Comparison between boy and girls on the academic performance in physics department

Introduction

Background of the Study

Education is an important instrument for the all-round development of an individual as well as a vital tool for rational development. According to Kirk (2007), education is the systematic training and instruction that result in acquiring knowledge and abilities, mental power and development of characters.
Education implies the transmission of what is worthwhile in those who become committed to it Peter,(2020) in Okoro (2019)]. The study of science will not be left alone without including physics. Therefore, physics is one of the three main branches of pure science. The other two being chemistry and biology and it is in this knowledge that the National Policy on Education (Fourth Edition, 2004) spelt out that physics is one of the compulsory subjects for students who are science inclined in the Senior Secondary School. Physics has the major capabilities of playing a major role in finding solutions to many of the problems facing the human race although it does not have all the answers but the science has developed enough to have invented nuclear weapons which remains a global threat.
Science education is of great importance for the technological advancement of any nation, this is why the National Policy on Education (NPE, 2004) emphasized the need for teaching and learning of science subjects. The teaching of sciences offers students the ability to access a wealth of knowledge and information which will contribute to an overall understanding of how and why things work like they do. Science is able to explain natural phenomena and also equips students with useful knowledge for solving scientific problems.
Egbugera (2020) has argued that a basic issue in having physics in the school curriculum is purposeful. Further, he stated that for every endeavor, there should be a purpose, an objective goal which may be general or specific of short or long term nature. The purpose of teaching physics in most developed countries is not just to have another subject on the school curricular, it is clearly defined and relates very shortly to specific and unambiguous policies and manifestation in good curricular planning and innovations.
The primary aim of including physics in the school syllables is to understand how nature works. Physics is about finding things out and understanding what lies behind everyday phenomenon. In Nigeria, physics has not been given a priority place, efforts towards promoting science generally have not been in full scale for students in senior secondary schools and have not been encouraging and needs urgent attention.
Adegboye (2018), states that some factors responsible for the decay and poor performance of male and female students in physics are as follows.

1. Poor attitude on the part of the students
2. Apathy on the part of the students and teachers
3. Lack of infrastructure like laboratories teaching resources,
4. Mathematical factor
5. Poor quality for teaching staff in terms of training and competency in physics. The controversy could therefore be said to continue as to which of the gender have a better academic performance in physics. The study therefore assessed difference in academic performance of male and female in physics of selected secondary schools in Onitsha Educational Zone of Anambra

Statement of the Problem

The research findings of Ogbodo (1990) clearly revealed that many of the students have negative attitudes toward physics and this resulted to their poor results in the subject, physics. Efforts must be geared towards presenting students with the good background and solid base for good results on the Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination (SSCE).
The main problem of this research work was on comparison between boy and girls on the academic performance in physics department

PRINCIPALS LEADERSHIP STYLES AND ADMINISTRATIVE EFFECTIVENESS OF SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN JOS NORTH LGA

ABSTRACT

The study entitled the Principals Leadership Styles And Administrative Effectiveness Of Secondary Schools In Jos North LGA has six objectives some of which are the assessment of the autocratic, transformational and situational leadership styles. Six research questions were asked in line with the objectives. Six null hypotheses were postulated some of which are that there is no significant difference in the opinions of respondents on the evaluation of the prevailing visionary leadership style in secondary schools in Jos North LGAand that there is no significant difference in the opinions of respondents on the prevailing charismatic leadership style in secondary schools in Jos North LGA Plateau State. For effective evaluation of the leadership styles of principals in the secondary schools, the researcher designed a structured questionnaire with related components for each of the identified leadership styles of Democratic, Autocratic, Transaction, Charismatic, Situational and Visionary attributes of principals. The questionnaire was validated through face validity and then pilot tested. The tested questionnaire was then administered to 200 respondents made up of 160 teachers, 35 principals, 5 Zonal Education Directors within the Jos North LGA selected through a stratified random sampling procedure. The data collected were analyzed with the Statistical Package for the Social Science (SPSS), IBM version 20. Statistical procedures adopted in the analysis of the data included simple frequencies and percentages, means and standard deviation and one way analysis of variance (ANOVA). Tests were conducted at the 0.05 probability level of significance. The research questionnaire was drawn based on likert scale of strongly agree, agree, undecided, disagree and strongly disagree. The bio-data was taken care of and the descriptive analysis was done to discuss as it affects the study. The null hypotheses were tested using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) at 0.05 significant level and all the six hypotheses were retained. From the findings some recommendations were made that principals should be encouraged through school inspectors to always alternate their leadership styles based on the prevailing circumstance and that the principals. There should also as much as possible discourage their use of autocratic leadership style in secondary schools of Plateau State.
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title Page i
Declaration ii
Certification iii
Dedication iv
Acknowledgements v
Table of Contents vi
List of Tables ix
List of Appendices xi
Abstract xii
Operational Definition of Terms in this Study xiii
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study 1
1.2 Statement of the Problem 2
1.3 Objectives of the Study 3
1.4 Research Questions 4
1.5 Research Hypotheses 4
1.6 Basic Assumptions 5
1.7 Significance of the Study 6
1.8 Scope of the Study 6
CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
2.1 Introduction 8
2.2 Conceptual Framework 8
2.2.1 Concept of Leadership 9
2.2.2 Leadership Style 11
2.2.3 The Authoritarian or Autocratic Leadership Style 11
2.2.4 The Democratic Leadership Style 15

vii

2.2.5 The Transactional Leadership Style 20
2.2.6 Situational Leadership Style 22
2.2.7 Charismatic Leadership Style 23
2.2.8 Visionary Leadership Style 24
2.3 Theoretical Framework 24
2.3.1 Contingency Theories (1960‘s) 24
2.3.2 Leadership Styles by Kurt Lewin et al. 25
2.3.3 Theory on Visionary by Frances Westley and Henry Mintzberg (1989) 25
2.4 Qualities of a Successful Leader 25
2.5 The Importance of Leadership 27
2.6 The Leadership Studies Related to Head Teachers 30
2.7 Empirical Studies on Leadership Styles 32
2.8 Summary 34
CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.1 Introduction 36
3.2 Research Design 36
3.3 Population 36
3.4 Sample and Sampling Technique 37
3.5 Instrumentation 38
3.6 Validity of the instrument 39
3.7 Pilot Study 39
3.8 Reliability 40
3.9 Administration 40
3.10 Method of Data Analysis 41
CHAPTER FOUR: DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS
4.1 Introduction 42
4.2 Presentation of the respondents‘ demographic characteristics 42
4.3 Evaluation of leadership styles of principals‘ in the secondary schools 45
4.4 Test of hypotheses 77
viii

4.5 Summary of Tested Hypotheses 86
4.6 Summary of Major Findings 86
4.7 Discussion on Major Findings 87
CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1 Introduction 91
5.2 Summary 91
5.3 Conclusion 92
5.4 Recommendations 93
5.5 Contribution to Knowledge 94
5.6 Suggestions for Further Research 94
References 95
Appendices 98

PRINCIPAL’S GENDER AND TEACHERS’ WORK BEHAVIOURS IN POST-PRIMARY SCHOOLS IN ANAMBRA STATE

This study investigated the influence principal’s gender has on teachers’ work behaviours in secondary schools in Anambra State. Five research questions and three null hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. The study employed a descriptive survey design, using a sample size of 1000 teachers (male and female) selected from schools in Anambra State through multi-stage sampling technique. A 50 item adapted questionnaire was used to elicit information on the teachers’ work behaviours as it relates to; acceptability of responsibilities, commitment to school functions, adherence to school rules and regulations, ensuring discipline in school, and attendance to instructional duties. Mean scores were used to answer the research questions while t-test was used to test the null hypotheses. The findings of the study indicated that 41 items out of the 50 identified items in the questionnaire were accepted by both
male and female teachers as their work behaviours. This goes a long way to saying that principal’s gender has no significant influence on teachers’ work behaviours which was also the conclusion of the study based on the three null hypotheses tested at 0.05 level of significance. Although there were few disagreements on male and female teachers’ responses, such disagreements, were minimal, which include that; female teachers are unwilling to assist in carrying out their principal’s personal duties, find it difficult to tolerate individual differences of other colleagues, and can not avoid fighting and quarreling with staff and students; male teachers can not avoid having other businesses for profit making as well as failure to show concern for badly done work especially when under female principal’s administration. Among others, it was recommended that the government should organize teachers’ forum through the Post Primary Schools Service Commission and Nigerian Union of Teachers, where teachers could meet on a regular basis to discuss and learn the right work behaviours and the implications of violating such behaviours.
Conclusions and implications of the study were also made, as well as suggestions for further studies to identify the problems of education in Nigeria.
 
 

ABSTRACT
This study investigated the relationship between principals’ financial management strategies and teachers’ task performance in secondary schools in Onitsha Education Zone. Guided by three research questions and three null hypotheses. Two questionnares-How principals provide fund questionnaire (HPPFQ) and the principals’ rate on level of teachers’ task performance questionnaire (PRLTPQ) were used to collect the data. Proportionate stratified random sampling technique was employed to select to a sample of 495 respondents. Pearson product moment correlation was used to answer the research questions, while t-test was used to test the hypotheses at the 0.05 level of significance. The major finding revealed that the relationship between principals’ financial management strategies and teachers’ teaching performance, discipline of students and involvement in co-curricular activities in secondary schools in Onitsha Education Zone could be described high and positive. The conclusion was that there was a significant relationship between principals’ financial management strategies and teachers’ task performance in Onitsha Education Zone. Recommendations included the organization of regular seminars and workshops for both principals and teachers in order to improve financial management strategies of principals’ and boast teachers’ task performance.
 
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
Background of the Study 1
Statement of Problem 6
Purpose of Study 7
Significance of the Study 8
Scope of the Study 10
Research Question 10
Hypotheses 11
CHAPTER ONE: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
The Concept of Financial Management 13
Sources of Financial Management 19
Problems of financial Management 28
The Concept of Task Performance 32
The Relationship Between Principals’ Financial
Management and Teachers’ Task Performance 42
Theoretical Framework 46
Empirical Framework on Financial Management 51
Summary 54
CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY
Research Design 56
Area of Study 57
Population 57
Sample and Sampling Tecchnique 57
Instrument for Data Collection 59
Validation of Instrument 60
Reliability of Instrument 61
Method of Data Collection 61
Method of Data Analysis
CHAPTER FOUR: DATA ANALYSIS AND PRESENTATION
Analysis and Presentation of result for
Research Question 67
Analysis and Presentation of Result for Hypothesis 70
Summary of Major Findings
CHAPTER FIVE: DISCUSSION OF RESULTS, IMPLICATIONS
AND RECOMMENDATION AND CONCUSSION
Discussion of results 75
Conclusion 78
Recommendations 79
Limitations of the study 80
Suggestions for further studies 81
REFERENCES 84
APPENDIXES 90
LIST OF TABLE
1. Sample Table Description 62
2. Pearson ‘r’ For Relationship Between Principles’
Financial Management Strategies and Teachers’
Teaching Performance
3. Pearson ‘r’ for relationship between Principals’
Financial Management Strategies and Teachers’ Discipline
of Students 67
4. Pearson ‘r’ for relationship between Principles’
Financial Management Strategies and Teachers’
Involvement in Co-curricular Activities 69
5. t-test for Significance in the Relationship Between
Principals’ Financial Management Strategies and
Teachers’ Teaching Performance
6. t-test for Influence of School Location on the
Relationship Between Principals’ Financial
Management Strategies and Teachers’ Discipline of
Students’ 71
7. t-test for the Significance of Gender on the
Relationship Between Principals’ Financial
Management Strategies and Teachers’ Involvement
in Co-curricular Activities.