Owerri 1 Ikeduru LGA
5.1 Summary of Findings
The major findings of this investigation are summarised as follows:
1) All the student predictor variables correlated very high and significantly accounted for candidates‟ achievement in WASSCE English Language.
2) All the student predictor variables correlated very high and significantly accounted for candidates‟ achievement in WASSCE Mathematics.
3) Age, Study Habit, Candidates‟ following of Examination Instruction, Legibility of Candidates‟ Handwriting and Candidates‟ Coverage of WASSCE Syllabus did not make unique significant contributions to the prediction on achievement in WASSCE English Language and Mathematics.
4) From the means, Test Anxiety, Study Habit and Coverage of WASSCE Syllabus are very critical to candidates‟ achievement in WASSCE English Language and Mathematics while Age and Gender were least.
5) Positive correlation exists between Gender, Study Habit, Test Anxiety, Coverage of Syllabus and candidates‟ achievement in WASSCE English Language and Mathematics.
6) Negative correlation exists between Candidates‟ Following of Examination Instruction, Legibility of Handwriting and Candidates‟ achievement in WASSCE English Language and Mathematics.
7) Positive correlation exists between Age and Gender, Age and Legibility of Handwriting, Gender and Study Habit, Gender and Coverage of Syllabus, Study Habit and Coverage of Syllabus, Test Anxiety and Coverage of Syllabus, Adherence to Exam Instruction and Coverage of Syllabus, Legibility of Handwriting and Coverage of Syllabus.
8) All the student predictor variables correlated very high and but did not significantly affect candidates‟ achievement in WASSCE English Language and Mathematics.
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9) All the student predictor variables correlated very high and significantly accounted for candidates‟ achievement in WASSCE English Language.
10) All the student predictor variables correlated very high and but did not make significant joint effect on candidates‟ achievement in WASSCE Mathematics.
11) The teacher predictors did make a unique joint significant contribution to the prediction on candidates‟ achievement in WASSCE English Language and Mathematics.
12) Teachers‟ Prompt attendance to class made a unique contribution to candidates‟
achievement in WASSCE English Language (P<.043).
13) Teachers‟ coverage of syllabus made a unique contribution to candidates‟
achievement in WASSCE English Language (P<.007).
14) The same teacher predictors that correlated in predicting achievement in English Language also correlated in predicting achievement in Mathematics.
15) From the Beta weights, Teachers‟ Provision of CA Feedback to Students and Coverage of WASSCE Syllabus contributed more to the prediction while their Teaching Experience and SSCE Examining Experience made the least contributions to the prediction.
16) From the means, SSCE Examining Experience, Teachers‟ Qualification, Provision of CA Feedback and Coverage of WASSCE Syllabus are key teacher factors that determines of candidates, achievement in WASSCE English Language and Mathematics.
17) There is positive correlation between Teachers‟ Qualification, their Provision of CA Feedback to Students and candidates‟ achievement in WASSCE English Language and Mathematics.
18) There is positive correlation between Gender and Provision of CA Feedback to students in predicting candidates‟ achievement in WASSCE English Language and Mathematics.
19) There is positive correlation between Gender and Coverage of Syllabus in predicting candidates‟ achievement in WASSCE English Language and Mathematics.
20) There is positive correlation between Gender and SSCE Examining Experience in predicting candidates‟ achievement in WASSCE English Language and Mathematics.
21) There is positive correlation between Teaching Experience and Teacher Qualification in predicting candidates‟ achievement in WASSCE English Language and Mathematics.
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22) There is positive correlation between Teacher Qualification and Provision of CA Feedback to Students in predicting candidates‟ achievement in WASSCE English Language and Mathematics.
23) There is positive correlation between Teacher Qualification and Coverage of Syllabus in predicting candidates‟ achievement in WASSCE English Language and Mathematics.
24) There is positive correlation between Teacher Qualification and SSCE Examining Experience in predicting candidates‟ achievement in WASSCE English Language and Mathematics.
25) There is positive correlation between Provision of CA Feedback to Students and Coverage of Syllabus in predicting candidates‟ achievement in WASSCE English Language and Mathematics.
26) There is correlation between Provision of CA Feedback to Students and SSCE Examining Experience in predicting candidates‟ achievement in WASSCE English Language and Mathematics.
27) There is correlation between Coverage of Syllabus and SSCE Examining Experience in predicting candidates‟ achievement in WASSCE English Language and Mathematics.
28) All the ownership predictors correlated very high but did not have a unique joint significant effect on candidates‟ achievement in WASSCE English Language and Mathematics.
29) All the ownership predictors had a low correlation but did not have a unique joint significant effect on candidates‟ achievement in WASSCE English Language.
30) All the ownership predictors correlated very high but did not make a unique joint significant effect on candidates‟ achievement in WASSCE English Language and Mathematics.
31) None of the ownership predictors made a Unique significant contribution to the prediction because all their significant values were greater than 0.05.
32) From the Beta weights, School Type and Insufficient Teachers contributed more to the prediction than Availability of Learning Resources and School Location.
33) From the means, Insufficient English Language and Mathematics Teachers is a critical determinant of candidates‟ achievement in the subjects.
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34) There was no positive correlation between any ownership predictor and candidates‟
achievement in WASSCE English Language and Mathematics as well as among the predictors in predicting candidates‟ achievement in the subjects.
35) Candidates wrote an average of two to three examinations in the same year they wrote WASSCE.
36) France‟s International Baccalaureate (IB) is not offered by schools in Imo State, Nigeria.
37) There is low enrolment for Britain‟s International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) in Imo State schools.
38) Preparing and writing several examinations alongside WASSCE affects many candidates‟ achievement in WASSCE English Language and Mathematics.
39) More principals (51.92%) believe that external monitoring of WASSCE has a positive impact on the conduct and achievement in the examination while many teachers (54.72%) were of the view that the external monitoring of WASSCE by WAEC has a low impact on the conduct and achievement in the examination.
40) Majority of the principals and teachers called for effective monitoring of each WASSCE paper. They believe that the effective monitoring will improve the conduct and achievement in the subjects.
41) Many principals and teachers believe that examiners are very thorough in examining candidates‟ scripts in WASSCE English Language and Mathematics, while many candidates are of the opinion that examiners were not thorough in examining their WASSCE papers.
42) Interview results show that WASSCE examiners are very thorough in examining candidates‟ scripts.
43) It was also found that student predictors were most influential determinants of candidates‟ achievement in WASSCE English Language and Mathematics. This is followed by teacher factors while ownership factors were least.
44) Majority of the principals (84.91%) and the teachers (65.14%) rated age of candidates as a high determinant of their achievement in WASSCE.
45) Majority of the principals (62.91%) and teachers (70.37%) rated study habit of candidates as a high determinant of their achievement in WASSCE English Language and Mathematics.
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46) Many teachers (59.63%) and fewer principals (43.39%) rated test anxiety high in determining candidates‟ achievement in WASSCE English Language and Mathematics.
47) Many teachers (52.78%) and fewer principals (41.51%) rated candidates‟ gender as a high determinant of their achievement in WASSCE English language and Mathematics.
48) Many principals (66.04%) and teachers (62.38%) rated candidates‟ following of examination instructions as having high impact on their achievement in WASSCE English language and Mathematics.
49) More principals (67.92%) rated legibility of handwriting high in determining candidates‟ achievement in WASSCE English language and Mathematics, while the teachers were divided on the effect of the variable achievement in the examination.
50) More principals (69.81%) and more teachers (64.81%) rated candidates‟ coverage of syllabus high in determining achievement in WASSCE English language and Mathematics.
51) The principals (69.81%) rated teacher gender as a high determinant of candidates‟
achievement in WASSCE English language and Mathematics.
52) Majority of the principals (88.8%) rated teacher experience as a high determinant of candidates‟ achievement in WASSCE English language and Mathematics.
53) Majority of the principals (88.8%) rated teacher professional and academic qualifications as a high determinant of candidates‟ achievement in WASSCE English language and Mathematics.
54) Majority of the principals (90.56%) rated teacher provision of continuous assessment to students as being a high determinant of candidates‟ achievement in WASSCE English language and Mathematics.
55) Majority of the principals (83.02%) rated teacher prompt attendance to class as being a high determinant of candidates‟ achievement in WASSCE English language and Mathematics.
56) Majority of the principals (67.92%) rated teacher coverage of the prescribed syllabus as being a high determinant of candidates‟ achievement in WASSCE English language and Mathematics.
57) Majority of the principals (86.79%) rated teacher SSCE examining experience as being a high determinant of candidates‟ achievement in WASSCE English language and Mathematics.
113 5.2 Recommendations
The following recommendations are made based on the findings summarised above:
Student:
1) Since Test Anxiety, Study Habit and Coverage of WASSCE Syllabus are critical students‟ determinants of achievement in English Language and Mathematics, there should be regular counselling and orientation programmes in secondary schools to enlighten students on the need to study harder and to cover the prescribed syllabus so as to build their confidence and reduce anxiety during WASSCE.
2) They ensure that they write legibly.
3) They should endeavour read and understand instructions before attempting examination questions.
Teachers:
4) Attend all classes so that they would cover the prescribed syllabus for WASSCE.
5) Attend WAEC coordination regularly so that they will be acquainted with current trends in teaching and learning.
6) Provide regular feedback to students on their performance in continuous assessments so students would know areas they need to improve and/or sustain.
Government/School Owners:
7) Government and privately owned secondary schools should they recruit qualified English Language and Mathematics teachers whenever they need to. Besides, they should institute a programme of continuous professional development for their English Language and Mathematics teachers as well as for teachers of other subjects.
8) They should also ensure that teaching and learning facilities are available in their schools.
WAEC:
9) The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) should be more thorough and proactive in their monitoring of WASSCE so that its conduct and achievement of candidates in it can improve.