THE INFLUENCE OF PRIVATE SCHOOL ON THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY: Educationally it is generally agreed that private schools have contributed positively to the academic performance of students in secondary schools. Presently, some elites seem not to agree that private schools are doing anything to encourage or enhance student’s performance. Some based their arguments on the falling standards of education in Nigeria. They claim that with the involvement of private individuals in running of schools, the standard of education has declined rapidly stressing that the most of affected segments of our education.

In attempt to support this view, some writer’s educationist, researchers, curriculum planners and administrators often make reference to Adenna (2008) who asserted that; the federal government should not handover their educational institution to regions and voluntary agencies that such step would implies a surrender of the nation education system to a system characterized by fanaticism and religious participation and that the end result cannot be predicted.  Despite the above view expressed by Adenna, and his suggestion other school of thought (scholars) who holds contrary view rejected this assertion. Their point of argument was that Adenna view could not be subjected to empirical test because the statement reveals “that end results cannot be predicted” in which case, the end result may be good or bad. Tuoyo (2000) in writing to support the latter view maintained that most teachers in private schools are not readily qualified and others not been able to impact the desirable knowledge to their students.

Lakoja (2006) who also was of the opinion that private schools have not in any way contributed to the academic performance of secondary school students lamented that private schools in attempt to remain competitive and in business sometimes invest resources (money) in buying question papers by buying examination and invigilators during external examination. The point Lakoju was trying to establish was that most private schools encourage examination malpractice. Surprisingly, others seems to have claim that this view was utterly too parching and myopic in nature. They advocated that private schools is only pivot by which qualitative education revolves round in Nigeria stating that the government has for long loss focus on qualitative education in Nigeria. They however maintained that the non-regular payment of teacher salary absence of in-service training for the teachers and the non-available of materials that can facilitates effective teaching/learning process and all the eloquent testimonies of government non-challant attitude towards qualitative education in Nigeria.

Akwue (2005) in attempt to confirm this fact stated that the reason for returning schools to justify what the national policy on education advocates, “No educational system can rise above the level of the teachers”. As the argument still hold, Nomell (2003) maintained that private or public schools does not pronounce or inculcate low or high intelligent quotient (IQ) in whatever attends and that the high or low performance of students at school largely depends on the child’s enthusiasm type of pair groups he has teaching/learning instructional materials. The school location and the financial situation of the parents of the child. The assumption and opinion put forward by the three classes at scholars gave rise to the researcher to undermined the pains or strain he would in for carrying out an objective investigation on the influence of private schools students using Oredo Local Government Area of Edo State as a case study.