o t h e r a l l o w a n c e s , T h i s f i n d i n g s u g g e s t s t h a t t h e s t u d e n t s
a n d p a r e n t s a c k n o w l e d g e t h a t p o o r f i n a n c i a l p o s i t i o n of
most N i g e r i a n f a m i l i e s make i t d i f f i c u l t for t h e m t o
c o p e w i t h t h e h i g h f i n a n c i a l d e m a n d s of t h e i r c h i l d r e n ' s
. e d u c a t i o n , T h i s f i n d i n g i m p l i e s t h a t t h o s e i n v o l v e d i n
t h e p l a n n i n g a n d e x e c u t i o n o f g o v e r n m e n t e d u c a t i o n a l
p o l i c i e s s h o u l d i n t r o d u c e f i n a n c i a l p o l i c i e s t h a t w i l l
e n a b l e s t u d e n t s from a l l s o c i o - e c o n o m i c b a c k g r o u n d s t o
b e n e f i t from s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l e d u c a t i o n ,
A n o t h e r r e s u l t of t h i s s t u d y showed t h a t t h e t e a c h i n g
of d e s i r e d t r a d e s o r v o c a t i o n s w i l l e n a b l e s t u d e n t s t o
a c q u i r e t e c h n i c a l s k i l l s for e m p l o y m e n t a n d s e l f - r e l i a n c e
o n g r a d u a t i o n , T h i s f i n d i n y s u g g e s t s t h a t i n t h e o p i n i o n
of t h e male s t u d e n t s a n d t h e i r p a r e n t s , t h e i m p l e m e n t a t i o n
of a f u n c t i o n a l c u r r i c u l u m wou ld make t e a c h i n g a n d
l e a r n i n g more m e a n i n g f u l t o t h e s t u d e n t s - T h e i m p l i c a t i o n
f o r o u r e d u c a t i o n a l p l a n n e r s a n d a d m i n i s t r a t o r s i s t h a t
t h e r e i s t h e u r g e n t n e e d t o r e v i e w t h e p r e s e n t s e c o n d a r y
s c h o o l c u r r i c u l u m a n d r e - a l i g n i t w i t h t h e r ea l i t i es a n d
- n e e d s of t h e p r e s e n t d a y s o c i e t y .
T h e n e x t r e s u l t showcd t h a t i n t h e o p i n i o n s of t h e
. s t u d e n t s a n d t h e i r p a r e n t s , t h e p r o v i s i o n of e m p l o y m e n t
o p p o r t u n i t i e s t o s t u d e n t s a f t e r s c h o o l i n g i s a m a j o r
s t r a t e g y w h i c h c a n p o s i t i v e l y i n f l u e n c e m a l e s t u d e n t s
e n r o l m e n t i n s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l s , T h e s e s t u d e n t s and
t h e i r p a r e n t s c o n s i d e r t h e d i m i n i s h i n g p r o s p e c t s of
employment a f t e r s c h o o l i n g a s a m a j o r r e a s o n f o r t a k i n g
t o b u s i n e s s v e n t u r e s r a t h e r t h a n s c h o o l i n g , They h a v e
s e e n t h a t t h o s e who g r a d u a t e d f rom s c h o o l s roam a b o u t
the streets , w h i l e t h e i r m a t e s who t o o k to b u s i n e s s were
now l i v i n g i n a f l u e t l c e , T h i s means t h a t t h e s t u d e n t s
and t h e i r p a r e n t s showed a l o t o f u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f t h e
p o l i t i c a l and e c o n o m i c e v e n t s i n t h e c o u n t r y b u t f a i l e d
t o r e a l i z e t h a t e d u c a t i o n i s an i n d i s p e n s i b l e t o o l f o r
i n d i v i d u a l and n a t i o n a l p r o g r e s s . T h e i m p l i c a t i o n of
t h i s s t u d y t o g o v e r n m e n t i s t h a t t h e r e i s t h e u r g e n t
n e e d ' t o r e s t r u c t u r e o u r economy so t h a t more j o b
o p p o r t u n i t i e s c a n bs g e n e r a t e d f o r s e c o n d a r y .who01
l e a v e r s b o t h i n t h e p r i v a t e and p u b l i c sectors,
One of t h e r e s u l t s i n d i c a t e d t h a t t h e p r o v i s i o n and
i n t e n s i f i c a t i o n o f s t u d e n t s t s e r v i c e s i s a n o t h e r s t r a t e g y
w h i c h c a n p o s i t i v e l y i n f l u e n c e m a l e e n r o l m e n t i n s e c o n d a r y
s c h o o l s , T h e f i n d i n g i s i m p o r t a n t b e c a u s e i t showed t h a t
s t u d e n t s and p a r e n t s a l i k e a r e a w a r e of t h e c r u c i a l role
of s t u d e n t s s e r v i c e s , p a r t i c u l a r l y g u i d a n c e c o u n s e l 1 i n g
i n t h c e d u c a t i o n of s t u d e n t s a t t h i s l e v e l " T h i s
i m p l i e s t h a t f o r o p t i m a l p e r f o r m a n c e , s t u d e n t s n e e d to
be p r o p e r l y g u i d e d i n t h e i r c h o i c e of c a r e e r , T h i s a l s o
i m p l i e s t h a t more , q u a l i f i e d a n d w e l l - m o t i v a t e d g u i d a n c e
c o u n s e l l o r s s h o u l d be e m p l o y e d and p o s t e d t o all
s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l s ,
T h e l a s t r e s u l t of t h e s t u d y showed t h a t t h e
e n a c t m e n t of a l e g i s l a t i o n m a k i n g s e n i o r s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l
e d u c a t i o n c o m p u l s o r y , placing a n age l i m i t before w h i c h
y o u t h s c a n n o t g o i n t o b u s i n e s s , a s w e l l a s t h e i n t e n s i f i -
c a t i o n o f p u b l i c e n l i g h t e n m e n t c a m p a i g n s w i l l r e d u c e t h e
c u r r e n t quest for q u i c k moncy b y o u r y o u t h s . T h i s
i m p l i e s t h a t t h e s t u d e n t s and t h e i r p a r e n t s a c t u a l l y
r e c o g n i s e t h e i m p o r t a n c e of b a s i c e d u c a t i o n b u t a r e l u r e d
i n t o b u s i n e s s v e n t u r e s b e c a u s e o f t h e f i n a n c i a l g a i n s
d e r i v e d t h e r e f r o m ,
The s t u d e n t s h o w e v e r d i s a g r e e d t h a t s t r ic ter
p a n a l t i e s s h o u l d be imposed o n y o u t h s c a u g h t i n f r a u d ,
s m u g g l i n g and d r u g p u s h i n g , e tc , a s a means of r e d u c i n g
t h e i r c u r r e n t q u ~ s t for q u i c k money a t t h e e x p e n s e o f
b a s i c e d u c a t i o n . T h e i m p l i c a t i o n of t h i s f i n d i n g i s t h a t
the s t u d e n t s f a i l e d t o r e a l i z e t h e g r a v i t y of t h e s e
. f r a u d u l e n t p r a c t i c e s a s t h e y a f f e c t t h e c o u n t r y ' s
economy a n d image , The i m p l i c a t i o n f o r g o v e r n m e n t i s that
t h e r e i s t h e n e e d t o i n t e n s i f y p u b l i c e n l i g h t e n m e n t
c a m p a i g n s and s e c u r i t y m e a s u r e s a g a i n s t t h e s e crimes,
Recommenda t ions
T h i s s t u d y h a s c a r e f u l l y e x a m i n e d t h e p o s s i b l e
s t r a t e g i e s t h a t i f a d o p t e d and i m p l e m e n t e d , c o u l d
p o s i t i v e l y i n f l u e n c e male e n r o l m e n t i n s e c o n d a r y schools,
he f o l l o w i n g s u g q e s t i o n s a n d r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s h a v e been
made i n t h e l i g h t o f the f i n d i n g s , t h e d i s c u s s i o n s t h a t
f o l l o w e d and t h e v a r i o u s i m p l i c a t i o n s which h a v e been
h i g h l i g h t e d ,
1 T h e v a r i o u s g o v e r n m e n t s i n t h e c o u n t r y namely :
t h e F e d e r a l , S t a t e and Local G o v e r n m e n t s s h o u l d
a c c o r d e d u c a t i o n a p r i o r i t y a t t e n t i o n , a s money
s p e n t on t h e e d u c a t i o n of o u r y o u t h s , who are
l e a d e r s of tomorrow, c a n n o t be better s p e n t , A s
a d e v e l o p i n g c o u n t r y i n v e s t m e n t i n human r e s o u r c e ,
d e v e l o p m e n t s h o u l d t a k e p r e c e d e n c e o v e r a l l o t h e r
sectors and b u d g e t a r y p r o v i s i o n s s h o u l d be made t o
re f lec t t h i s , T h e u n f o r t u n a t e t r e n d p r e s e n t l y i n
N i g e r i a w h e r e Defence i s . a l l o c a t e d a l i o n s h a r e o f
t h e N a t i o n a l b u d g e t must s t o p f o r t h w i t h ,
2 Governrncnt s h o u l d a b o l i s h t u i t i o n f e e s i n a l l
s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l s i n N i g e r i a , On t h e a l t e r n a t i v e ,
g .overnment s h o u l d set u p a m a c h i n e r y f o r i d e n t i f y i n g
t h e t r u e l y i n d i g e n t and n e e d y s t u d e n t s f o r t h e award
of b u r s a r y a n d s c h o l a r s h i p s , Government s h o u l d
a l s o c o n s i d e r t h e p o s s i b i l i t y of p r o v i d i n g book
a l l o w a n c e s a n d p o c k e t money o n a r e g u l a r basis t o
a l l s t u d e n t s .
3, Government s h o u l d p r o v i d e t h e n e c e s s a r y i n f r a -
s t r u c t u r e , a d e q u a t e and work-equ ipped s c i e n c e
1 a b o r a t o r i e s , a s w e l l a s other i n s t r u c t i o n a l
materials and r e s o u r c e s n e e d e d t o e n h a n c e t e a c h i n g
and l e a r n i n g i n a l l p u b l i c s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l s o
4, More s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l s s h o u l d be c o n v e r t e d t o
c o m p r e h e n s i v e s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l s , s o t h a t a l a r g e
v a r i e t y of s u b j e c t s c o u l d be a v a i l a b l e i n a s i n g l e
s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l ; t c p r o v i d e t h e s t u d e n t s a m p l e
o p p o r t u n i t y for e x p l o r a t i o n i n t o v a r i o u s i n t e l l e c t u a l
d i s c i p l i n e s and o c c u p a t i o n s , T h i s m i g h t e v e n t u a l l y
h e l p them to c h o o s e t h e o n e s t h a t most s u i t their
a p t i t u d e , t a l e n t s and i n t e r e s t s ,
5, Government s h o u l d set u p a g u a r a n t e e d l o a n scheme
f o r s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l l e a v e r s t o e s t a b l i s h s m a l l
s c a l e c o m m e r c i a l , i n d u s t r i a l o r a g r i c u l t u r a l
v e n t u r e s , The w o r k o f t h e N a t i o n a l D i r e c t o r a t e
of Employment (NRE) for U n i v e r s i t y g r a d u a t e s i s
. commendab le b u t s h o u l d be e x t e n d e d t o s e c o n d a r y
s c h o o l l e a v e r s ,
6 , G u i d a n c e c o u n s e l l o r s s h o u l d be employed and
p o s t e d t o a l l s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l s and s t u d e n t s
s e r v i c e s p r o v i d e d o n a r e g u l a r b a s i s t o f u r n i s h
t h e s t u d e n t s w i t h a d e q u a t e and r e l e v a n t i n f o r m a t i o n
r e g a r d i n g t h e i r e d u c a t i o n .
7. Government s h o u l d i n t r o d u c e a l e g i s l a t i o n m a k i n g
i t c o m p u l s o r y f o r a11 y o u t h s t o f i n i s h a t l e a s t
s e n i o r s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l before v e n t u r i n g i n t o
b u s i n e s s ,
8 , S e m i n a r s , c o n f e r e n c e s and s y m p o s i a s h o u l d be
o r g a n i s e d a t S t a t e , L o c a l Government and v i l l a g e
l e v e l s , w i . t h t h e aim of h e l p i n g t h e m a s s e s h a v e a
bet ter i n s i g h t and u n d e r s t a n d i n g of t h e n e e d for
basic e d u c a t i o n , T h e p r i n t a n d e l e c t r o n i c m e d i a ,
town u n i o n s , c h u r c h e s , v o l u n t a r y a g e n c i e s , c l u b s ,
and t e a c h e r s s h o u l d be m o b i l i s e d for t h i s public
e n l i g h t e n m e n t c a m p a i g n o n t h e v a l u e 4f e d u c a t i o n ,
t o e n a b l e t h e message g e t t? t h e g r a s s - r o o t s ,
L i m i t a t i o n s of t h c S t u d y - -? o ~ l t h o u g h t h i s s t u d y h a s a c c o m p l i s h e d the purpose
f o r which i t was u n d e r t a k e n , o n e of i t s l i m i t a t i o n s
i s t h a t t h e v a l i d i t y of t h e r e s u l t s i s d e p e n d e n t
on t h e h o n e s t y of t h e r e s p o n d e n t s i n p r o v i d i n g
t h e n e e d e d i n f o r m a t i o n ,
2, Some p a r e n t s and s t u d e n t s a p p e a r e d t o be a l r e a d y
b i a s e d a g a i n s t e d u c a t i o n g e n e r a l l y b e c a u s e of t h e
p r e s e n t p o o r c o n d i t i o n o f t h e economy i n t h e c o u n t r y e
P e r h a p s t h e i r r e s p o n s e s c o u l d h a v e b e e n d i f f e r e n t ,
e s p e c i a l l y o n t h e i s s u e of p r e f e r e n c e of q u i c k
w e a l t h t o e d u c a t i o n , if t h e economy had n o t b e e n
i n a bad s t a t e ,
3. T h i s s t u d y was c o n d u c t e d i n t h e s i x L o c a l Government
Areas of Nsukka E d u c a t i o n z o n e , P e r h a p s a more
c o m p r e h e n s i v e s t u d y , t a k i n g o n more v a r i a b l e s a n d
c o v e r i n g t h e whole S t a t e would h a v e g i v e n a
s l i g h t l y better i n s i g h t .
S u g g e s t i o n s f o r F u r t h e r R = s ~ a r c h
fo r
and
. (1)
F o l l o w i n g t h e r e s u l t s of t h i s s t u d y , s u g g e s t i o n s
f u r t h e r r e s e a r c h studies b a s e d m a i n l y on t h e s c o p e
i s s u e s r a i s s d i n this s t u d y are h e r e b y made:
A more c o m p r e h e n s i v e s t u d y of t h i s t o p i c t a k i n g
on more v a r i a b l e s l i k e t e a c h e r s , educational
p l a n n e r s and a d m i n i s t r a t o r s etc, and c o v e r i n g t h e
e n t i r e S t a t e ,
A s u r v e y s t u d y of t h e s u b j e c t s which a r e p r e f e r r e d
b y f e m a l e s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l s t u d e n t s ,
A s u r v e y of student s e r v i c e s a v a i l a b l e ' i n o u r
s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l s ,
T h e e x t e n t t o which a f u n c t i o n a l c u r r i c u l u m is
b e i n g i m p l e m e n t e d i n Enugu S t a t e s e c o n d a r y
s c h o o l s .
( 5 ) What f a c t o r s d o p a r e n t s and s t u d e n t s c o n s i d e r
when o p t i n g f o r b u s i n e s s r a t h e r t h a n e d u c a t i o n .
Summary
F o l l o w i n g t h e e c o n o m i c down-turn as a r e s u l t o f
p r o l o n g e d , and c o r r u p t m i l i t a r y m i s r u l e ; a s w e l l a s t h e
g l o b a l e c o n o m i c r e c e s s i o n , many y o u t h s p a r t i c u l a r l y b o y s
h a v e b e e n s h u n n i n g s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l e d u c a t i o n , i n
p r e f e r e n c e fo r v a r i o u s h u s i n ~ s s e s . T h e y h a v e d i s c o v e r e d
t h a t o u r e d u c a t i o n a l system n e i t h e r a s s u r e s them o f s e c u r i n g
p a i d ernplmyment n o r bequets t h e m w i t h t h e n e c e s s a r y s k i l l s
t h a t m i g h t e n a b l e t h e m t o become s e l f - r e l i a n t o n g r a d u a t i o n .
They h a v e s e e n t h a t some of t h g i r m a t e s who j o i n e d t h e
b u s i n e s s sector a s a p p r e n t i c e s i n o n e t r a d e o r t h e o t h e r
when t h e y t h e m s e l v e s w e r e e n t e r i n g s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l s
had a l r e a d y made i t , and b e c a u s e of t h e i r a f f l u e n c e were
now h i g h l y r e s p e c t e d members o f t h e s o c i e t y , Mos t o f
t h e s e p e o p l e make their money by f r a u d u l e n t means but
- i n a c a p i t a l i s t economy l i k e o u r s , t h e e n d seems t o
j u s t i f y t h e means , I t i s n o t s u r p r i s i n g t h e r e f o r e ,
t h a t o u r y o u t h s a r e m a s s i v e l y g o i n g i n t o t h e b u s i n e s s
s e c t o r t o the u t t e r n e g l e c t of s e c o n d a r y and h i g h e r
e d u c a t i o n ,
On t h e o t h e r h a n d , i t h a s b e e n shown t h a t b a s i c
e d u c a t i o n i s t h c bed - - rock o f a r e s p o n s i b l e , c i v i l i z e d
a n d e g a l i t a r i a n s o c i e t y , I n d e e d , a m a s s i v e l y i g n o r a n t
a n d i l l i t e r a t e p o p u l x e i s t h e g r e a t e s t i m p c d i m c n t t o
d e m o c r a c y , p c a c e and n a t i o n a l d e v e l o p m e n t , I t seems
o b v i o u s t h e r c f o r e t ! - a t sorn!-. thlng n e e d e d t o be d o n e
u r g e n t l y t o b r i n g a b o u t a c h a n g e i n t h ~ a t t i t u d e of b o y s
a n d t h e i r p a r e n t s t o w a r d s s c h o o l i n g , T h e m a i n p u r p o s e of
t h i s s t u d y t h e r e f o r c was t o e s t a b l i s h t h e s t r a t e g i e s f o r
i n c r e a s i n g a n d r e t a i n i n g mal? e n r o l m e n t i n s e c o n d a r y
s c h o o l s i n t h e Nsukka e d u c a t i o n z o n e o f Enugu S t a t e ,
N i g e r i a , t h r o u g h t h e perception of s t u d e n t s a n d t h e i r
p a r e n t s ,
C o n c l u s i o n
I n c h a p t e r t w o of t h i s w o r k , a l l t h e l i t e r a t u r e
r e l a t e d t o t h i s s t u d y w e r e r ~ v i c w e d u n d e r t h e f o l l o w i n g
, h e a d i n g s : c o n c e p t of e n r o l m t ? n t , t r e n d s i n s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l
e n r o l m e n t i n N i g e r i a , c a u s e s o f d e c l i n i n g e n r o l m e n t i n
N i g e r i a n s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l s , p r o b l e m s of s e c o n d a r y e d u c a t i o n
i n N i g e r i a a n d m a k i n g s e c o n d a r y e d u c a t i o n more f u n c t i o n a l ,
I n a n a t t e m p t t o f o c u s t h e s t u d y , f i v e r c s e a r c h
q u e s t i o n s a n d t w o h y p o t h e s e s were f o r m u l a t e d , A 24 - i t em
* q u e s t i o n n a i r e t i t l e d f f S t r a t e q i ~ s f o r I n c r e a s i n g a n d
R e t a i n i n g M a l e E n r o l m e n t i n S e c o n d a r y S c h o o l s w was
d e v e l o p e d i n f i v c c l u s t e r s . E a c h c l u s t e r was d e s i g n e d
t o a n s w e r e a c h o f the f i v e r e s e a r c h q u e s t i o n s . T h e
8 9
q u e s t i o n n a i r c was t h e n a d m i n i s t e r e d o n 420 s e n i o r
s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l m a l e s t u d e n t s a n d 420 p a r e n t s r a n d o m l y
s e l e c t e d for t h e s t u d y t h r o u g h o u t t h e z o n e ,
T h e r e s e a r c h q u c ? s t i o n s w e r e a n a l y s e d u s i n q mean and
, t h e h y p o t h e s e s were a l s o a n a l y s e d u s i n g t-test, Based o n
t h e s e a n a l y s e s , t h e f o l l o w i n g r e s u l t s w e r e o b t a i n e d :
T h e s t u d e n t s and t h e i r p a r e n t s a g r c e d t h a t t h e
a b o l i t i o n o r a t l e a s t r e d u c t i o n o f s c h o o l fees,
award of s c h o l a r s h i p s t o i n d i g e n t s t u d e n t s ,. and
p r o v i s i o n cf p o c k e t money and book a l l o w a n c e s ,
if i n t r o d u c e d w i l l t o a g r e a t e x t e n t i n c r e a s e m a l e
e n r o l m e n t i n s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l s ,
T h e s t u d e n t s and t h e i r p a r e n t s s t r o n g l y a g r e e d
t h a t t h e i n t r o d u c t i o n a n d i m p l e m e n t a t i o n of a
f u n c t i o n a l c u r r i c u l u m w i l l i n c r e a s e and retain
m a l e e n r o l m c n t i n s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l s ,
T h e s t u d e n t s and t h e i r p a r e n t s a lso i n d i c a t e d
t h a t i f crnp1oyri::-nt o p p o r t u n i t i e s and l o a n s f o r
c o r n m ~ r c i a l e n t e r p r i s e s w e r e p r o v i d e d to s e c o n d a r y
s c h o o l g r a d u a t e s , b o y s w i l l be a t t r a c t e d t o e n r o l e
and r e m a i n i n s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l s ,
T h e s t u d e n t s and t h e i r p a r e n t s o p i n e d t h a t s t u d e n t
s e r v i c e s s h o u l d be p r o v i d e d t o s t u d e n t s t o p o s i t i v e l y
i n f l u e n c e m a l e e n r o l m e n t i n s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l s *
(e ) T h e s t u d e n t s a n d t h e i r p a r e n t s a g r e e d t h a t g o v e r n -
m e n t s h o u l d i n t r o d u c e c e r t a i n l a w s ; a n d p u b l i c
e n l i g h t e n m e n t c a m p a i g n s i n t e n s i f i e d t o r e d u c e t h e
c u r r e n t q u e s t fo r q u i c k money by o u r y o u t h s t o t h e
d e t r i m e n t of b a s i c e d u c a t i o n ,
( f ) T h c r e were n o s i g n i f i c a n t d i f f e r e n c e s b e t w e e n the
o p i n i o n s of t h e s t u d e n t s on o n e h a n d a n d t h a t of
t h e i r p a r e n t s o n t h e o t h e r w i t h r e g a r d t o the
f i n a n c i a l p o l i c i e s and t y p e of e m p l o y m e n t
o p p o r t u n i t i e s t h a t s h o u l d be p r o v i d e d t o s t u d e n t s
t o p o s i t i v e l y i n f l u e n c e male e n r o l m e n t i n s e c o n d a r y
s c h o o l s ,
T h e i m p l i c a t i o n s of these r e s e a r c h f i n d i n g s ,
r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s , s u g y c s t i o n s fo r f u r t h e r r e s e a r c h a n d
l i m i t a t i o n s of t h e s L u d y w e r e also h i g h l i g h t e d ,
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. - D e p a r t m e n t of E d u c a t i o n , u n i v e r s i t y o f ~ i q e r i ' a , N s u k k a ,
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Append ices --
Dear Sir/Madam
Department of Educat ion U n i v e r s i t y of N i g e r i a Nsukka
L e t t e r t o R,espondents
T h i s i s a p o s t q r a d u a t e r e s e a r c h s t u d y i n f u l f i l m e n t
for the award of M,ED d e q r e e i n E d u c a t i o n ,
K i n d l y s u p p l y y o u r h o n e s t a n s w e r s t o t h e s e q u e s t i o n s
aimed a~ e s t a b l i s h i n g t h e s t r a t e g i e s for i n c r e a s i n g and
r e t a i n i n g male e n r o l m e n t i n s e n i o r s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l s i n
Nsukka E d u c a t i o n zone ,
Eve ry i n f o r m a t i o n s u p p l i e d here w i l l be t r e a t e d a s
c o n f i d e n t i a l and w i l l be u s e d f o r t h e p u r p o s e of t h i s
r e s e a r c h s t u d y o n l y ,
Thank you f o r a n t i c i p a t e d c o - o p e r a t i o n .
Yours f a i t h f u l l y ,
QUESTIONNAIRE
STRATEGIES FOR INCRE,GING AND RI:TAINING MALE ENROLMENTS I N .-- SECON,DARY SCHOOLS
, INSTRUCTION
E a c h q u e s t i o n i s f o l l o w e d by a n u m b e r o f o p t i o n s ,
I n d i c a t e y o u r a n s w e r t o e a c h o p t i o n by t i c k i n g ( 4 ) i n a n y
o n e of t h e c o l u m n s o n t h e r i g h t h a n d side marked : S t r o n g l y
Agree, Agree, D i s a g r e e , S t r o n g l y d i s a g r e e .
PARENT'S PCESONAL D A T A ( F o r Fc3rcnts o n l v )
8, .
N a m e : O O O O O O O , O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O D O O O O O D O O O O O O O
O c c u p a t i o n : O O O , O O O . , O O , O O . , O O . D O e O O O O O O e O O O O
Rank or P o s t : O O O O . . . . , . . O ~ O O . . . . O D O . D O D O ~ O b O
' CLIJSTER A
What f i n a n c i a l p o l i c i e s d o you t h i n k G o v e r n m e n t
s h o u l d i n t r o d u c e t o increase male e n r o l m e n t i n s e c o n d a r y
s c h o o l s ?
0 a,
m 4
C. , ,- 8 - :
I
a, G k 0 rn rn
n
p p p F
1, ~ b o l i t i o n o f school fees
2. Reduction i n fees p a i d by s t u d e n t s
3. 4ward of s c h o ! a r s b i p s t o i n d i g e n t s t u d e n t s
h d 5' c a O ~ I
c , m r 0 Q
I
> a J 4 0 CTk C 0 o m
rn U d a n
4. P r o v i s i o n of pock(- t rnoncly a n d WJ book a l l o w a n c e s ,, -.- -,-\
,
What changes i n the secondary school curriculum
do you think should he made and implementated to increase
and retain male enrolment in secondary schools?
Teaching of desired trades and voca t i ~ n s
Teaching student:: to acquire technical skills for employment
Involvement of studcnts in practical Agriculture
Extensive development of games a'nd sports
Provision of adequate and once work-equipped sci,
laboratories
Provision af i n s t r u c t i o n a l materials and resources
Training of students for self- re1 i a n c e A/-.-
CLUSTER C
What type of zrnploymcnt~opportunities should he provided
for studcnts after schor2 l inq to bring about a change in
attitude of boys towards schooling?
6
h h a t kind nf s t u d e n t services d o you t h i n k shou ld be
provided t o s t u d e n t s t o positively i n f l u e n c e male enrolment
i n s e c o n d a r y scbcsls?
17, Ernplcyrnent and posting 55 more . g u i d a n c e counsel.lors to s c h m l s ,
1.8. - I n f o r m i n g s t u d e n t s abou t different courses of. study open to timn
13. Informing s tuden ts a b o u t job oppcr+unities a v a i l c ~ b l c t o them
20, CounseilFng students to see t h e relevance of e d u c ? t i . c n
99
CLUSTER E
bihat laws ( r u l e s and r e g u l a t i o n s ) s h a u l d be introduced
by t h e Government t o r e d u c e t h e c u r r e n t quest for q u k k
money by , : u r y o u t h s , t o t h e d e t r i m e n t of basic e d u c a t i o n ,
21" Government s h o u l d make i t c o m p u l s o r y for a l l c h i l d r e n t o finish a t l a s t s e n i o r seccndary 1
s c h o o l before i e a r n i n g any trade/ b u s i n e s s o r a p p r e n t i c e s h i p
2 2 , S t u d e n t s s h o u l d be made t c r e m a i n i n s c h o o l until they are up t o
1 17 y e a r s of age
23, S t r i c t e r penalties s h o u l d be , Imposed o n youths c a u g h t i n fraud, smuggling or d r u g p u s h i n g etc. -:---+--
24. P u b l i c e n l i g h t e n m e n t c a m p a i g n s a g a i n s t t h e quest for f a s t money makin? at t h e expense of bas ic e d u c a t i o n s h o u l d be i n t e n s i f i e d , .
-* L I i
