COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF STUDENT’S PERFORMANCE IN ISLAMIC AND CHRISTIAN STUDIES IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN NIGERIA (A CASE STUDY OF IDO L.G.A, OYO STATE)

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1. 1. BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Academic attainment is stimulatingly a central issue of government, parents, teachers and community in general. Nowadays, the worry with the subject of refining academic performance has also improved. Research revealed a significant relationship between socio-psychological variables (such as; Interest, motivation and self-efficacy) and academic performance (Adeyemu, 2005). Interest is referred as a content-exact motivational distinctive formed of inherent sensation-related and worth-related valences. It often identified as one of the important motivational constructs that influence students' engagement and achievement in learning (Shen & Chen, 2006). The findings from various studies point out the position of interest for the complexity of text comprehension, the practice of learning strategies, as well as the quality of the expressive experience while learning (Ulrich, 1991). Despite this, Zaiton and Salim (2012) indicate that one of the factors affecting students’ interest in learning Islamic and Christian education is parent’s influence, which prevents children from getting an adequate learning. Islam and Christian education encourages parents to take good care about their children's education and other activities right from home up to the school environment and also urge them to strive to fulfil it. Children are trust given to the parent if parent fulfil the responsibility given to them will surely develop an interest to children on learning. So children's Islamic and Christian education is a task that Islam and Christian gave to parents where Islam and Christian promised a severe burden that the negligent will not even smell the fragrance of paradise rather to be among the dwellers. Despite the serious burden for their negligence, many parents nowadays failed to fulfil this responsibility in acquiring Islamic and Christian education to their children. Lack of parental involvement in learning Islamic and Christian education helps to create failure at school and negatively affect the interest as well as an incentive for children. Many students cannot learn effectively, and as a result of this perform poorly in school tests and examinations. The failure is not necessary as a result of their low intellectual inadequacies or lack of material or due to poor studies habits but probably because they have not been properly stimulated or aroused to develop an interest in learning. Base on this, the present study aimed to determine a comparative analysis of students’ performance in Islamic and Christian education as it found related positively to the learning outcomes.

1.2 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

Student’s academic performance in Islamic and Christian studies has been declining over the years since the introduction of the multi-faith based Islamic and Christian studies syllabus in 2008 that uses the interpretive approach. Speculations have been made for the low performance and they include; teachers lack of content and pedagogical knowledge and inadequate assessment skills. Furthermore, the studies show that students do not perform well due to problems associated with their family background and general school environment (Egalite, 2016; Foley, 2008; Schaps, 2005). This study therefore explored causes of the decline in the performance of the Islamic and Christian studies in secondary schools in Ido L. G. A.

1.3. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The major aim of the study is to evaluate comparative analysis of student’s performance in Islamic and Christian Studies in secondary schools. Other specific objectives are as follows;

1. To examine if the availability and uses of teaching and learning materials have effect on performance of students in Islamic and Christian studies.
2. To examine the factors affecting student’s poor performance in Islamic and Christian studies in secondary schools.
3. To examine the challenges facing the teaching of Islamic and Christian studies in secondary schools.
4. To examine the effect of teaching and learning aids on students academic performance.
5. To examine the relationship between teacher commitment to teaching and work habit and the performance of student in Islamic and Christian studies in secondary schools.
6. To recommend ways of improving the student’s performance in Islamic and Christian studies in secondary schools.

1.4. RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1. How does the availability and uses of teaching and learning materials have effect on performance of students in Islamic and Christian studies?
2. What are the factors affecting student’s poor performance in Islamic and Christian studies in secondary schools?
3. What are the challenges facing the teaching of Islamic and Christian studies in secondary schools?
4. What are the effects of teaching and learning aids on student’s academic performance?
5. To examine the relationship between teacher commitment to teaching and work habit and the performance of student in Islamic and Christian studies in secondary schools.
6. What are the recommended ways of improving the student’s performance in Islamic and Christian studies in secondary schools?

1.5. RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS

H0: There is no significant relationship between student’s attitude toward learning of Islamic and Christian religious studies and their academic performance in Nigeria.

1.6. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

 This study will benefit or assist the department of Religious Education and Islamic studies both at school and ministerial levels and specifically in teacher training and development by identifying issues of concern and problems faced by teachers in the teaching and learning of Islamic and Religious Education. It will provide relevant information to the Department of Teacher Training and Development on how to develop relevant and efficient in-service training programs for Religious Education teachers especially in relation to assessment. Similarly, it will provide information to Religion Education teachers at school level and help them to make an introspection of how they have been conducting their teaching and assessment of with respect to Religious Education. It is hoped that this will enhance instructional techniques and assessment skills that will improve students’ academic performance in Islamic and Religious Education.

1.7. SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The study is restricted to comparative analysis of student’s performance in Islamic and Christian studies in secondary schools in Ido L.G.A

1.8 LIMITATION OF STUDY

Financial constraint- Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview).

Time constraint- The researcher will simultaneously engage in this study with other academic work. This consequently will cut down on the time devoted for the research work.

1.8 DEFINITION OF TERMS

Islamic Studies: It refers to the study of Islam. Islamic studies can be seen under at least two perspectives: 1.From a secular perspective, Islamic studies is a field of academic research whose subject is Islam as religion and civilization. 2. From a traditional Islamic perspective, Islamic studies is an umbrella term for religious sciences ('Ulum al-din) pursued by the ulama.

Christian Religious Education: Is defined as the process whereby Christian learning takes place. It often involves "teaching which enables practicing Christians to adopt and deepen their Christian belief, values and dispositions to experience and act in a Christian

Influence: The power to have an effect on people or things, or a person or thing that is able to do this.

Academic Performance: It refers to the percentage of enrolled students completing educational level.

Students’ Performance: It refers to how well a student meets standards set out by local government and the institution itself.

Student: A person formally engaged in learning, especially one enrolled in a school or college; pupil.