CLASSROOM SIZE AND IMPACT ON ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT OF SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN NIGERIA

BACKGROUND OF STUDY: Quality education remains the pivot for global prosperity and liberty. As a result, all hands must be on deck globally to develop policies that will improve qualitative education from elementary school to postsecondary institution, and constant, effective monitoring must be effectively established to check all elements that may stymie this global goal. As a result, most civilizations compel children to attend school for a set number of years or until a specific age. Bayo (2015) opined that many of the advantages of education stem from students gaining new information or skills that improve their capacity to communicate, solve issues, and make decisions.

As established by Lindahl (2015), academic accomplishment of students, particularly at the secondary school level, is not only a barometer of school effectiveness, but also a key predictor of the future of youths in particular and the nation in general. Learning is the means through which people and nations may achieve their educational objectives. Learning outcomes have become a phenomena of universal interest, which is why researchers have been working hard to identify elements that impede effective academic achievement. In the literature, this phenomena has been variously referred to as academic achievement or scholastic functioning. Learners' academic accomplishment has piqued the interest of academics, parents, policymakers, and planners.

Many causes have been implicated as being responsible for deteriorating standards of education where it is viewed and established in an endeavour to deliver sound education on the ground worldwide. Among these are concerns over "class size." Class size, according to Adeyemi (2008), is an educational tool that may be described as the average number of students per class at a school, although Hoffman (1980) defined it as the number of pupils per instructor in a class. According to Kedney (1989), it is an instrument for measuring educational system performance. There has been much debate on the influence of class size on performance, with some blaming overcrowding as the primary cause of deteriorating educational standards in Nigeria, particularly at the elementary and secondary levels, while others dismiss this as a simple coincidence, blaming other issues.

Class size has a significant impact on pupils' academic achievement. Researchers and educational academics agree that when class size grows, student achievement falls. For many years, the influence of class size on cognitive success has been contested and examined, but the results have been equivocal. Class size refers to educational tools that may be used to define the average number of pupils in a school's classes. ALL Nigerian Conference of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPSS) advised a maximum of forty pupils per class for efficient and effective teaching, emphasising the relevance of class size to the learning teaching process.

1.2 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

Schooling has multiple purposes, for instance, higher levels of schooling are associated with higher earnings and economic mobility, better health, lower mortality rates, and greater participation in the leadership process in one’s immediate and the global community. In an attempt to put sound education on ground worldwide, many factors have been incriminated as being responsible for falling standard of education where it is perceived and established. Among such factors is the issue of classroom size. Fabunmi,BraiAbu and Adeniyi (2007) pointed out that classroom congestion and low utilization rate of classrooms are common features of secondary schools in Nigeria. They have negative impact on both secondary school teacher productivity, student learning input and thus secondary school student academic performance.In particular, poor scholastic achievement can influence the reputation of a school because academic success is associated with the quality of the school. The alarming rate of failure in our secondary schools is highly embarrassing.

In view of the points above, the study focuses on classroom size as it correlates with academic performance of secondary school students in Nigeria

1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The main aim of the study is to influence of classroom size on academic performance of secondary school students in Nigeria. Specific objectives of the study include:

• To investigate into the effect of classroom size on the educational performance of secondary school students.

• To determine the extent to which the group size affects the manner in which teaching and learning is mediated in secondary schools.

• To establish whether there is some kind of mechanism which can assist in establishing what determines a large, small or even optimum class size which strikes a balance between size and achievement.

1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS                                                                       
For the purpose of this research work the following research questions have been formulated;                                               

1. What relationship exists between class-size and the quality of output from secondary schools in Nigeria?

2. Is there any significant difference between the quality of output of students in schools having an average small class-sizes and the quality of output of students in schools having an average class-sizes in Nigeria?

3. What are the general attitudes and preferences of students in secondary schools regarding class size?

4. Is there significant scientific evidence to prove and convince legislators, school educators, parents and other major stake holders in the educational fraternity that class size makes a difference in student academic performance.

1.5 RESEARCH HYPOTHESES                                                  
The following hypotheses will be tested to guide this study;  

• There will be no relationship between classroom size and secondary school academic performance

• There is no significant effect between classroom size and the academic performance of secondary school students in Nigeria.         

1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This study will be highly important to the government at all level, the parents, educational planners, decision and policy makers as well as other stakeholders in education. However, this study will help the public and private schools to know and ascertain the influence of class size on the students’ academic achievement, thereby making the stakeholders to develop appropriate strategies in solving the classroom overcrowding in the school and as well enhance the students academic performance.

The study will provide an insight understanding for the public and private schools to know the effect of Classroom size on the students’ academic achievement, thereby making the school stakeholders to develop appropriate measures of improving the school environment for the students in the schools.

Through this study, the students as well as the teachers will be able to know the effect of class size on the student’s academic achievement.

The class size as relates towards students academic achievement will enable the government and the general public to be aware of the effects of these factors and work towards better improvement.

It is important to note that findings in this study will also serve as a source of reference for other researchers who may want to conduct the same or similar study in other subjects or part of the country.

1.8 LIMITATIONS OF STUDY

1. 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).

2. 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.

1.9 DEFINITION OF TERMS

Achievement

According to Black and William (1998:219) achievement is past oriented. It is based on a specific body of knowledge and it reveals areas of weakness, which can result in remedial action. Achievement can also reveal competence and such results can be used to predict future performance.

Academic Performance

This refers to the students’ achievement, scores within the class and his position relative to all those subjected the same test.