INFLUENCE OF SCHOOL POLITICS ON THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN OBIO AKPO EDUCATION ZONE OF RIVERS STATE

INFLUENCE OF SCHOOL POLITICS ON THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN OBIO AKPO EDUCATION ZONE OF RIVERS STATE

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Education is a tool for obtaining the required skills, information, and habits necessary for surviving in a world that is continuously changing. It serves to build national unity and alter the political, sociopolitical, and religious aspects of the country, therefore it is an issue that is of considerable interest to society. This is why it is a huge worry for society: According to Okeke (2004) and (2009), education is a political battleground since it is the means by which political formation obtains its authority and its distribution of budgetary resources. Education is essential to national development because it enables individuals to realize their full economic potential, enables them to participate in and benefit from the growth of the national economy, facilitates economic development, and lays the groundwork for transformation. In short, education is the key that unlocks the economic potential of the people. In addition, Ajaye (2016), Aluede, Okhiku, Esamah, and Ojemhenkele (2009) noted in their studies that poor planning, poor funding, inaccurate statistical record, poor awareness and mobilization campaign, insufficient number of qualified teacher in schools, embezzlement of the funds by administrators, poor school infrastructural facilities, poor provision of instructional materials, lack of adequate motivation of teachers, and politicization of secondary school education were factors that were contributing to the school. Because the amended constitution of Nigeria places education on the concurrent list, it has become a political issue in the country. This means that all levels of government in Nigeria, including the federal, state, and local levels, have the ability to control education so long as they do not violate any constitutional guidelines. As a result, education in Nigeria has become an instrument par excellence for affecting national development. The education system cannot continue without the financial backing and protection of the government, for instance; in Nigeria, the development of the education system has been led by politics in the area of social demand from the government. Politics involves the use of and the regulation of power, influences, and authority in the allocation of things that people want. As a result, the politics of education consists of the struggle among actors in education governance. It is concerned with patterns of interaction or conflicts over value, interest, and goals in relation to the perceived need of education and public authority. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) described politics as a fight for value, power, and finite resources in which the purpose of the contending interests is to get the desired value and resources at the cost of other competitors. Another definition of politics is "the game of who gets what, when, how, and where" ( Nwawu 2002).

Politics is failing to reform education because it does not acknowledge or address two fundamental realities: Nigeria is still corrosively unequal, particularly in terms of tribe, class, and gender; and education has a tendency to perpetuate those inequalities through commitments to tracking, testing, and ranking. According to Ogbonnaya (2000), politics cannot teach; nevertheless, educators and researchers have the ability to lead schools if they are willing to devote themselves to true social change that tackles poverty and to education reform that empowers teachers to accomplish what they are most qualified to do.

From what has been said up to this point, it seems that politics, via the use of bureaucracy, has imposed significant costs on education. It has been established that school is a formal organization that is made up of students who engage with one another (within a community) in order to carry out activities that are organized in terms of teaching, learning, and the creation of new knowledge. The manner in which a school functions within a society as an organization of a bureaucratic type is what defines the characteristics of educational administration. German sociologist Max Weber developed the principles of rational administrative organization in 1946. These principles are based on rules, procedures, competence, contract agreements, and objectivity. Weber did this so that bureaucrats could deal with stable and routine tasks, which are the foundations of organizational efficiency.

​​​​​​​STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Both the establishment of educational institutions of learning and the selection of teachers and administrators in secondary politics are areas in which political influence may be seen as having an impact on education in Nigeria. Although politics and education are inextricably linked in the sense that it is exceedingly challenging to disentangle the two since the time of independence, the situation is currently even more precarious than it was before. This is due to the fact that the majority of educational decisions as they pertain to appointments are connected with politics. This culture has had an effect on the academic performance of students in secondary school because even teachers or principals who were not qualified are employed into secondary school leaving the qualified ones because they have no gods father or someone who cannot stand for them in politics, and this can prevent individuals from performing at their absolute best. The politicization of appointment processes has evolved into a cankerworm that is eating away at our educational system. The difficulty is that the interaction between local politics and national politics creates a barrier to the achievement of educational objectives. This is the root of the problem.

This study investigated the influence of politics on education and its impact on students' academic performance in public secondary schools in the Obio Akpo Education Zone of Rivers State. Having considered so far the subtle and glaring inter plays of education and politics, this study investigated the influence of politics on education.

​​​​​​​OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The main aim of this study is to examine the influence of school politics on the academic performance of public secondary school students in Obio Akpo Education Zone Of Rivers State. Specifically, other aims of this study are:

1. To determine the extent politics is played in secondary schools in Obio Akpo Education Zone Of Rivers State.
2. To determine whether political system determines the attainment of educational goals in secondary schools in Obio Akpo Education Zone Of Rivers State.
3. To determine whether school politics have created inequalities among secondary schools in Obio Akpo Education Zone Of Rivers State.
4. To determine whether school politics affects academic performance of secondary schools in Obio Akpo Education Zone Of Rivers StateRESEARCH QUESTIONS

The following research questions will be answered in this study:

1. To what extent is politics played among secondary schools in Obio Akpo Education Zone Of Rivers State?
2. Does the political system determines the attainment of educational goals in secondary schools in Obio Akpo Education Zone Of Rivers State?
3. Has school politics created inequalities among secondary schools in Obio Akpo Education Zone Of Rivers State?
4. Does school politics affect academic performance of secondary schools in Obio Akpo Education Zone Of Rivers State?

RESEARCH HYPOTHESES

H01: School politics has not created inequalities among secondary schools in Obio Akpo Education Zone Of Rivers State.

H02: School politics does not affect academic performance of secondary schools in Obio Akpo Education Zone Of Rivers State.​​​​​​​

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

Because the conclusions of this research will expose the impacts that politics have on the educational sector, it is expected that the education sector will attach a great deal of importance to the findings of this study.

This study will also be of considerable value due to the fact that it will act as a focus point for further research and references in the future.

​​​​​​​SCOPE OF THE STUDY

This study focuses on the influence of school politics on the academic performance of public secondary school students in Obio Akpo Education Zone Of Rivers State. Specifically, this study focuses on determining the extent school politics is played in secondary school students in Obio Akpo Education Zone Of Rivers State, determining whether political system promotes the attainment of educational goals in secondary schools in Obio Akpo Education Zone Of Rivers State, determining whether politics have created inequalities in our educational system in secondary schools in Obio Akpo Education Zone Of Rivers State and determining whether politics affects academic performance in secondary schools in Obio Akpo Education Zone Of Rivers State.

​​​​​​​LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

In the course of carrying out this study, the researcher experienced some constraints, which included time constraints, financial constraints, language barriers, and the attitude of the respondents. However, the researcher were able to manage these just to ensure the success of this study.

Moreover, the case study method utilized in the study posed some challenges to the investigator including the possibility of biases and poor judgment of issues. However, the investigator relied on respect for the general principles of procedures, justice, fairness, objectivity in observation and recording, and weighing of evidence to overcome the challenges.

​​​​​​​DEFINITION OF TERMS

School: A school is an educational institution designed to provide learning spaces and learning environments for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is sometimes compulsory. In these systems, students progress through a series of schools.​​​​​​​

ORGANIZATION OF THE STUDY

The study is categorized into five chapters. The first chapter presents the background of the study, statement of the problem, objective of the study, research questions and hypothesis, the significance of the study, scope/limitations of the study, and definition of terms. The chapter two covers the  review of literature with emphasis on conceptual framework, theoretical framework, and empirical review. Likewise, the chapter three which is the research methodology, specifically covers the research design, population of the study,  sample size determination,  sample size, abnd selection technique and procedure, research instrument and administration, method of data collection, method of data analysis, validity and reliability of the study, and ethical consideration. The second to last chapter being the chapter four presents the data presentation and analysis, while the last chapter(chapter five) contains the summary, conclusion and recommendation.

 

BUY THIS TOPIC ON WHATSAPP

Related Project Materials

Background of the Study

Before the 19th century, the study of language was made. Sir Williams Jones (17...

ABSTRACT

Motivation as a simple phenomenon that has elevated many firm and org...