CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1      BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

The main purpose of education is to bring about required changes in learners through skills acquisition, attitudes, competencies, critical and creative thinking. Teaching is a complicated and demanding task that requires extremely specialized skills, knowledge and resources to impact considerably on student learning. Handiness and utilization of resources in an organization like school is vital in achievement of its goals and objectives. Students learning outcome is influenced by acceptable utilization of school resources. Financing educational resources is the key to ensuring that schools become institutions where students work along, learn from one another and benefit from supportive school surroundings, and consequently maximize student learning in order that all students achieve their full learning potential. The physical, human and monetary resources invested in schools influence not solely the education provided to students but also in the aspects of teachers and student motivation and consequently the academic outcomes. The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) shows that resource shortages hinder instruction and lower student performance (OECD, 2007). Additionally, inequalities in student’s academic performance often reflect disparities in the resources invested in schools (OECD, 2008). In some education systems, there are issues that schools not solely lack the resources to meet the academic requirements of their students, but that schools have fewer resources with which to produce instruction to their students (OECD, 2008). In schools, there are large sorts of resources that are directly or indirectly associated to academic outcomes. According to Okorie (2001) student learning outcomes in schools is basically dependent on availability and acceptability of utilization of resources; as a result of the students acquire skills using these resources. These resources include buildings, furniture, play ground, compound, rest room facilities, lighting, books, and teaching materials, among others. These facilities play a crucial role in the actualization of the academic goals and objectives by satisfying the desires of the workers and students. Abayomi and Olukayode (2006) conclude that resources in schools are necessary in education as a result of learning takes place well through discovery, exploration, and interaction with the internal and external environments. As a result one in every of the most emphases in education these days is that the shift from a lecturer centred approach to a lot of learner centred approach. This involves truly swing the learner’s desires at the centre of activities. To attain this goal and objectives, lecturers got to use a large sort of resources, which may enrich the training surroundings. The adequacy of physical resources and teaching materials as well as their effective utilization has been a matter of great concern to educators. According to Pearls (2000), though teachers are needed to deliver formal teaching in a classroom, a lot of the everyday teaching goes on outside the classroom within the course of interaction between learners and their physical surroundings. Being aware of the resources available will facilitate to boost teaching and facilitate learning and thus create a shift to a learner centred approach. A learner centred approach involves enabling students to figure with their lecturers, with different students and even separately. This can be notably useful as results of there are opportunities for learning in just about each activity that the scholars carry out; there don't seem to be continuously opportunities for formal teaching events. The acceptable utilization of resources helps lecturers create the shift in their approach to facilitating learning instead of delivering teaching. Effective colleges have rigorous systems of answerability, a spotlight on teaching and learning, stimulating and secure learning environments. Poor tutorial performance is connected with poor learning surroundings created by a poor state of infrastructural facilities. Lyons (2012) adds that learning could be a complicated activity that involves interaction of student’s motivation, fitness, teaching resources, skills of teaching and therefore the syllabus. He further concluded that there is an explicit relationship between a school physical facilities and academic outcomes. Good maintenance, fashionable systems, and flexible designs are important because the physical structure can limit the learning experience. School facilities ought to be versatile enough to accommodate ever-changing learning patterns and strategies. Johan (2004) states that instructional outcomes in colleges are closely connected to utilization and adequacy of teaching/learning resources in several ways; poor utilization, underutilization, unqualified educators brings forth low instructional action. The inadequacy of physical and material resources in colleges could be a major issue chargeable for learning outcome of scholars. Schools that don't have adequate facilities like workshops, laboratories, classrooms, teaching learning materials are unlikely to post sensible results. The principle of facilitating effective learning and teaching involves having the sensible skills and swing the learners own expertise into apply. They receive inputs from the external surroundings in style of human and material resources, method them and empty identical into the society as finished product and services. The standard of the product bears a right away relationship with the qualities of the facilities deployed within the method of production. Provision and utilization of facilities could be a responsibility of stake holders in education.  The government ensures the implementation of the national policy on education by providing the enabling surroundings. These funds provided by the government are alleged to be utilized in purchasing resources such as 4 textbooks, exercise books, laboratory equipment and chemicals, teaching and learning aids reference materials, teacher’s guides, chalk, dusters, registers and internal examinations. When targets are reached in the purchase of these resources, funds can be allocated to purchase of items in other categories (Ministry of Education, 2003). Government and parents are also involved in purchase of resources in schools and more  in putting up physical facilities through what is popularly referred to as parents teachers association (PTA) projects. Provision of resources in schools is also facilitated by the private sector, the non-governmental organizations and community. This may entail building of new classrooms and rehabilitation and maintenance of existing ones.

1.2 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

Teachers, resources and the school environment have an obvious impact on education and eventually student’s performance. Quality education is no doubt a function of availability and appropriate utilization of input resources. According to Wenglinsky (2005) the availability and utilization of human and non-human resources determines the efficiency of the school system. Abudul-Kareen (2003) asserts that teachers require quality and adequate resources in order to ensure school success. Glaring disparities in academic performance have been observed in schools in Nigeria. This is despite the fact that the schools enrol students with comparable entry behaviour and receive comparable funding from the government and other stake holders. This study intends to investigate how resource utilization is impacting on educational performance of students in Nigeria.

1.3AIMS OF THE STUDY

The major purpose of this study is to examine the impact of resource utilization on student academic performance. Other general objectives of the study are:

1.  To examine the level of resource utilization in the teaching and learning process in schools.

2.  To examine the availability and utilization of school resources and their impact on academic performance.

3.  To examine the nature and adequacy of physical facilities and their impact on educational outcomes.

4.  To examine resource utilization and its impact on students academic performance.

5.  To examine the level of qualification and preparation of teachers and their impact on students academic performance.

6.  To suggest ways in which resource utilization can help improve students’ academic performance.

1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1.  How is the level of resource utilization in the teaching and learning process in schools?

2.  How is the availability and utilization of school resources and their impact on student’s academic performance?

7.  What is the nature and adequacy of physical facilities and their impact on student’s academic performance?

3.  What are resource utilization and its impact on student’s academic performance?

4.  How will the level of qualification and preparation of teachers have impact on student’s academic performance?

5.  What are the suggested ways in which resource utilization can help improve students’ academic performance?

1.5 RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS

Hypothesis  

H0: There is no significant impact of resource utilization on academic performance of students in Nigeria.

H1: There is significant impact of resource utilization on academic performance of students in Nigeria.

1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This study is important on a number of considerations: It will establish the relationship between availability and utilization of resources and students' academic performance thereby equipping the government and ministry of education with the necessary information that will enable them to provide some lacking resources to enhance better academic performance of students. The findings will expose the effect of lack of school resources so that all stakeholders in education will seek means of increasing school resources for the betterment of the students. On the basis of the findings, teachers will tailor their teachings towards using appropriate school resources to enhance better learning and better academic performance. The finding will also expose the harm poor utilization of available facilities can have, enabling the school administrators to seek means of effective utilization of existing school resources so as to improve teaching and learning as well as students academic performance. The findings of the study can be used by curriculum developer to ensure that teaching-learning materials recommended for schools are those that positively help to promote increasing students understanding of the curriculum leading to better performance.

1.7SCOPE OF THE STUDY 

The study is based on the impact of resource utilization on student’s academic performance.

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

Resource: Are materials, energy, services, staff, knowledge, or other assets that are transformed to produce benefit and in the process may be consumed or made unavailable.

Utilization:  The action of making practical and effective use of something.

Academic Performance:  Is the extent to which a student, teacher or institution has achieved their short or long-term educational goals. Cumulative GPA and completion of educational degrees such as High School and bachelor's degrees represent academic achievement