EFFECTS OF POORLY EQUIPPED LABORATORY ON THE

ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF SECONDARY SCHOOL BIOLOGY

STUDENTS IN LAFIA NORTH, NASARAWA STATE

BY

i
 DECEMBER, 2017

APPROVAL PAGE

This Research Project entitled “Effects of poorly equipped laboratory on the

teaching and learning of Biology in Secondary schools in Lafia North

Development Area of Nasarawa State” has been read and approved by the National

Teachers’ Institute, Kaduna.

_______________________(Sign/Date) ___________________(Sign/Date)

Abdullahi A. Galadima Emmanuel A. Envoh

(Supervisor) (Study Centre Manager)

_____________________________

ii
External Examiner

--

iii
 CERTIFICATION

I, SALEH AHMAD, a postgraduate student of the National Teachers’ Institute,

Kaduna with Registration Number 3966 has satisfactorily completed the

requirements for the research work for the Postgraduate Diploma in Education

(PGDE). The work embodied in this project is original and has not been submitted

in part or full for any other diploma of this or other institution.

_______________________(Sign/Date) ___________________(Sign/Date)

Abdullahi A. Galadima Emmanuel A. Envoh

(Supervisor) (Study Centre Manager)

iv
 DEDICATION

This research work is dedicated to my spiritual, intellectual and

psychological Fathers, Sheikh Alhassan Aliyu Kurgwi and Malam Musa

Abdulkarim Adam Kurgwi, may Allah be pleased with them.

v
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

All praise and glory be to Allah, the Almighty and may the Peace and
blessings of Allah be onto prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam).
For making me to carried out this project successfully.

It is my wish to express my enormous gratitude and acknowledgement

to my supervisor; Malam Abdullahi A. Galadima who have by virtue of his
responsibilities despite his tight schedules, he uphold and gave me help,
encouragement, valuable ideas and vital advice throughout my course
period.

I also wish to express my thanks and gratitude to every single member

of staff of NTI Lafia Study centre who has contributed or helped either
directly or indirectly towards achieving and the completion of this program.
I am deeply grateful to them.

I am absolutely indebted and infinitely grateful to the greatest

personality, in which the history of my life will be incomplete without
making reference with him, that is my uncle; Alhaji Tanimu Ahmad Lawal, I
actually lack the word through which I may express my gratitude to him.
May God accept and appreciate his effort, and may He increase him health
wise, wealth wise and reward him paradise after a long enjoyable life.

I also wish to express my ultimately deep gratitude and

comprehensively, through thankfulness to my uncles, aunts, brothers, sisters
and friends for their undiluted support, physically, morally and financially.

May God Bless and reward you abundantly.

vi
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title page - - - - - - - - - -i

Approval - - - - - - - - - -ii

Certification- - - - - - - - - -iii

Dedication - - - - - - - - - - -iv

Acknowledgement- - - - - - - - -v

Table of contents - - - - - - - - - -vi

List of tables - - - - - - - - - -ix

Abstract - - - - - - - - - - -x

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study- - - - - - - -1

Statement of the Problems - - - - - - -5

Purpose of the Study - - - - - - - -5

Significance of the Study - - - - - - - -6

Research Questions - - - - - - - -6

Assumption - - - - - - - - - -7

Scope and Delimitation - - - - - - - - -7

Operational Definition of Terms - - - - - -8

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CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF LITERATURE

Concept of Biology as a Subject - - - - - -10

Factors Affecting Students Performance in Sciences- - - -14

Challenges of Teaching Biology in Nigerian Secondary Schools- -17

Strategies for Improvement of Biology Education in Nigeria

Secondary Schools - - - - - - - -20

Prospect of Teaching/Learning of Biology in the Study Area- - -26

Summary of the Review- - - - - - - -27

CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Design of the Study - - - - - - - -29

Population of the Study - - - - - - - -30

Sample and Sampling Techniques - - - - - -30

Description of the Instruments - - - - - - -32

Validity of the Instrument - - - - - - -32

Reliability of the Instrument - - - - - - -33

Method of Data Collection - - - - - - -33

Method of Data Analysis - - - - - - - -34

CHAPTER FOUR: DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS

Data Presentation and Interpretation- - - - - - -35

Analysis of Research Question - - - - - - - 42

viii
Findings of the Study - - - - - - - -46

Discussion of Findings - - - - - - - -47

CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND

RECOMMENDATIONS

Restatement of the Problem - - - - - - -49

Summary of the Procedures Used - - - - - -50

Principal Findings - - - - - - - - -50

Conclusion - - - - - - - - - -51

Implications of the Study - - - - - - - -52

Limitation of the Study - - - - - - - - 52

Recommendations - - - - - - - - -53

Suggestion for Further Studies - - - - - - -54

References - - - - - - - - - -55

Appendix - - - - - - - - - -61

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 LIST OF TABLES

Table1: Sample Distribution

Table 2: Percentage frequency of sex of the Respondents - - -

Table 3: Percentage frequency of Age group of the Respondents- -31

Table4: Percentage frequency of Biology Teacher’s Responses- - -36

Table5: Percentage Frequency of Biology student’s Responses- - -39

x
 ABSTRACT

The dwindling students’ performance in science especially biology has been

a source of concern to all stakeholders - the parents, teachers, students,
science education researchers, government and the general public. This
study assessed the effects of poorly equipped laboratory on the
teaching/Learning of Biology in Secondary schools in Nasarawa State (A
case study of Lafia North Development Area. This study adopted a
descriptive survey method in order to depict a clear picture of the subject
matter. Hence, data from both primary and secondary sources were used. A
sample of 15 teachers and 125 biology students were selected from the total
population and served with structured questionnaire. Data collected were
analyzed using simple percentage techniques. The findings of the study
revealed that sufficient laboratory facilities facilitates learning and teaching
of Biology in secondary school. Based on the findings, it is recommended
that government and all the stakeholders in Science Education should
ensure that there is adequate provision of laboratory materials, equipment
and facilities and Non-governmental organizations should take interest and
bold steps in enhancing the quality of school science laboratories.

xi
 CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

The significance of laboratory practical towards better understanding

of science subjects cannot be overemphasized. Science has been and would

continue to be of tremendous importance because of its ability to explain

many natural occurrences and the central role it plays in the world’s current

technology development (Agbo, 2003).

Biological disciplines imply a significant responsibility for the

protection and welfare of all living species. Any advances in medicine,

dealing with environmental issues or biotechnology depend on an

understanding of living organisms (Nahie, 2011). As one of the core subjects

in senior secondary schools in Nigeria, Biology is of great value in

determining and shaping the future of the student and hence the teaching and

learning of Biology at the senior secondary school level is of paramount

importance.

As a science subject, scientific inquiry is the primary process by

which scientific knowledge is gained. One of the most effective vehicles by

which the process of inquiry can be learnt is the laboratory where the student

1
experiences first hand, the inquiry process (National Association of Biology

Teachers, 2005). Thus, the study in a laboratory is an integral and essential

part of a biology course. Biology laboratory activities are hands-on

experiences which emphasis process skills (Dike, 2008) which Agbo (2003)

posited as motor skills that help the scientists to find answers to problems

and enhance the learning of science. Laboratory activities also encourage

students to construct knowledge by interaction with laboratory materials as

they solve problems. Agbo (2003) further opined that it is very necessary

that students manipulate materials and equipped in learning of biology

through equipment; this will help them not only to acquire science process

skills and new knowledge but also scientific attitude such as honesty, open-

mindedness and cooperation as moralities of science and enhance

understanding and retention of difficult concepts and procedures. Laboratory

facilities give students some basic insight into scientific concepts and leave

them with feeling of the reality of science which in turn improves their

understanding of science courses.

Nations all over the world, whether developed or developing nations

recognize the vital role of science and technology in national development.

It is in undisputable fact that no nation can advance scientifically and

technologically without a sound science education programmed. It is

2
realization of this fact that the Federal Government of Nigeria in her

National Policy on Education (2008, 29) stated that the goals of science

education in Nigeria shall be: “to produce scientists for national

development; and to provide knowledge and understanding of the

complexity of the physical world, the forms and the conduct of life”.

It is believed that practice is at the heart of mastery of science discipline. If

there is no practice either individually or in a group all what have been learnt

become inert knowledge (Jonassen, 1991). Mostly science practice takes

place in science laboratory. Science laboratory is a very important resource

input for teaching science and is an important predictor of academic

achievement (Dahar, 2011). Science laboratories made this world very

advanced and scientific in its purposes.

Many researchers suggested that learning science is enhanced and the

understanding level is improved when students are engaged in science

laboratory for practical experiments (Hofstein, 2007).The laboratory has

been given a central and distinctive role in science education, and science

educators have suggested that rich benefits in learning science come as result

of using laboratory activities (Hofstein 2007). However, the facilities for

teaching science are not up to the mark at secondary and higher secondary

stages (Dahar, 2011).

3
 Secondary school is the base in preparing students for science

education. It is at this level they were exposed to laboratory equipments,

activities and precaution or safety rules. A high school laboratory should

have the equipment necessary to conduct meaningful demonstrations and

experiments. Teachers must understand that students with limited strength or

mobility can have a full laboratory experience with appropriate

accommodation, such as a lab assistant (Tenaw, 2015).

Academically less prepared students of secondary schools prefer

humanities and social sciences than science and technology. This is not

different from the fact that many schools do not have qualified teachers in

Sciences and lack of well equipped laboratory materials that will groom up

the students in firm science background. This led most students to join social

science and humanities for their higher education of study even if they

managed to study the sciences at secondary level.

Despite the efforts by science educators the performance of many

students in science is still at abysmal level. In essence there are still gaps in

the efforts and results available. This situation is easily attributed to poor

laboratory equipment supplied in our secondary schools which cannot cater

for practical lessons. This constitutes a pedagogical hindrance in the

effective teaching and learning of Biology concepts.

4
 Hunde (2010) reported that, despite the fact that laboratories have

multiple benefits ranging from making learning concrete to lying basis for

science education; students were deprived of such opportunities. They were

mostly subject to classroom experience without adequate practical to have

real test of the knowledge. It is against this background that this study

intends to assess effects of poorly equipped labs on the teaching and learning

of biology in secondary schools, focusing on Lafia North Development Area

of Nasarawa State.

1.2 Statement of the Problems

The dwindling students’ performance in science especially biology

has been a source of concern to all stakeholders - the parents, teachers,

students, science education researchers, government and the general public.

Despite the effort by science educators, the performance of many students in

Biology is still at abysmal level. It is against this background that this study

intends to assess the effect of poorly equipped laboratory on the Academic

performance of secondary school biology students in Lafia North

Development Area of Nasarawa State.

1.3 Purpose of the Study

The main aim of this study is to assess the effect of poorly equipped

laboratory on the Academic performance of secondary school biology

students in Lafia North Development Area of Nasarawa State.

5
 Specifically, the study sought to:
i. Assess the availability of Biology facilities in secondary schools of

Lafia North Development Area.

ii. Assess the extent of use of biology facilities in secondary schools of

Lafia North Development Area.

iii. Determine the relationship between the availability of laboratory

facilities and students’ performance in Biology in their External and

Internal examinations.

iv. Examine the attitudes of students towards learning biology in schools

with poorly equipped biology facilities.

1.4 Significance of the Study

The significance of this study is enormous. It will create awareness on the

role of equipped laboratory in learning science subjects, especially Biology

in secondary schools.

The findings of this research would equip the biology teachers with the

information on how to effectively utilize laboratory methods to enhance

students’ performance in biology at secondary school level. The principals

and secondary school supervisors would also be sensitized on their role

expectations to enhance teaching and learning of biology in particular and

sciences in general. It will further stimulate government to consider

6
 improvement in the supply of laboratory facilities in order to boost the level

of science education in the secondary level.

Finally, this study is expected to stimulate further research and the findings

will serve as sources of information and reference point to subsequent

researches.

1.5 Research Questions

This study will attempt to answer the following questions:

i. Are there qualified teachers of biology in our secondary schools?

ii. Are there sufficient biology laboratory facilities in Secondary schools

of Lafia North Development Area?

iii. To what extent do teachers and students make use of the available

laboratory facilities in biology practical.

iv. What is the relationship between the availability of laboratory

facilities and the performance of students in Biology in both external

and internal examinations?

v. What are the attitudes of student towards biology in school with

poorly equipped biology facilities?

1.6 Assumption

The assumption of the study is that if there is well-equipped biology

laboratory, students would have understand and perform better in biology.

7
1.7 Scope and Delimitation

The effect of inadequate laboratory equipment is topic that has to do with all

science subjects across the nation. Meanwhile, the present study will cover

the effect of poorly equipped laboratory on teaching and learning of Biology

in Lafia North Development Area of Nasarawa State.

The Study area is Lafia North Development Area. The Study area is

located in the northern part of Lafia, the capital city of Nasarawa State. The

Development area coordinates around Latitude b 8°34′N 8°33′E/ 8.567°N

8.550°E / 8.567; 8.550. Lafia North is a suburb and a gateway town of the

city of Lafia, the capital of Nasarawa State. The Development Area is

bounded to the north by Nasarawa Eggon, to the south by main Lafia town.

It has Arikya to the east, Akurba to the south, Kwandare to the west and

Shabu in the middle. The development Area is surrounded by stream water

and has fertile land good for agricultural activities.

1.8 Operational Definition of Terms

The followings are operationally defined as used in the study:

i. Effect: This refers to the result of a given situation, either negative or

positive.

ii. Equipment: This are tools and apparatus used in the lab for practical

demonstration.

8
 iii. Laboratory: This is a place set aside where scientific practical are

being carried out.

iv. Learning: This refers to the act of acquiring knowledge or skills

through study, experience or being taught.

v. Teaching: This is a process of impacting knowledge to students.

vi. Biology: Is a subject which deals with the study of living organism.

vii. Secondary School: This refers to the school of corresponding grade,

ranking between a primary school and colleges or university.

viii. Equipped: Means to provide with whatever is needed for use or for

any undertaking such as tools or equipments.

ix. Poorly: This refers to the lacking of adequate materials possessions.

9
 CHAPTER TWO

REVIEW OF LITERATURE

2.1 Conceptual Framework

2.1.1 Concept of Biology as a Subject

The word biology is formed by combining the Greek word; ‘bios’, meaning

"life", and so the suffix '-logy', meaning "study”. The term biology in its

modern sense appears to have been introduced independently by Thomas

Beddoes (in 1799), Karl Friedrich Burdach (in 1800), Gottfried Reinhold

Treviranus (Biologie oder Philosophie der lebenden Natur, 1802) and Jean-

Baptiste Lamarck (Hydrogéologie, 1802). The word itself appears in the title

of Volume 3 of Michael Christopher published in 1766 (Cirfat, 2000).

Before biology, there were several terms used for the study of animals

and plants. Natural history referred to the descriptive aspects of biology,

though it also included mineralogy and other non-biological fields; from the

middle Ages through the Renaissance, the unifying framework of natural

history was the scala naturae or Great Chain of Being. Natural philosophy

and natural theology encompassed the conceptual and metaphysical basis of

plant and animal life, dealing with problems of why organisms exist and

behave the way they do, though these subjects also included what is now

geology, physics, chemistry, and astronomy. Physiology and (botanical)

10
pharmacology were the province of medicine. Botany, zoology, and (in the

case of fossils) geology replaced natural history and natural philosophy in

the 18th and 19th centuries before biology was widely adopted. To this day,

"botany" and "zoology" are widely used, although they have been joined by

other sub-disciplines of biology. It is concerned with the characteristics,

classification, and behaviors of organisms, how living organisms come into

existence, and the interactions they have with each other and with the

environment. Biology encompasses a broad spectrum of academic fields that

are often viewed as independent disciplines. However, together they address

phenomena related to living organisms (biological phenomena) over a wide

range of scales, from biophysics to ecology. All concepts in biology are

subject to the same laws that other branches of science obey, such as the

laws of thermodynamics and conservation of energy (Cirfat, 2000)

The history of biology dates back to 4 th to 5th century when the Greek

philosophers, voracious in their curiosity, look with interest at the range of

living creatures, from the humblest plant to man himself. A Greek name is

coined by a German naturalist in the early 19th century for this study of all

physical aspects of natural life - biology, from bios (life) and logos (word or

discourse). It is a subject with clear subdivisions, such as botany, zoology or

anatomy. But all are concerned with living organisms (Nabie, 1999).

11
 The first man to make a significant contribution in biology is

Alcmaeon, living in Crotona in the 5th century. Crotona is famous at the

time for its Pythagorean scholars, but Alcmaeon seems not to have been of

their school (Nabie, 1999).

The history of biology traces the study of the living world from

ancient to modern times. Although the concept of biology as a single

coherent field arose in the 19th century, the biological sciences emerged

from traditions of medicine and natural history reaching back to Ayurveda,

ancient Egyptian medicine and the works of Aristotle and Galen in the

ancient Greco-Roman world. This ancient work was further developed in the

Middle Ages by Muslim physicians and scholars such as Avicenna. During

the European Renaissance and early modern period, biological thought was

revolutionized in Europe by a renewed interest in empiricism and the

discovery of many novel organisms. Prominent in this movement were

Vesalius and Harvey, who used experimentation and careful observation in

physiology, and naturalists such as Linnaeus and Buffon who began to

classify the diversity of life and the fossil record, as well as the development

and behavior of organisms. Antonie van Leeuwenhoek revealed by means of

microscopy the previously unknown world of microorganisms, laying the

groundwork for cell theory. The growing importance of natural theology,

partly a response to the rise of mechanical philosophy, encouraged the

12
growth of natural history (although it entrenched the argument from design)

(Nabie, 1999).

Over the 18th and 19th centuries, biological sciences such as botany

and zoology became increasingly professional scientific disciplines.

Lavoisier and other physical scientists began to connect the animate and

inanimate worlds through physics and chemistry. Explorer-naturalists such

as Alexander von Humboldt investigated the interaction between organisms

and their environment, and the ways this relationship depends on geography

—laying the foundations for biogeography, ecology and ethnology.

Naturalists began to reject essentialism and consider the importance of

extinction and the mutability of species. Cell theory provided a new

perspective on the fundamental basis of life. These developments, as well as

the results from embryology and paleontology, were synthesized in Charles

Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection. The end of the 19th

century saw the fall of spontaneous generation and the rise of the germ

theory of disease, though the mechanism of inheritance remained a mystery

(Cirfat, 2000).

In the early 20th century, the rediscovery of Mendel's work led to the rapid

development of genetics by Thomas Hunt Morgan and his students, and by

the 1930s the combination of population genetics and natural selection in the
13
 "neo-Darwinian synthesis". New disciplines developed rapidly, especially

after Watson and Crick proposed the structure of DNA. Following the

establishment of the Central Dogma and the cracking of the genetic code,

biology was largely split between organismal biology—the fields that deal

with whole organisms and groups of organisms—and the fields related to

cellular and molecular biology. By the late 20th century, new fields like

genomics and proteomics were reversing this trend, with organismal

biologists using molecular techniques, and molecular and cell biologists

investigating the interplay between genes and the environment, as well as

the genetics of natural populations of organisms (Nabie, 1999).

2.1.2 Concept of Academic Performance

Academic Performance is the outcome of students' evaluation in the

educational process indicating to what level the students have achieved the

educational goals as specified in the curriculum which is greatly influenced

by internal and external classroom factors.

Wikipedia (2014) buttresses the above concepts by putting forward that

academic performance is commonly measured by evaluation (examination)

and continuous assessment but there is no general agreement on how it can

best be captured. It emphasized among other factors that learning

environments/ conditions have great influence on academic achievement of

14
the student in the related study by Mellisa J. B (2012) emphasized that

academic performance indicates how well a student meets standard set out

by the institution. A student success is measured by academic performance.

Scottk (2012) generally refers academic performance to how well a student

is accomplishing his or her tasks and studies. The study emphasizes that

Grades is the most well-known indicator of academic performance, grades

are student's "scores" for their overall tenure. Grades are often the average of

assignment, continuous assessment and semester terminal evaluation that are

often affected by student psychological status, attendance, education

environment etc.

Arul Lawrence (2013) described academic achievement as the level of actual

accomplishment or proficiency one has achieved in an academic area, as

opposed to one's potential in the educational goal measured by

examinations. Crow and Crow (1969) as cited in Arul Lawrence (2013) sees

academic performance as the extent to which a learner is profiting from

instruction in a given area of learning i.e. achievement is reflected by the

extent to which skill and knowledge has been imparted to him. It is obvious

that Crow and Crow (2015) does not specify how best the profit from

learning can be measured.

Ricarda Steinmayr et al. (2014) documented that academic achievement

represents performance outcomes that indicates the extent to which a person

15
 has accomplished specific goals that were the focus of activities in

instructional environments, specifically in school, college and university.

The study conceptualized academic achievement to be a multi-faceted

construct that comprises various domain of learning, because of this wide-

ranging of academic achievement and the fact that it covers a broad varieties

of educational outcomes hence its definition depends on the indication used

to measure it. Against this background, the researchers concluded that the

more curricular-based as measured by G.P.A (Grade Point Average) is most

reliable and objective indicator and it is being adopted by the study at hand.

2.1.3 Factors Affecting Students Performance in Sciences

Lack of Learning Resources

Learning resources play a paramount role in the teaching and learning of

science subjects and inevitably the student’s academic achievement in other

subjects as well (Bologun, 2009). Despite the fact that the need for

meaningful science teaching, a lot of hurdles still prevent the effective

teaching and learning of the science subjects. The researcher asserted that no

meaningful science education programme can exist without laboratory

facilities. Laboratory facilities are indispensable to good science teaching

and learning. Poor capital investment in terms of provision of science

learning resources contributes to student’s low level of academic

16
achievement (Aguisibo, 2007). Students and teachers believe that the

performance can improve if the necessary resources are provided in their

schools.

Negative Attitude

Despite the fact that science informs our thoughts and behaviors, many

people do not seem to place a high value on science. Studies show that the

general public (non science majors) does not generally have positive feelings

towards science and scientists. A positive attitude towards science may

improve students’ academic performance not only in science classes, but

also in other subjects as well (Rogers & Ford 2002).

It is therefore in the interests of the society, and the responsibility of

educators, to improve student’s attitude towards science and to prepare

students to live in a highly technological society. The future of our society

will be determined by citizens who are able to understand and help shape the

complex influences of science and technology on our world (Ungar, 2010).

If the students change their attitude towards science subjects, the

performance in their results will definitely improve since they will dedicate

more time towards learning the science subjects.

Teachers’ Competency

The impact of the teachers on performance in any subject is very high. The

teachers are the facilitators who are to impact the theories and concepts into
17
the students. The teacher is the major manpower saddled with the

responsibility of imparting the concepts considered fundamental to

technology through the teaching of these basic concepts in the secondary

schools. This was why (Adeniyi, 1993) noted in his study that a country’s

manpower development depends on the quantity of her well qualified

teachers.

The objectives of the education sector of any country cannot be

attained when the students are taught by incompetent teachers. Such teachers

would not be able to properly and adequately disseminate the concepts to the

students. The professional qualities of a well trained teacher (Ajayi, 2009)

include: mastery of the subject matter, sense of organisation, ability to

clarify ideas, ability to motivate students, good imagination, ability to

involve the students in meaningful activities throughout the period of

teaching, management of the details of learning and frequent monitoring of

students progress through tests and examinations.

Teacher’s In-service Training

In-service education and training is a continuous and ongoing process for

teachers throughout their professional life. It may be provided at any time

after joining the service and retirement. In summary, in-service training are

the activities, planned and structured, engaged by professionals (teachers)

during their service aimed at helping the teacher to acquire basic skills for
18
the efficient execution of the functions for which he was employed. Science

teachers are faced with the challenge of meeting with new innovations in

science. This will ensure that teachers are well equipped with new

developments hence their performance in delivery will improve thus

improving the performance of science subjects in their respective schools,

(Okhiku, 2005).

Challenges of Teaching Biology in Nigerian Secondary Schools

According to Nwachukwu (1999), some challenges/problems encountered in

the teaching and learning of Biology in secondary schools in Nigeria are as

follows:

 Inadequate numbers of trained Biology teachers,

 Delay in payment of teachers" salaries,

 Non-payment of science allowance to Biology teachers,

 Gender influence,

 Poorly equipped laboratories and inadequate provision of Biology

teaching aids.

 Poor understanding of technical terms (language) in Biology

textbooks.

 High cost of Biology textbooks,

19
  Poor/low socio-economic status of many biology students’ parents,

students’ environment/geographical location, examination malpractice

among others.

Furthermore, Oyetunde (2010) pointed out that formal education is facing a

lot of challenges in Nigeria. The basic ones include the following:

 Education is not given the needed funding priority by government.

 The critical role of the teacher in the delivery of quality education is

generally not appreciated. Science (e.g. Biology) teachers are no longer

paid science allowance in Nigeria.

 Emphasis is not on learning, but on obtaining a grade certificate.

 There is no institutionalized mechanism for teacher professional

development, retention or discipline.

 Teaching is still regarded as “an all-corners affair”.

 The value of books in quality education is not readily appreciated, and

books are in very short supply. Some science textbooks, for instance,

Biology textbooks are not periodically reviewed by the authors in order

to include new scientific knowledge.

 The language of instruction (e.g. English language) is still very

problematic for a great number of students and teachers at all levels of

the educational system.

20
 The environment and facilities, in most cases, are not conducive for

teaching and learning.

 Poverty is making education unattractive or access to it difficult because

in some states in Nigeria, there is no free education.

 Teachers at all levels are not accorded the respect they deserve.

 There is too much instability in the academic calendar due to series of

strike actions by teachers and lecturers.

 There is poor reading culture in the society generally and especially

among students.

 There are no subsidy schemes for Science/Biology textbooks.

 There is no commitment to teaching, research, scholarship, and

professional growth among teachers. For example, teachers hardly accept

responsibility for their students‘learning.

 There is no commitment to excellence among students. For example,

students hardly accept responsibility for their learning. Nowadays, many

students are distracted by many unnecessary phone calls and frequent

watching of television programmes.

 There is no commitment to or continuity in educational reforms or

innovations by Nigerian government.

21
 Strategies for Improvement of Biology Education in Nigerian Secondary

Schools.

According to Oyetunde (2010), it is important to note that improved

educational standard is always the result of determination and conscious

planning. In other words, it has to be made to happen. The following

measures hold promise to bring about improvement in Nigerian educational

standards namely

 Adequate Preparation of Teachers: The teacher is perhaps the most

important factor in quality education. No discussion about quality education

is meaningful in the absence of well- trained teacher, a teacher who is not

only literate in the language of instruction but also skilled in content and

pedagogy. Ukeje (2000) observation regarding the supreme importance of

the teacher is worth noting here: if the child is the centre of the educational

system, teachers are the hubs of the educational process. This is because it is

upon teachers’ numbers, their education and training, their quality and

devotion to duty, their effectiveness and efficiency, their competence and

their productivity depend the effectiveness, the capability and the

possibilities of the entire educational system and enterprises. The realization

of the potentialities of organized education as a veritable instrument for

social change and national reconstruction depends largely on the teacher

22
 Ukeje (2000). Excellent educational policies are meaningless unless there

are equally excellent teachers to see to their realization. Various

govemments may vote sufficient funds as enabling resources for education,

adequate material resources may be procured but unless the teachers are

properly prepared and positively motivated, little productivity will happen.

 Creating a Conducive Teaching-Learning Environment

Quality education is the product of a conducive teaching -learning

environment. Indicators of a conducive teaching-learning environment are

attractive physical structures. Ready access to textbooks and supplemental

teaching and learning materials. According to Ukeje (2000), clean

environment for example, put the learner in a proper frame of mind for

learning, and the teacher is likely to put in his best if he has ready access to

textbooks and other teaching aids. In particular, availability of textbooks in

sufficient quality and quantity will help students develop lifelong skills. In

this way, they will be enabled to extend the frontiers of knowledge on their

own, an orientation sorely needed in an age of knowledge explosion.

 Ensuring Methodological Adequacy: Method refers to the interaction

between the teacher and the learner for the purpose of achieving some -

predetermined objectives. Ukeje (2000) explained that this process is critical

as what the teacher does or does not do will affect the learner’s attitude to

23
 learning and education generally and what he eventually learn. If the teacher,

for example. handles the process as facilitator and encourager of learning, he

will be helping to create a learner who can think for himself. But if the

teacher presents himself as a dispenser of knowledge, he will succeed in

creating a passive recipient of information.

The point here is, methodology as a process - variable often is not given

enough attention as an important element in quality education. In general,

what goes on inside in the name of teaching is not likely to quality education

unless there is a general re-orientation of teachers.

Furthermore, any observer of our educational practice would know that the

teaching style of the average teacher is still based on the concept of the child

as a vessel in which to pour knowledge with the potentials for self-directed

teaching relegated to the background, if not killed. Emphasis is on the

impartation and regurgitation of facts without concern for the grasp of the

relevant principles.

 Proper Handling of Examination: According to Maduabum (2001),

examination and education are inseparable, for the efficiency and quality of

an educational system is usually determined through the performance of its

products in an examination or a set of examinations. Examinations.

Therefore, influence what is taught and learned in schools, especially when

24
 the results of the examinations are used to make important decisions, such as

awarding certificates to graduating students, promoting students to higher

classes or selecting students for higher levels of education. It is important,

however, not to see passing prescribed examinations as all that matters. This

misconception or undue emphasis on passing examinations has given rise to

the phenomenon of examination malpractice. This has become a serious

social problem in Nigeria today. Emphasis must shift from examination and

certification to learning and knowledge. To achieve this, there will be a little

bit of liberalizing or democratizing examinations. This means supplementing

oral and/or practical examination with written examinations (Maduabum.

2001). Doing this will help to establish clearly the skill. Knowledge or

competences possessed by individual students. It is this idea that informed

the introduction of screening tests or POST-UME interview for university

admission. Multiple testing of this nature has the advantage of discouraging

examination malpractice while giving a fair practice of a student’s ability

(Maduabum, 2001).

 Massive Investment in Biology Education: We must be in a hurry to catch

up with the rest of the world with reference to government‘s massive

investment in science (e.g. Biology) education. This is because when

biology education is properly funded by both state and federal government,

there will be production of qualitative biology teachers who will in turn

25
 teach biology students to become future medical doctors. nurses,

pharmacists among others.

Furthermore, adequate provision of fund by the government will help to

purchase biology teaching aids and laboratory equipment for conduction of

biology practical.

 Institutionalization of In-service Training of Biology Teachers:

According to Owodunni (2010), several types of in-service training

programmes are adopted in Nigeria for teachers. This could take the form of

study fellowships which teachers undertake with full pay of salaries or it

could take the form of study leave without salary payment. The most vital

issue is that the teachers’ appointment and continuity of service is assured at

the completion of the training programme. Biology teachers continuous in-

service training is very essential because the more knowledgeable a biology

teacher is, the more knowledge he/she will impact to his/her students.

Furthermore, biology teachers’ in-service training is very vital because no

students in a nation will rise above their biology teachers.

 Close Monitoring and Supervision of School Activities by the

Government: Quality control of curricular and extra-curricular activities at

Nigerian primary and secondary schools as well as tertiary

institutions/universities demands regular inspection and efficient

26
 supervision. It requires regular visitation on the part of supervisors and

inspectors and recommendation for amendment at the end of each visitation.

Educational activities’ improvement through feedback from school

supervisors/inspectors is very essential.

 Adequate Remuneration for Biology Teachers: Both state and federal

government should adequately pay teachers‘ salaries as and when due in

order to enhance their performance on the job. Furthermore, teachers at all

levels of education should be properly treated with respect in order to boost

their morale.

 Every Educational Stakeholder must be an agent of change: Positive

changes are very vital for improvement in every aspect of life, therefore, all

educational stakeholders namely both staff state and federal government

ministries of education, curriculum planners, teachers at all levels of

education among others must accept positive changes and include them into

school curriculum as well as inculcate them to their pupils/students during

teaching in order to fit into the changing global world. Emphasis must be on

Learning, not just a Grade in an Examination or a certificate in order to

enable students to acquire employable skills for them to be easily employed

by the government or to be self-employed in the absence of government

work. There is, therefore, need for educational empowerment of Nigeria

youths through entrepreneurial skills’ acquisition.

27
2.2 Review of Relevant Empirical Studies

Numbers of studies were conducted related to improvisation and utilization

of laboratory facilities. The few reviewed by the researchers are as follows:

Anyakoha and Arkhust (2004) conducted a study titled; Availability and

Adequacy of Educational Facilities for the Implementation of the Senior

Secondary School Clothing and Textile Curriculum in the Southern Zone of

Ghana. The study was designed to find out which of the essential

educational facilities for the implementation of the senior secondary school

clothing and textile curriculum are available and also available in enough

quantities in the selected schools. The study’s population was the clothing

and textile teachers and the senior secondary schools clothing and textile

students during the 2001/2002 academic year. The total respondents used

were questionnaire, interview guided and observation checklist. Frequency,

percentages, and means were used to answer the research questions and chi-

square used to test the hypotheses. The study showed that not all the needed

facilities are available. Most of the equipment available was not in sufficient

quantities, only 17 out of 43 are available in enough quantities. The teachers

were not enough to teach more of the practical curses effectively. This study

was carried out in senior secondary schools but the present study will be

limited to junior secondary schools. Since that study observed insufficient

28
instructional materials, the present study would go further to investigate the

extent of improvisation and utilization of instructional materials by junior

secondary school teachers, in the absence of professionally made ones.

Nwoji (2006) conducted a study on the assessment of resources available

and utilize in Women Educational Centers in Enugu State. The main purpose

of this study was to find out teachers’ qualifications and available learning

resources in women education centers in Enugu State. Populations of 350

women were used for the study. Questionnaire was used for data collection.

The study revealed lack of full-time qualified teachers and lack of learning

resources (equipment and materials) in the centers. Nworji’ s study is

relevant to the present study because it investigates that availability and

utilization of resources for teaching, among other things, Home Economics.

This study was carried out in Women Education Centres in Enugu State but

the present study will be limited to Junior secondary schools in Lafia,

Nasarawa State.

Another study conducted by Aquah (1998) focused on Identification and

Evaluation of Instructional Materials for Teaching and Learning Business

Subjects in Senior Secondary Schools in Cross-River State. The purpose of

the study was to identify and evaluate the adequacy of the instructional

materials available for teaching and learning Business subjects. The

29
population for the study was 360 business subject teachers in all the senior

secondary schools in the state. Five research questions guided the study and

data were analyzed using Z-score statistics. (The instrument was a structured

questionnaire). The study revealed a paucity of instructional materials and

staff in the senior secondary schools. The Federal Government Schools were

better equipped than the state schools.

Aquah’s study also provides useful insights for the present one because it

focused on instructional materials. However, it was carried out in Business

Studies while the present study will be on basic science.

Ekong (1996) carried out a study titled: The perception of agricultural

teachers on the criteria that could be employed in selecting instructional

materials and teaching major areas of practical agricultural science

curriculum. Three research questions and three hypotheses guided the study.

A structured questionnaire was used to collect data and analyzed using

mean, standard deviation and t-test. The finding of the study revealed that

thirteen (13) criteria presently used for selection of instructional materials by

agricultural science teachers were valid. Since the study identified some

criteria for selecting instructional materials in Agricultural Science, the

present study used some of criteria in developing the instrument to be used

30
 in investigating the extent of improvisation and utilization of laboratory

facilities by Basic science teachers in Junior secondary schools.

2.3 Theoretical Framework

The following theories are suggested by the researchers to best explain the

relationship between the variables. The theories are; Theory of Anchored

Instruction and Cognitive Load Theory

a. Theory of Anchored Instruction

This theory was first developed by the John Brandfod. Anchored instruction

is a major paradigm for technology - based learning that has been developed

by the Cognition and Technology Group of Vanderb ilt (CTGV, 1990) under

the leadership of John Branford. While many people have contributed to the

theory and research of anchored instruction, Branford is the principal spokes

person and hence the theory is attributed to him. The initial focus of the

work was on the development of interactive videodisc tools that encouraged

students and teachers to pose and solve complex and realistic problems. The

video materials serve as "anchora" (macro-contexts) for all subsequent

learning and instructions. As explained by CTGV (1993), "the design of

these anchora was quite different from design of videos that were typically

used in education" The goal of using anchoras was to create interesting,

realistic contexts that encouraged the active construction of knowledge by

31
learners. Anchoras were stories rather then lectures and were designed to be

explored by the students and teachers. "Hence learning and teaching

activities should be designed around an "anchor" which should be some sort

of improvised instructional material or problem situations and improvised

curriculum materials should allow exploration by the learning (CTGV,

1993) and also related to the essence of improvisation of instructional

materials in Home Economics. Dewey (1929) asserted that education is a

lifelong process, a continuous reconstruction and reorganization of

experience, which adds to the meaning of experience and increase the ability

to direct the course of future experiences. To this, anchoring teaching and

learning of Home Economics on the use of improvised materials is derived

mainly from the need for the provision of basic, functional and life-long

education to citizens. In consideration of the importance of instructional

materials, it is believed that under normal condition, the objective of Home

Economics education should be established with due reference to the

facilities available for their achievement. Obanya (2002), concluded by

stating that an implementable curriculum of course is one that provision are

made for affordable materials and in encouraging learners to avail

themselves of the variety of instructional materials in the environment.

32
b. Cognitive Load Theory

This theory suggests that learning happen best under condition that is

aligned with human cognitive architecture. The structure of human cognitive

architecture, while not known precisely, is discernible through the results of

experimental research showing that short term memory is limited in numbers

of elements it can contain simultaneously. Sweller (1988) built a theory that

treats schemas, or combination of elements, as the cognitive structures that

make up an individual's knowledge base. These structures permit one to

perceive, think, and solve problems, rather than a group of rote learned facts.

These structures are known as schemas. They are the cognitive structures

that make up the knowledge base.

Sweller's theory is best applied in the area of materials relating to

instructional design of cognitive complex or technically challenging

material. His contention is that since students have difficulty learning

sophisticated material, improvisation of such materials, might demystify the

sophistication and make it easier for learners to learn using them. Cognitive

load theory has many implications in the improvisation of instructional

materials which must, if they are to be effective, keep cognitive load of

learner at a minimum during the learning process. Hence, specific

recommendations relative to the design of instructional materials include.

33
 i. Change problem solving method to avoid means - ends approaches that

impose a heavy working memory load, by using goal free problem or

worked examples.

ii. Eliminate the working memory load associated with having to mentally

integrate several sources of information by physically integrating those

sources of information.

iii. Eliminate the working memory load associated with unnecessarily

processing repetitive information by reducing redundancy.

iv. Increase working memory capacity by using authority as well as visual

information under conditions where both sources of information are essential

(that is non-redundant) to understanding.

The postulation of the theories above helped in identifying the need for

improvisation and utilization of laboratory facilities to enhance teaching and

learning of basic science in Junior secondary school level.

2.4 Summary of the Review

This chapter reviewed related literatures on the effect of poorly equipped

laboratory on the academic performance of secondary students in Biology ls.

The literature so far reviewed has captured the history of Biology as a

subject of learning, the factors affecting students’ performance in sciences,

the challenges of teaching biology in Nigerian secondary schools and the

strategies for improvement of biology education in Nigerian secondary

34
school. The literatures gave the researcher insight. The literatures however

did not explain how poorly equipped laboratory affect the teaching and

learning of biology in secondary schools. This is the gap identified which

the present intends to fill.

35
 CHAPTER THREE

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

3.1 Design of the Study

This study adopted a descriptive survey method in order to depict a clear

picture of the subject matter. Descriptive survey research design is a data

collection technique in which information is gathered from respondents

(Anikweze, 2013).

This study used both primary and secondary data. Primary data was

obtained through the questionnaires. The study was designed with the

objective of establishing the effects of poorly equipped laboratory on

teaching/learning biology. The study involved designing of students

questionnaires which were answered by students who offer biology in the

selected secondary schools. Biology teachers were also given questionnaires

and interviews were conducted with the heads of science departments of the

sample schools. The same questionnaires were given to all the selected

schools in the study area and were filled by science students of the same

level and their teachers and interviews were conducted with the heads of the

science departments of the selected schools.

Investigative research approach (an inquisitive method of knowledge

generation) was adopted where science students and biology teachers were

involved. The strength of investigative research in this study lies on its

36
 applicability in curriculum implementation in a secondary school context. In

addition, investigative research will give the researcher an opportunity to

realize the appropriate structuring and organization of effective teaching and

learning of biology in secondary schools. This approach will therefore go a

greater length in improving the teachers’ methodologies in teaching and

learning process of acquiring skills in science. Findings in an investigative

research act as guidelines for future development of teaching materials based

on similar settings, (Frank, 2003).

3.2 Population of the Study

The population for this study comprised all teachers and Students of all the

schools in the study area.

3.3 Sample and Sampling Techniques

Anikweze (2013) defined sample as a subset of a population that is used to

represent the entire group.

Due to the size of the population and time constraint for the research study,

the sample was randomly selected as follows:

140 is the sample of the study. 15 Biology teachers (3) from each of the 5

selected schools and 125 Biology students, 25 from each of the 5 selected

schools.

37
 Table 1: Table of Sample Distribution

Respondents

Schools Teachers Students Total

Sampled out Sampled out

Government Secondary

School Shabu 3 25 28

Government Secondary 3 25 28

School Ombi II

Government Secondary

School Kwandare 3 25 28

ERCC Secondary School 3 25 28

Sabon Pegi Shabu

Brainfield Int’l School 3 25 28

Shabu

Total 15 125 140

(Source: Field Survey, 2017)

3.4 Description of the Instrument

38
 The researcher designed questionnaire with two sections, A&B.

Section ‘A’ target the students, while section ‘B’ targets the biology

teachers. All the questions are direct questions in five-Likert scale: Strongly

agree, Agree, Disagree, Strongly Disagree and undecided. The questionnaire

contains statements relating to the effect of poorly equipped laboratory on

teaching/learning biology in Secondary schools. Hence, the questionnaires

are expected to help the researcher achieve the research objectives. The

questionnaire will be given to the teachers and students sampled out from

the selected secondary schools which contains guidelines on how to fill it by

asking them to tick ( √ ) the option that is appropriate to their opinion in the

column provided on the questionnaire.

3.5 Validity of the Instrument

The validity of the instrument has to do with the extent to which the

instrument serves the purpose for which it was designed, to ascertain the

validity of the research instrument used. The questionnaire used for this

study was thoroughly scrutinized for clarity, precision and comprehension

by the supervisor. To obtain an independent judgement, to indicate the

degree of which the instrument serves its purpose and the content of the

instrument was adjusted to be valid.

3.6 Reliability of the Instrument

39
 To test the reliability of the instrument, a pilot test of the

questionnaire was carried out to observe how the respondents react to both

questions. This helped determine the internal consistency and reliability of

the questionnaires. A total of 10 teachers and 10 students were randomly

selected from senior secondary schools which are not part of the target

population and not part of the sampled respondents. A test- re- test method

was used. According to Johnson (1977), test-retest method is one of the

effective methods of measuring reliability. After the first test, an interval of

2 weeks was given before the second test was carried out. After the re-

administration of the questionnaires, the responses were collected, scored

and computed using the Pearson product-moment-correlation coefficient

with associated Spearman Brown correlation formula to establish the

reliability index of 0.72

3.7 Method of Data Collection

Data for this study was collected from both primary and secondary sources.

The secondary sources include the school’s biology laboratory books,

journals, web pages and other library materials. The primary source involves

the use of structured questionnaire on the effect of poorly equipped

laboratory on teaching of biology in secondary schools. The questionnaires

will be distributed to the respondents in each of the sampled schools. All the

respondents are expected to collect the questionnaires, fill and return them.
40
 Visit was made to the selected schools and instrument distributed to the

respondent with the aid of research assistants.

3.8 Method of Data Analysis

All collected data will be statistically analyzed using frequency distribution

and percentages. The main sections of both questionnaires which were

structured based on the 5-point Likert scale will be analyzed as follows:

Each response will be tallied to each single item on the questionnaire

according to the mode of response. Strongly Agree will be scored 5, Agree

4, Disagree 3, Strongly Disagree 2 and undecided 1. The percentage of

response will then be determined and calculated. The item and their

percentage will be grouped according to research questions in a table form

and the weighed percentage to each research question will be determined.

Formula for finding percentage (%):

F x 100
N 1

Where F is the frequency of the responses.

N is the total number of the respondents

41
 CHAPTER FOUR

DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS

4.1 Introduction

This chapter presents the data collected from the field, analysis,

interpretation and discussion of the findings of the study on investigation of

the effect of poorly equipped laboratory on the teaching/learning of biology

in secondary school in Lafia North Development Area. One hundred and

forty (140) questionnaires were administered and retrieved.

4.2 Presentation of Tables and Interpretations

The data presentation and analysis will be in sequence with the research
questions asked in the study. As stated earlier, frequency and percentage
method has been used for the analysis. However, the research questions are
restated below:
 Are there qualified teachers of biology in our secondary schools?
 Are there sufficient biology laboratory facilities in Secondary school

of Lafia North Development Area?

 To what extent do teachers and students make use of the available

laboratory facilities in biology practical.
 What is the relationship between the availability of laboratory

facilities and the performance of students in Biology in both external

and internal examinations?

42
  What are the attitudes of student towards biology in school with

poorly equipped biology facilities?

Table 2: Percentage Frequency of Sex of the Respondents

Sex Frequency Percentage

Male 85 60.71
Female 55 39.29
Total 140 100

Table 2 above shows that 60.71% of the respondents are male, while 39.29% are

females. Thus, males constitutes majority in the respondents.

Table 3: Percentage Frequency of Age Distribution of the Respondents

Age Frequency Percentage

12-15 26 18.57
16-20 41 29.29
21 above 73 52.14
Total 140 100
(Source: Field Survey, 2017)

Table 3 above shows that 18.57% of the respondents are aged between 12-15
years, while 29.29% of the respondents are aged 16-20 and 52.14% are aged 21
above. Thus, respondents who are aged 21 above constituted majority in the
sample.

43
Table 4: Percentage Frequency of Biology Teachers’ Responses (N =15)

S/ RESPONSES (%)
N STATEMENT SA A U D SD
1 Students are really interested in 13.3 40.0 13.3 13.3 20.0
learning Biology
2 Sufficient laboratory facilities 33.3 26.7 13.3 13.3 13.3
facilitate biological practical.
3 Biology Practical helps in 26.7 40.0 13.3 6.7 13.3
understanding biological
concepts
4 You often make use of 13.3 6.7 13.3 33.3 33.3
laboratory facilities in learning
Biology in your school
5 Teachers always exposed 13.3 6.7 20.0 20.0 40.0
students to biology practical in
your school
6 Students always love to partake 26.7 26.7 13.3 20.0 13.3
in Biology practical
7 Well equipped Biology 13.3 33.3 13.3 20.0 20.0
laboratory will help students to
pass biology examinations
8 Lack of equipped laboratory 6.7 60.0 13.3 6.7 13.3
affects teaching and learning of
Biology in Secondary schools of
44
 Lafia North Development Area
9 Educational policy affects 13.3 40.0 13.3 20.0 13.3
laboratory equipments for
effective teaching and learning
Biology
10 Lack of maintenance culture 33.3 33.3 13.3 13.3 6.7
affect laboratory equipment for
effective teaching and learning
of biology in secondary school
in Lafia North Development
Area
11 Studying Biology is suitable 20.0 40.0 13.3 6.7 20.0
with practical experience
12 Students perform better in 26.7 53.3 0.0 6.7 13.3
Biology in schools with well-
equipped laboratory facilities.
13 Attitudes of students towards 73.3 13.3 6.7 6.7 0.0
biology affect their performance
in biology.

14 Lack of competent teachers to 46.7 26.7 6.7 13.3 6.7

handle laboratory is a factor that
contributes to inefficient
laboratory facilities in
secondary schools of Lafia
North Development Area
15 Provision of adequate 26.7 40.0 13.3 13.3 6.7
laboratory facilities will
45
 enhance the academic
performance of secondary
school students in Lafia North.
(Source: Field Survey, 2017)

Table 4 above revealed the percentage frequency of biology teacher’s

responses from item 1 to 15. Their responses were calculated and expressed

in percentages

Table 5: Percentage Frequency of Biology Student’s Responses (N = 125)

RESPONSES (%)
S/N STATEMENT SA A U D SD

1 Students are really interested in 30.4 39.2 4.0 10. 16.0

learning Biology 4
2 Sufficient laboratory facilities 30.4 35.2 11.2 11. 12.0
facilitate biology practical. 2
3 Biology Practical helps in 36.8 30.4 5.6 20. 6.4
understanding biological concepts 8
4 You often make use of laboratory 20.0 7.2 14.4 42. 16.0
facilities in learning Biology in 4
your school
5 Teachers always exposed students 13.6 13.6 1.6 28. 43.2
to biology practical in your school 0
6 Students always love to partake in 46.4 13.6 13.6 17. 8.8
Biology practical 6
7 Well equipped Biology laboratory 24.8 40.0 12.0 17. 5.6
46
 will help students to pass biology 6
examinations
8 Lack of equipped laboratory 17.6 41.6 5.6 23. 12.0
affects teaching and learning of 2
Biology in Secondary schools of
Lafia North Development Area
9 Educational policy affects 16.0 51.2 8.0 6.4 18.4
laboratory equipments for
effective teaching and learning
Biology
10 Lack of maintenance culture 47.2 12.0 10.4 14. 16.0
affect laboratory equipments for 4
effective teaching and learning of
biology in secondary school in
Lafia North Development Area
11 Studying Biology is suitable with 24.8 39.2 12.0 18. 5.6
practical experience 4
12 Students perform better in 13.6 53.6 14.4 8.0 10.4
Biology in schools with well-
equipped laboratory facilities.
13 Attitudes of students towards 68.0 20.0 0.8 7.2 4.0
biology affect their performance
in biology.

14 Lack of competent teachers to 9.6 7.2 2.4 14. 66.4

handle laboratory is a factor that 4
contributes to inefficient
laboratory facilities in secondary
47
 schools in Lafia North
Development Area
15 Provision of adequate laboratory 20.8 56.8 5.6 4.8 12.0
facilities will enhance the
academic performance of
secondary school students in
Lafia North.
(Source: Field Survey, 2017).

Table 5 above shows the percentage frequency response of students based on

the items presented. The responses was calculated and expressed in

percentages.

However, the responses of the respondents (teachers and students)

were further analyzed under the research questions.

4.2 Analysis of Research Questions

Research Question 1: Are there qualified biology teachers in our secondary

schools?

Analysis of teachers and student’s responses on the above question is based on

items 5and 14 of table 4 and table 5. It was revealed that 40.0% of the teacher’s

respondents strongly disagreed that they always exposed students to biology

practical, 20.0% of the respondents disagreed and 20.0% were undecided. While

48
43.2% of the student’s respondents strongly disagreed that teachers always

exposed students to biology practical, 28.0% disagreed and 1.6%were undecided.

Furthermore, 46.7% of the teacher’s respondents strongly agreed that lack of

competent teachers is a factor that contributes to inefficient laboratory facilities in

secondary schools of Lafia North Development Area, 26.7% agreed and 6.7% were

not certain. While 66.4% of the student’s respondents strongly agreed that lack of

competent teachers is a factor that contributes to inefficient laboratory facilities in

secondary schools of Lafia North Development Area, 14.4% agreed and 2.4% were

undecided. Hence, this indicates that secondary schools of Lafia North

Development Area do not have qualified teachers.

Research Question 2: Are there sufficient biology laboratory facilities in

secondary schools of Lafia North Development Area?

Analysis of the responses of respondents will be based on items 4 and 8 of both

table 4 and 5. The tables revealed that 33.3% of teacher’s respondents strongly

disagreed that they often make use of laboratory facilities in teaching biology in

their schools, 33.3% disagreed and 13.3% were not sure. While 42.4% of the

student’s respondents disagreed that they often make use of laboratory facilities in

learning biology in their schools, and 14.4% were undecided.

Furthermore, 60.0% of the teacher’s respondents agreed that lack of

equipped laboratory affects teaching and learning of biology in secondary schools

49
of Lafia North Development Area, and 13.3% were undecided. While 41.6% of the

student’s respondents agreed that lack of quipped laboratory affects teaching and

learning of biology in secondary schools of Lafia North Development Area. To

this, 5.6% were not certain. Hence, this indicates that secondary schools of lafia

North Development Area do not have sufficient laboratory facilities.

Research Question 3: To what extent do teachers and students make use of the

available laboratory facilities in biology practical?

Analysis of respondent’s responses is based on items 4 and 5 of table 4 and 5. The

tables revealed that 33.3% of the teacher’s respondents strongly disagreed that they

often make use of laboratory facilities in teaching biology in their schools, 33.3%

disagreed and 33.3% were not certain. While 42.4% of the student’s respondents

disagreed that they often make use of laboratory facilities in learning biology in

their schools and 14.4 % were not sure.

Furthermore, 40.0% of the teacher’s respondents strongly disagreed that they

always exposed students to biology practical in their schools, 20.0% disagreed and

20.0% were undecided. While 43.2% of the student’s respondents strongly

disagreed that teachers always exposed them to biology practical in their schools.

To this, 28.0% disagreed, and 1.6% were uncertain. Hence, this indicates that they

do not usually make use of the available laboratory facilities in Biology practical.

50
Research Question 4: What is the relationship between the availability of

laboratory facilities and the performance of students in biology in both

external and internal examinations?

Analysis of respondent’s responses is based on items 7, 12 and 15 of both table 4

and 5. The tables revealed that 33.3% of the teacher’s respondents agreed that well

equipped biology laboratory will help students to pass biology examination, and

13.3% were not certain. While 40.0% of the student’s respondents agreed that well

equipped biology laboratory will help students to pass biology examination, and

12.0% were not sure.

More so, 53.3% of the teacher’s respondents agreed that students perform

better in biology in schools with well-equipped laboratory facilities, and 0.0% were

undecided. While 53.6% of the student’s respondents agreed that students perform

better in biology in schools with well-quipped laboratory facilities, and 14.4%

were undecided.

Furthermore, 40.0% of the teacher’s respondents agreed that provision of

adequate laboratory facilities will enhance the academic performance of secondary

school students in Lafia North, and 13.3% were not certain. While 56.8%of the

student’s respondents agreed that provision of adequate laboratory facilities will

enhance the academic performance of secondary school students in Lafia North,

51
5.6% were undecided. This indicates that the availability of laboratory facilities

make students perform better in biology in both external and internal examinations.

Research Question 5: What are the attitudes of students towards biology in

schools with poorly equipped biology laboratory facilities?

Analysis of the responses of respondents will be based on items 12 and 13 of table

4 and 5. The tables revealed that 53.3% of the teacher’s respondents agreed that

students perform better in schools with well-equipped laboratory facilities, and

0.0% were undecided. While 53.6% of the student’s respondents agreed that

students perform better in schools with well-equipped laboratory facilities, and

14.4% were not certain.

In addition, 73.3% of the teacher’s respondents strongly agreed that attitude

of students towards biology affects their performance in biology. To this, 13.3%

agreed and 6.7% were undecided. While 68.0% of the student’s respondents

strongly agreed that attitudes of students towards biology affect their performance

in biology, 20.0% agreed and 0.8% were undecided. This indicates that

4.3 Findings of the study

 Sufficient laboratory facilities facilitate biology practical.

 Biology practical helps in understanding biological concepts.

52
  Both teachers and students does not often make use of laboratory facilities in

teaching and learning biology in their schools.

 Teachers do not exposed students to biology practical in their schools.

 Well-equipped biology laboratory will help students to pass biology

examination.

 Lack of equipped laboratory affects teaching and learning of biology in

secondary schools of Lafia North Development Area.

 Studying biology is suitable with practical experience.

 Students perform better in biology in schools with well-equipped laboratory

facilities.

 Attitudes of students towards biology affect their performance in biology.

 Lack of competent teachers to handle laboratory is a factor that contributes

to inefficient laboratory facilities in secondary schools of Lafia North

Development Area.

 Provision of adequate laboratory facilities will enhance the academic

performance of secondary school students in Lafia North Development

Area.

4.4 Discussion of Findings

53
 It was revealed from this study that sufficient laboratory facilities facilitate

biology practical, because biology practical helps in understanding biological

concepts. Thus, well-equipped biology laboratory will helps students to pass

biology examination, and lack of equipped laboratory affects teaching and learning

of biology in secondary schools of Lafia North Development Area. It will be in the

interest of the students and the nation at large that giant strides be taken by the

Ministry of education, school authorities PTAs organization and well meaning

individuals to see that secondary schools in metropolis are assisted with well-

equipped and functional laboratories.

Studying biology is suitable with practical experience, students perform

better in biology in schools with well-equipped laboratory facilities, this been

agreed that equipping every school with biology laboratory will go a long way in

actualizing the provision of the STEME which states that “the teaching and

learning of science shall be done in such a way as to develop child in three

domains (cognitive, affective, and psychomotor) of educational objectives.

The study also revealed that students does not use laboratory facilities in

learning biology in their schools, due to the lack of equipped laboratory facilities in

secondary schools of Lafia North. Since this agreed, the government, corporate

organization, well spirited individual should as matter of concern come to the aid

of science education by funding its cost in terms of grants, or donations or

54
constructing projects as doing that will boost science education thereby

suppressing the challenges that stands as hindrance to biology and science

education in general.

Finally, it was gathered from this study that students who never had biology

experience in senior secondary schools can compete with their counterparts who

had biology practical experience in senior secondary schools later in life. This

margin or gap can be closed up by setting up monitoring teams to match

implementation, strategies of the nation policy on science education which spells

out that equal opportunities in terms of the provision of curriculum materials,

resource person and laboratory facilities shall be given to all.

55
 CHAPTER FIVE

SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

5.1 Restatement of the Problem

The dwindling students’ performance in science especially biology has been

a source of concern to all stakeholders - the parents, teachers, students,

science education researchers, government and the general public. Despite

the efforts by science educators the performance of many students in science

is still at abysmal level. In essence there are still gaps in the efforts and

results available. This situation is easily attributed to poor laboratory

equipment supplied in the secondary schools which cannot cater for practical

lessons. This constitutes a pedagogical hindrance in the effective teaching

and learning of Biology concepts.

As reported Hunde (2010) that despite the fact that laboratories have

multiple benefits ranging from making learning concrete to lying basis for

science education; students were deprived of such opportunities. They were

mostly subject to classroom experience without adequate practical to have

real test of the knowledge. It is against this background that this study

intends to assess effects of poorly equipped labs on the teaching and learning

of biology in secondary schools, focusing on Lafia North Development Area

of Nasarawa State.

56
5.2 Summary of the Procedures Used

This study adopted a descriptive research design. The targeted population

comprised all teachers and students in the selected secondary schools.

Meanwhile, 140 people were sampled out from the total population which

comprised of 15 Biology teachers and 125 biology students using a random

sampling procedure. The main instrument for data collection was the

questionnaire which was validated and tested reliable for the research. The

data collected were analyzed using simple frequency percentage technique.

5.3 Principal Findings

The findings of the study revealed that:

 Sufficient laboratory facilities facilitate learning and teaching of

Biology.

 Biology practical helps in understanding biological concepts.

 Well equipped biology laboratory will help students to pass biology

examinations.

 Lack of equipped laboratory affects teaching and learning of Biology

in Secondary schools of Lafia North.

 Lack of maintenance culture affects laboratory equipment for

effective teaching and learning of biology in secondary schools in

Lafia North Development Area

57
  Biology is suitable with practical experience using laboratory and

students perform better in Biology in schools with well-equipped

laboratory facilities.

 Provision of adequate laboratory facilities will enhance the academic

performance of secondary school students in Lafia North

5.4 Conclusion

The findings of the study revealed that there are inadequate facilities in the

Biology laboratories in the senior secondary schools of Lafia North

Development Area. From the findings, the teachers do not often conduct

practical lessons with the students and those that are involved, do not utilize

the facilities effectively which impart negatively on students as they are not

exposed to or allowed to handle the equipment. Based on the findings also,

there is a significant relationship between the availability of laboratory

facilities and the performance of students in the SSCE.

Based on the foregoing, it can be concluded that inadequate laboratory

facilities and utilization hinder meaningful teaching and learning of Biology

in secondary schools and contribute to the persistent poor performance of

students in the SSCE in Biology and other sciences in Lafia North

Development Area.

58
5.5 Implications of the Study

The findings of this study have some implications for biology education.

Laboratory equipment or facilities constitute the plat form of science

laboratory practices. The science laboratory practices are implicated to the

extent that it determines students’ attitude change and performance in

biology. Inadequate provision of laboratory materials and equipment ideas to

under achievement in biology and creates dichotomy between practical and

theory in the teaching and learning of biology. Also inadequate provision of

laboratory equipment and materials do not facilitate positive attitude and

attitude change to teaching and learning of biology.

5.6 Limitations of the Study

In the process of carrying out this research work, several problems were

encountered by the researcher which hindered the comprehensiveness of the

study. Among these challenges, some of the responses were rendered useless

and some respondents refused to return their questionnaires. The researcher

also had to follow up some respondents to their houses or wait for them,

which was time consuming. Some of the respondents took several days to

fill the questionnaire and some of them who left questions unanswered, the

researcher had to persuade them to fill those questions and were guided on

how to provide the necessary answer.

59
 Some of the respondents displayed inferiority complex because they felt that

the questions were supposed to be attended to by highly educated

respondents. However, the question was read and interpreted to them in the

languages they best understood and this was tasking. Others said they have

more serious things to do than to fill questionnaires. Besides being reluctant

in filling the questionnaires, others complain that a lot of researches had

been conducted in different area of study and nothing was done to change

the situation of the community, therefore, they saw filling of questionnaire

and granting interview as a waste of time. Furthermore, the major limitation

to this research is the insufficient time and financial constraints.

5.7 Recommendations

In the light of implications of findings of this study it is recommended that

the government and all the stakeholders in Science Education should ensure

that there is adequate:

 Provision of laboratory materials and equipments or facilities.

 Non-governmental organizations should take interest and bold steps in

enhancing the quality of school science laboratories.

 International donor organizations to assist in equipping school science

laboratories.

60
  Teachers should be encouraged to attend regular workshops and

seminars on improvisation and laboratory techniques.

5.8 Suggestion for Further Studies

 Similar studies should be carried out at different Development Areas,

Local Government Areas, or State at large.

 A research should also be carried out on effect of poorly equipped

laboratory on teaching and learning of chemistry or Physics in Lafia

North Development Area.

61
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Proceedings

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Dahar, O. P (2011). Assessment of Biology Study Support Environment in
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Nigeria Heinemann Educational Book Plc.

Dike, H. R. (2008). Teaching and training: A handbook for instructors (3rd

ed). London: Macmillan Publishers

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Federal Government Press.

Frank, J. (2003) Research and teaching-engaging students, journal of

college science teaching.

Hofstein, A. (2007). The laboratory in chemistry education: thirty years of

experience with developments, implementation and evaluation.
Chemistry Education Research and Practice, 5, 247-264.

Johnson, D.P (1977) Volume 14 issue 1.Journal of Research in science,

New York: John Wiley Sons publishers.

Maduabum, A.M. (2001). An investigation into teachers’ attitude towards

and extent of improvisation of resources for effective teaching of
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Nahie, N.U. (2008). The Role of the laboratory on the Academic

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National Association of Biology Teachers (NABT).(2005). Role of

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Nwachukwu, N.E. (1999). Science Education, theory and Practice. Owerri:

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64
 APPENDIX I

INTRODUCTORY LETTER

Dear Respondents,
QUESTIONNAIRE
I am a student of the above named address currently conducting a research
on the topic: “EFFECTS OF POORLY EQUIPPED LABORATORY
ON THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF SECONDARY SCHOOL
BIOLOGY STUDENTS IN LAFIA NORTH, NASARAWA STATE”
I kindly solicit that you help fill the attached questionnaire as I assure you
that every information provided will be treated confidential and be used for
academic purpose only.

Your cooperation will be highly appreciated.

Yours Faithfully,

Students Name
Matric No.

65
 APPENDIX II

QUESTIONNAIRE

INSTRUCTION:

Please, tick ( √ ) the option that you deemed appropriate.

SECTION A: PERSONAL DATA FOR STUDENTS ONLY
Sex: Male Female
Age group: 12-15 ( ) 16-20 ( ) 21 above
Name of School: _____________________________________

SECTION B: PERSONAL DATA FOR TEACHERS

Sex: Male ( ) Female ( )
Age group: 20-25 ( ) 26-30 ( ) 31 above
Highest Qualification: Diploma ( ) NCE ( ) HND ( ) B.Sc ( ) Master Degree &
Above ( )
Years of Teaching Experience: 1-2 Years ( ), 3-5 Years ( ) 6-10 years ( )
10 years above ( )
QUESTIONS ON EFFECTS OF POORLY EQUIPPED LABORATORY ON THE
ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF SECONDARY SCHOOL BIOLOGY
STUDENTS IN LAFIA NORTH, NASARAWA STATE
.

1. Students are really interested in learning Biology.

(a) Strongly agree (b) Agree (c) Disagree (d) Strongly Disagree (e)
undecided

2. Sufficient laboratory facilities facilitate biology practical:

(a) Strongly agree (b) Agree (c) Disagree (d) Strongly Disagree (e)
undecided

3. Biology Practical helps you in understanding biological concepts.

(a) Strongly agree (b) Agree (c) Disagree (d) Strongly Disagree (e)
undecided

66
4. You often make use of laboratory facilities in learning biology in your
school.
(a) Strongly agree (b) Agree (c) Disagree (d) Strongly Disagree (e)
undecided

5. Teachers always exposed students to biology practical in your school.

(a) Strongly agree (b) Agree (c) Disagree (d) Strongly Disagree (e)
undecided

6. Students always love to partake in biology practical

(a) Strongly agree (b) Agree (c) Disagree (d) Strongly Disagree (e)
undecided

7. Well equipped biology laboratory will help students to pass biology

examinations.
(a) Strongly agree (b) Agree (c) Disagree (d) Strongly Disagree (e)
undecided
8. Lack of equipped laboratory affects teaching and learning of Biology in
Secondary school in Lafia North Development Area?
(a) Strongly agree (b) Agree (c) Disagree (d) Strongly Disagree (e)
undecided

9. Educational Policy affects laboratory equipment for effective teaching and

learning Biology
(a) Strongly agree (b) Agree (c) Disagree (d) Strongly Disagree (e)
undecided

10. Lack of maintenance culture affects laboratory equipment for effective

teaching and learning of biology in secondary schools of Lafia North
Development Area.
(a) Strongly agree (b) Agree (c) Disagree (d) Strongly Disagree (e)
undecided

11. Studying Biology is suitable with practical experience

(a) Strongly agree (b) Agree (c) Disagree (d) Strongly Disagree (e)
undecided

12. Students perform better in Biology in schools with well-equipped laboratory

facilities.
(a) Strongly agree (b) Agree (c) Disagree (d) Strongly Disagree (e)
undecided
67
13. Attitudes of students towards biology affect their performance in biology.
(a) Strongly agree (b) Agree (c) Disagree (d) Strongly Disagree (e)
undecided

14. Lack of competent teachers to handle laboratory is a factors that contributes

to inefficient laboratory facilities in secondary schools of Lafia North
Development Area.
(a) Strongly agree (b) Agree (c) Disagree (d) Strongly Disagree (e)
undecided

15. Provision of adequate laboratory facilities will enhance the academic

performance of secondary school students in Lafia North.
(a) Strongly agree (b) Agree (c) Disagree (d) Strongly Disagree (e)
undecided

68
 APPENDIX III

Responses of Biology Teachers (N =15)

S/ RESPONSES
N STATEMENT
SA A U D SD
1 Students are really interested in
learning Biology
2 Sufficient laboratory facilities
facilitate biology practical.
3 Biology Practical helps in
understanding biological
concepts
4 You often make use of
laboratory facilities in learning
Biology in your school
5 Teachers always exposed
students to biology practical in
your school
6 Students always love to partake
in Biology practical
7 Well equipped Biology
Laboratory will help students to
pass biology examinations
8 Lack of equipped laboratory
affects teaching and learning of
Biology in Secondary school in
Lafia North Development Area
9 Educational policy affects
laboratory equipment for
effective teaching and learning
Biology
10 Lack of maintenance culture
affect laboratory equipment for
effective teaching and learning of
biology in secondary schools of
Lafia North Development Area
11 Studying Biology is suitable with
practical experience
69
12 Students perform better in
Biology in schools with well-
equipped laboratory facilities.
13 Attitudes of students towards
biology affect their performance
in biology.

14 Lack of competent teachers to

handle laboratory is a factor that
contributes to inefficient
laboratory facilities in secondary
schools of Lafia North
Development Area
15 Provision of adequate laboratory
facilities will enhance the
academic performance of
secondary school students in
Lafia North.
(Source: Field Survey, 2023)

70
 APPENDIX IV

Responses of Biology Students (N = 125)

RESPONSES
S/ STATEMENT SA A U D SD
N
1 Students are really interested in
learning Biology
2 Sufficient laboratory facilities
facilitate biology practical.
3 Biology Practical helps in
understanding biological concepts
4 You often make use of laboratory
facilities in teaching and learning
Biology in your school
5 Teachers always exposed students
to biology practical in your school
6 Students always love to partake in
Biology practical
7 Well equipped Biology
Laboratory will help students to
pass biology examinations
8 Lack of equipped laboratory
affects teaching and learning of
Biology in Secondary schools of
Lafia North Development Area
9 Educational policy affects
laboratory equipment for effective
71
 teaching and learning Biology
10 Lack of maintenance culture
affect laboratory equipment for
effective teaching and learning of
biology in secondary school in
Lafia North Development Area
11 Studying Biology is suitable with
practical experience
12 Students perform better in
Biology in schools with well-
equipped laboratory facilities.
13 Attitudes of students towards
biology affect their performance
in biology.

14 Lack of competent teachers to

handle laboratory is a factors that
contributes to inefficient
laboratory facilities in secondary
schools of Lafia North
Development Area
15 Provision of adequate laboratory
facilities will enhance the
academic performance of
secondary school students in
Lafia North.
(Source: Field Survey, 2023).

72