School Ownership Research Articles

A comparative assessment of secondary school students' satisfaction with ICT studies: Implications for managing secondary school education for global competitiveness in post COVID-19 era

Technological advancement has ushered Computer studies which is also regarded as Information and Communication Technology (ICT) instruction into educational curriculum. The aim of ICT studies in secondary school system is to equip every student with the prerequisite skills and competence to function effectively in the contemporary society that is characterized by emerging technologies. Therefore, the main objective of this research was to assess students’ satisfaction with ICT instruction in secondary schools in Calabar Metropolis, Cross River State, Nigeria. Three research hypotheses were formulated to give direction to the study. The study sample was 5245 students drawn from the population of Senior Secondary (SS) 2 and Senior Secondary (SS) 3 classes across public and private schools in 2019/2020 academic session. A survey research design was adopted for the study. The instrument for data collection was a questionnaire entitled "Secondary School Students' Satisfaction with Computer Studies Questionnaire (SSSSCSQ)". The data collected were analyzed using population t-test and independent t-test. The major findings indicated that secondary school students' satisfaction with ICT instruction was not significantly differ with respect to school ownership, gender and school location. It was recommended among others that the Government at various levels, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) as well as Parents Teachers Association (PTA) should improve in their efforts towards provision of both hardware and software ICT facilities to sustain blended pedagogy in Post Covid-19 era.

Employing The Media for Political Marketing to Improve the Image of Arab and Islamic Leaders Countries

The paper came from the reality of the impact of the media and its performance of its function towards awareness and guidance and the role it plays in building nations and focusing on showing leaders and their qualitative impact on people which made the trend to employ various media tools by leaders, politicians and owners of methodological and theoretical schools to benefit from the media. And its influential tools in finding and providing a popular base that enables leaders to exist and survive and highlight them as models and symbols through which convictions are formed and contribute to the rule and extension of the approach sought by different social groups and systems. How can the media contribute to the formation, building and preparation of leaders? To what extent have the media been employed by the political leaders of Turkey and Egypt? The paper included four axes. The first axis dealt with the concept of the media and its functions, the second axis was about the concept of leadership and its types, the third axis was about the influence of the media in building the personality of the leader, and the fourth axis included a presentation of the analysis and interpretation of interview questions for experts in the field of political science and media, and the paper concluded with several results. Including that the media, through its various means, has become an effective tool of political, economic and cultural control through which countries seek to compete to extend their hegemony and highlight their power. The media, by employing its various means, has achieved for political leaders many successes in achieving their goals and programs, and that the media works to prepare individuals to carry out the national duty. The paper also concluded with several recommendations, most notably the need to pay attention to media content that serves the goals of society, as well as the need to intensify efforts to employ it and own mechanisms and aids to achieve the goals of successful leadership programs and to create a variety of methods through the media that help in qualifying political leaders and building their personalities away from conveying their news and achievements as marketing and promotional news only.

Home-Based Factors, Institutional Environment and Teacher Characteristics as Determinants of Students’ Academic Performance in Ogun State Senior Secondary Schools, Nigeria

The issue of students’ academic performance has become a matter of general interest to the nation’s governments, educationists, parents, and students because of the growing rate of academic failure especially at the secondary school level. Hence, this work investigated home-based factors, institutional environment and teacher characteristics as determinants of students’ academic performance in Ogun State senior secondary schools.The study adopted descriptive survey research design. The sample consisted of 1700 respondents made up of 1400 students and 300 teachers selected through stratified random sampling technique from public secondary schools in Ogun State, Nigeria. Three research instruments were used for data collection. They are, ‘Students Home Factors Questionnaire (SHFQ) (r = .76), Institutional Environment Questionnaire (IEQ) (r = .82), and Records of Students Academic Performance (RESAP). Data were analysed using Multiple Regression Analysis. Two null hypotheses were formulated and tested at 0.05 alpha level.Findings revealed that home based factors, institutional environment and teachers’ characteristics made significant joint contribution to the prediction of students’ academic performance (F = 25.487; p < .05). Moreover, these variables made significant independent contributions to the prediction of students’ academic performance. Out of the three predictors, the most potent factor was teachers’ characteristics (β= 6.131, t = 4.181, p < .05); followed by home based factors (β= 4.254; t= 3.154, p < .05) while institutional environment (β= 2.734, t= 2.691; p < .05) was the least potent predictor of students’ academic performance.It was recommended that parents should be encouraged to make their homes to be learners’ friendly. This can be done by creating awareness on the influential role of home factors on students’ academic performance. This should be done during PTA meetings, school visiting days and through the mass media. That governments, school proprietors and school administrators should endeavour to make the school environment to be conducive for learning through proper location of schools, provision of teaching – learning facilities and making the school environment to be learners’ friendly. Also, teachers’ quality should be continually improved through self-development efforts, periodic seminars, and workshops, and on-the-job training to keep teachers abreast of the developments in their field. Finally, schools should provide effective counselling services and administrative supports to facilitate teaching and learning in order to improve students’ academic performance.

On Self-Regulated Learning and Academic Engagement Among Senior High School Students in Ghana

The issue of students’ academic performance has become a matter of general interest to the nation’s governments, educationists, parents, and students because of the growing rate of academic failure especially at the secondary school level. Hence, this work investigated home-based factors, institutional environment and teacher characteristics as determinants of students’ academic performance in Ogun State senior secondary schools.The study adopted descriptive survey research design. The sample consisted of 1700 respondents made up of 1400 students and 300 teachers selected through stratified random sampling technique from public secondary schools in Ogun State, Nigeria. Three research instruments were used for data collection. They are, ‘Students Home Factors Questionnaire (SHFQ) (r = .76), Institutional Environment Questionnaire (IEQ) (r = .82), and Records of Students Academic Performance (RESAP). Data were analysed using Multiple Regression Analysis. Two null hypotheses were formulated and tested at 0.05 alpha level.Findings revealed that home based factors, institutional environment and teachers’ characteristics made significant joint contribution to the prediction of students’ academic performance (F = 25.487; p < .05). Moreover, these variables made significant independent contributions to the prediction of students’ academic performance. Out of the three predictors, the most potent factor was teachers’ characteristics (β= 6.131, t = 4.181, p < .05); followed by home based factors (β= 4.254; t= 3.154, p < .05) while institutional environment (β= 2.734, t= 2.691; p < .05) was the least potent predictor of students’ academic performance.It was recommended that parents should be encouraged to make their homes to be learners’ friendly. This can be done by creating awareness on the influential role of home factors on students’ academic performance. This should be done during PTA meetings, school visiting days and through the mass media. That governments, school proprietors and school administrators should endeavour to make the school environment to be conducive for learning through proper location of schools, provision of teaching – learning facilities and making the school environment to be learners’ friendly. Also, teachers’ quality should be continually improved through self-development efforts, periodic seminars, and workshops, and on-the-job training to keep teachers abreast of the developments in their field. Finally, schools should provide effective counselling services and administrative supports to facilitate teaching and learning in order to improve students’ academic performance.

Challenges Faced by School Heads in Maintaining Students’ Academic Performance in Private Secondary Schools in Tanga and Korogwe Districts, Tanga Region Tanzania

The study investigated challenges faced by school heads in maintaining students’ academic performance in Tanga and Korogwe districts. Three specific objectives were formulated to guide the study. The study was guided by Administrative Management and Scientific Management Theory founded by Henry Fayol and Fredrick Taylor, respectively. A mixed research approach and convergent parallel research design were adopted. A sample size of 39 was obtained using proportionate purposive and simple random sampling techniques; questionnaires and interview guides were used in data collection. The validity ensured through member checking methods and through research expertise and supervisor check as well as the reliability ensured through the split half method. Quantitative data were analysed through SPSS software version 20 and presented through frequencies, percentages, figures, and tables, while qualitative data were analysed through thematic analysis and presented through quotation and narration. The findings revealed that major roles of school heads were planning, supervising, coordinating, and monitoring, while challenges they faced were inadequate funds, competition, low enrolment, fee-free policy, and high taxation by TRA, while strategies they used to overcome challenges were; motivation of teachers and students, marketing schools and monitoring discipline. The study concluded that challenges school heads face are: inadequate funds, lack of motivation and low enrolment of students. It is recommended for school owners to find other sources of funds and put clear policies which would guide private secondary schools as well as reduce the high taxes.

Problem of students in learning Biology practical in Ilorin West Local Government Area, Kwara State

The study investigated the problems of students in learning Biology practical in senior secondary schools in Ilorin West LGA, Kwara State. Three research questions and two hypotheses guided the study. Descriptive survey was adopted for this study. The population comprised SS1 to SS3 Biology students in Ilorin-West LGA, Kwara State. Questionnaires were involved in the collection of data from one hundred and eighty (180) Biology students and the data collected were analyzed using descriptive mean, t-test and analysis of variance ANOVA. The findings revealed that problems of students in learning Biology practical in Ilorin West LGA was significant. There was no significant difference in students' opinion towards the problem of learning Biology practical in senior secondary schools based on gender and class size. There was no significance difference in the problems of learning Biology practical in senior secondary school based on school type. In conclusion, it was recommended that Government and private school owners should ensure the provision of well-structured infrastructural facilities that would improve learning process and adequate laboratory equipment should be provided for senior secondary school students to ease the learning difficulty experienced in learning Biology practical. Schools should also endeavor to avail more and replace the obsolete equipment with more technologically modern equipment.

Communication ethics in distribution of information through Youtube social media (Case of teacher sexual harassment on Santriwati)

In social life, YouTube as a social media is often used to spread messages and information quickly on a large scale to its users at a relatively low cost. The purpose of this study is to identify and describe communication ethics in the use of youtube social media as a means of information media for youtube users through a geographic method approach, which is a method used to understand the culture of social media users as a safe space for youtube social media users in sharing information. Netnography is a method for investigating social media users' behavior (culture) or habits. This research is only focused on communication ethics in the use of YouTube social media as a medium for disseminating and fulfilling information for the community by raising a case about the harassment and rape of a religious teacher as well as the owner of a boarding school to his students to give birth to a baby. The problems studied were cases of harassment and rape against female students that occurred in several Islamic boarding schools that were carried out by the teacher/ustad himself.

Effects of school ownership on problem-solving abilities in algebra among senior secondary school students in Rivers State

The study investigated the effects of school ownership on problem solving abilities in algebra among senior secondary school students, in Rivers State, Nigeria. Ex-post facto design was used in this study. The population was all senior secondary school students in Rivers State. Convenience and purposive sampling technique was employed in this study. 390 senior secondary school students participated in the study. Nine senior secondary schools were selected by purposive sampling for the study in two local government areas. The instrument used was Algebraic Problem Solving Test questions collated by the researchers from different past West African School Certificate Examinations. The reliability of the test was determined to be 0.72 using Pearson product moment correlation formula. Three research questions were answered using simple mean. One hypothesis was raised to guide the study, at 0.05 significant level using t-test. The results of the analyses showed that: school ownership had significant effect on the problem solving ability in algebra of senior secondary school students, about 86% of the students in the private schools scored below 50% in the test, about 96% of the students in the public schools scored 49% and below, the students in the private schools outperformed their counterparts in the public schools although generally, the performance of students in both public and private schools was quite low. Based on the findings, recommendations were made.

Effects of school ownership on problem-solving abilities in algebra among senior secondary school students in Rivers State

Effects of school ownership on problem-solving abilities in algebra among senior secondary school students in Rivers State

Perception and attitudes of private secondary school proprietors to the adoption of online classes amidst COVID-19 pandemic in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria

COVID-19 and its attendant lockdown adversely affected the traditional face-to-face classroom activities in virtually all parts of the world, Nigeria inclusive. As a way out, online teaching became the vogue in many parts of the world. This study measured the perception and attitudes of private school proprietors to the adoption of online learning amidst COVID-19 in Ibadan, the capital city of Oyo State, Nigeria. To elicit information for the study, a purposive sample of 327 listed private secondary schools in Ibadan was used to select 180 of them for this study. A questionnaire was used for data collection and the responses were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS).The study revealed that there is a low level of adoption of online learning by private school proprietors in the study( x =2.07) due to inadequate digital literacy skills for online learning and interaction with the students, paucity of ICT infrastructure, and the complexity of the learning environment under it. It was found that the proprietors under study had positive attitude towards online learning ( x =3.10). Computer exposure by these proprietors played a statistically significant role in their attitude. It is recommended that training and regular exposure to the benefit of online learning are necessary for proprietors and teachers‟ appreciation of online learning.

Comparative Study on Job Satisfaction Between Teachers in Government and Non-Governmental Junior Secondary Schools in Monze Urban District, Southern Province, Zambia

The study compared job satisfaction of teachers in government and non-governmental junior secondary schools in Monze Urban District of Southern Province, Zambia. A descriptive research design was used for the study. The sample comprised of 90 teachers that were randomly selected using simple random sampling technique from the nine junior secondary schools. Ten (10) teachers were selected per school and this brought the total study sample to ninety (n=90). Data collected was analysed using SPSS version 23. From the research findings, it was evident that teachers were satisfied with the work itself, working relationship, supervision and the working environment but were not satisfied with the incentive pay and the working conditions. The study also showed a significant difference in job satisfaction between teachers in government and private schools with respect to work itself and supervision, and between teachers in government and mission schools with respect to working relationship. It was therefore recommended that the Ministry of General Education, District Education Boards, school proprietors and managers ensure that fringe benefits such as housing allowance, transport allowance, beneficiary tuition allowance and working conditions are improved in order to enhance job satisfaction of teachers

The role of learners’ competencies in artificial intelligence education

As society deals with the advances and disruptions owing to artificial intelligence, children must understand how it works. Especially that children grow up with these technologies will help them develop into informed citizens and better understand the world around them. While artificial intelligence education has been considered relevant, there is a growing global trend to teach artificial intelligence across K-12 levels. This development has necessitated designing and implementing artificial intelligence curriculum and related resources in schools. Notwithstanding that the developed curriculum may be adopted in another context, unique needs exist that suggest contextual and cultural values be considered. Besides, the current curriculum and resources designed to promote artificial intelligence education literacy are eastern and western-centric, which indicates a clear gap in artificial intelligence education in Africa. Therefore, this study examines the competencies required to be artificial intelligence literate, utilizing Nigerian secondary school students’ data considering gender variation and school ownership type. A total of 605 students provided valuable responses for the analysis done with WarpLS software. We performed structural equation modelling to understand the relationship among the adopted variables utilized in the study. This study reveals the importance of teamwork and the significance of human-tool collaboration in artificial intelligence literacy through course content. This finding emphasizes the significance of teamwork among students to keep up with the pace of emerging technologies. The multigroup analysis also reveals no significant differences across gender and school type. We conclude the study with the implication of the findings and proposed future research agenda.

Internal quality assurance system (IQAS) as an effort to create a superior Islamic boarding school

The success of Islamic boarding schools in producing quality graduates, one of which is related to the quality standards set. One of the quality indicators is the ownership of the Islamic Boarding School's Internal Quality Assurance System (SPMI) document. The purpose of this community service is to socialize the importance of SPMI for the An-nur Muhammadiyah Islamic boarding school, Sidoarjo. This school is relatively new, but has a vision of becoming a quality Islamic boarding school. Meanwhile, the stakeholders, both mudir, asatidz-asatidzah council, and their education staff do not yet have an understanding of the importance of SPMI for institutions, and do not yet have an SPMI. The service method used is to provide assistance and training in the preparation of the SPMI instrument which consists of 8 criteria. As a result, all stakeholders of An-Nur Islamic boarding school understand the importance of SPMI and the formation of the SPMI organization. In addition, partners are able to develop SPMI instruments independently and can implement them in order to achieve the expected quality of Islamic boarding schools

Effect of Laboratory Practical on Senior Secondary School Students Performance in Biology in Ilorin South LGA, Kwara State

The study investigated the effect of Laboratory practical on senior secondary school students’ performance in Biology in Ilorin South LGA, Kwara State. Three research questions and two hypotheses guided the study. Descriptive survey was adopted for this study. The population comprised SS1 to SS3 Biology students in Ilorin South LGA, Kwara state. Questionnaires were designed for one hundred and eighty (180) Biology students and the data collected were analyzed using descriptive mean, t-test and analysis of variance ANOVA. The findings revealed that the impact of Laboratory practical was significant to the students’ performance. There was no significant difference in students' opinion towards the impact of Laboratory practical on the performance of students based on gender and school type. The following recommendations are made: Adequate laboratory equipment should be provided for senior secondary school students to ease the learning difficulty experienced in learning Biology practical. School authorities as well as teachers should ensure that both male and female students engage in the carrying out Biology practical exercise in the laboratory. Government and private school owners should ensure the provision of well-structured infrastructural facilities and equipment that would improve practical work.

“Miracle Examination Centres” as hubs for malpractices in Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination in Nigeria: A systematic review

Certificates obtained after taking Senior Secondary School Certificate Examinations (SSCE) are priority documents that qualify students to be admitted into tertiary level education and are also a minimum requirement to contest in some political elections in Nigeria. ‘Miracle’ Examination Centres (MECs) are rogue/corrupt business outfits that position as regular schools/examination centres, but in reality deploy deviant means to secure unmerited SSCE results/certificates, and hence undermine academic integrity and country-wide development. In these rogue centres, candidates can acquire unmerited desirable grades across subjects taken in SSCE, hence the ‘miracle’ commonly ascribed to such centres in Nigeria. This paper deploys a systematic review of Nigeria-focused exam malpractice literature to explore the drivers that facilitate the establishment and spread of MECs as well as interventions that can be used to eliminate them. Identified documents that met inclusion criteria (94: 48 non-traditional academic and 46 traditional academic publications) were retrieved and reviewed. Proximate drivers of MECs involve the actions and inactions of certain actors that are within immediate reach of influence and at grassroots, such as parents, community-based groups, and schools (school owners, principals, teachers, students, etc.). Remote drivers are the actions and inactions of the examination bodies and regulatory institutions that allow MECs to thrive. We consider the remote drivers to be away from immediate reach of influence as shown in our conceptual framework. Therefore, addressing the challenge of MECs by focusing on proximate drivers, appears to be feasible within the short and mid-terms, unlike the remote drivers.

Decoloniality of school governance in Lesotho: A Religio-historical approach

In this work, I examined the church's continuous ownership and governance of schools in Lesotho using colonial discourse analysis. I began by underlining the power struggle between the church and the state in school management, which dates back to the introduction of Western formal education in Lesotho by missionaries. I then argued that coloniality is the cause of the church's continued ownership and governance of schools. I also demonstrated how the church's continued ownership and administration of schools has harmed the church's credibility while also jeopardising education service delivery in the country. Decoloniality is presented as a counter-approach in my recommendation. Decoloniality deconstructs and reveals the limitations of coloniality ideology masquerading as the truth of events, as promoted by both religious and secular fundamentalists. Decoloniality proposes border thinking at various stages of delinking from a mission Christian education system. Border thinking assumes a diversity of viewpoints, with religious and secular viewpoints coexisting in the delivery of public education.

Gender difference in students’ performance in chemistry – can computer simulation bridge the gap?

ABSTRACT Background Science educators around the world have recognised that difference in performance exists between male and female students in chemistry and there have been several efforts and interventions through research and workshops to bridge this gap. Purpose Owing to the current growth of the effects of the use of computer simulations on students’ performance in science in the literature, this study investigated if the use of computer simulation as an intervention would enhance the performance of female students relative to males in senior school chemistry in Ado-Odo-Ota, Nigeria. Sample A total of 83 chemistry students in senior secondary year two (SS2) comprising 51 females and 32 males participated in the study. The average age of the students was 14 years. Design and method The research design was quasi-experimental (a pre-test post-test non-equivalent group) design. The instrument used to gather data was the electrolysis and electroplating achievement test (EEPAT) which had a reliability coefficient of 0.76. The experimental group was taught with the aid of computer simulation while the control group was taught with the traditional lecture method. The data (pre-test and post-test scores) collected were analysed using ancova since the participants were not randomly assigned to the groups. Results The study found no statistically significant difference between the performance of the male and female students [F(1,41) = .04; p > .05]. While there was a statistically significant main effect of treatment on the students’ performance, the interaction effect of gender and treatment did not attain statistical significance. Conclusions Hence, the study concluded that the use of computer simulation can help bridge the gap between male and female students’ performance in chemistry and overall, boost the performance of the students. Recommendations which concern the government, school owners and chemistry teachers for the implementation of the findings of this study and further research were made.

Acquisition of Numeracy Manipulative Skills for National Development in North-central, Nigeria

Education is an instrument that empowers an individual to become a useful member of the society through the acquisition of basic skills, abilities, attitudes so that they can be self-reliance and self-supportive. The study therefore, examined numeracy manipulative skills for national development among basic students in North-central, Nigeria. This study adopted a descriptive survey research design using Tyler evaluation model of 1949. The population of the study comprised all students of Universal Basic Education schools while the target population consisted of 645,177 upper basic students in North-central, Nigeria. Four purposes, one research question and three hypotheses were raised. Self-developed Numeracy Manipulating Test was used for data collection contained thirty items. Psychometric properties were determined using content validity, obtained 0.88 S-CVI, and split-half reliability estimate using Kuder Richardson KR 20 formula and obtained a 0.81 reliability coefficient. The research question was answered using percentage while hypotheses were tested using an independent t-test at 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed that upper basic students in North-central, Nigeria possessed 41.61% numeracy manipulating skills. No significant differences existed between male ( 47.30%) and female (48.53%); a significant difference existed based on school ownership (public-35.27% and private-49.61%) and location (rural-36.95% and urban-48.72%) at 0.05 level of significance. It was concluded that the performance of students was weak and might inhibit national development. It was recommended that the Nigerian governments at all levels should give more priority to the UBE programme because it is the foundation upon which other levels of education are built.

School Environment and Methods of Teaching as Correlates of Language Skills Achievement of Pre–Primary School Pupils in Edo State Nigeria

The study investigated the effects of school environment and methods of teaching on language skills achievement of pre – primary school pupils in Edo State. It also investigated the interaction effects of Montessori and played methods and urban and rural environments on pupils' achievement in listening, speaking, reading and writing skills. Three urban and three rural areas which were selected from two Local Government Areas (LGAs) were used for the study. Six pre - primary schools were purposively selected for the study. A total of 228 kindergartens 2 pupils intact classes were used for the study which lasted for eight weeks. The study was a pretest, posttest, quasi- experimental control group design with independent variables as methods and school location while achievement in Language Skills Achievement Test (LSAT) was the dependent variable. Descriptive statistics and Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) were used to analyze the data obtained while the Multiple Classification Analysis (MCA) was used as post-hoc test for further significance. Three research questions were answered with three hypotheses, tested at 0.05 level of significance. Results showed that the Montessori Method of teaching pre –primary pupils was more effective than the play method. Similarly, urban school pupils achieved higher than their rural counterparts. There was also a significant interaction effect of methods and school location on pupils' academic achievement in Language skills. It was therefore recommended that the Nigerian Government should adopt the Montessori Method as a dominant method of teaching pre – primary school pupils and that pre – primary school owners should provide materials adequately for teaching and learning.

Vocabulary and Identification of Information: Difficulties and Challenges in Word Problems Solving

Word problems solving continues to be a problem for both students and teachers alike. As researches in word problem solving along reading comprehension are continuously undertaken, the problem remains timely and relevant as only few have shed light into the difficulties and challenges in word problem solving brought about by vocabulary and identification of information. This research intends to identify the areas of difficulties and challenges experienced by students and teachers in the senior high department in a top university in the Philippines, the University of the Cordilleras, which has a wide array of quality programs in the said department. Results obtained in this research may be used not only by students and teachers but also by authors, parents, aspiring teachers, aspiring school owners, or anyone who aspires for their personal development in Mathematics.