Effect Of Covid-19 On The Academic Performance Of Secondary School Students

Project and Seminar Material for Education

Abstract

The study was designed to examine the effect Of Covid-19 on the academic performance of secondary students in Nigeria. A survey research design was used for the study. The sample comprised of senior secondary students (both male and female) from ten selected government owned secondary schools in Anambra State. The instrument used for data collection was the students’ structured questionnaire. The data collected for the study were analysed using mean, standard deviation and t-test. The major findings showed that the lockdown of schools as a results of the coronavirus epidemic in Nigeria have a negative effect on students academic performance. The study also discovered that the period of stay at home increases the number of illiterates in the society. The study recommends that government should at all time be prepared in other to contain any epidemic that may occur in the future, the study among others recommends for parents to hire private teachers for their children when they are not in school, this will boost their academic performance in classroom.

Chapter One

Introduction

1.1 Background of the Study

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was identified in Wuhan city, Hubei Province, China in December 2019 as a pneumonia of unknown origin (Zhu N, Zhang 2020). Later, the international committee on taxonomy of viruses (ICTV) identified the causative agent of COVID-19 as a novel coronavirus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus−2 (SARS–CoV−2) ( ICTV 2020). COVID-19 outbreak spreads rapidly not only in China, but also worldwide. Hence the World Health Organization (WHO) declared it as a pandemic on March 12, 2020 (WHO 2020). The total number of confirmed cases and mortalities was 23,491,520 and 809,970, respectively, across 216 countries as of August 25, 2020 (WHO 2020).

Several governmental measures was taken to counteract the risk of disease spreading. These measures include travel restrictions, mandatory quarantines for travelers, social distancing, bans on public gatherings, schools and universities closure, business closures, self-isolation, asking people to work at home, curfews, and lockdown (Paital B 2020). Authorities in several countries worldwide declared either lockdown or curfew as a measure to break the fast spread of virus infection (Paital B 2020). These measures have a negative worldwide effect on the business, education, health, and tourism etc (Pragholapati A 2020).

In Nigeria, the Federal Ministry of Education directed all educational institutions in Nigeria to shut down and allow students to go home as cases of reported COVID-19 increased rapidly (Ezinna 2020). The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Sonny Echono, told reporters on 19 March that the directive was part of the country’s overall strategy to contain the spread of the virus. However this scenario effect was not just limited the closure of many sectors of the economy but on a deeper view it did affected the academic performance of many students with secondary school students inclusive.

Academic performance refers to how well an individual or a student is able to perform when given a learning task, activity or one’s achievement in standardized tests in academic pursuit. Academic performance also refers to how students deal with their studies and how they cope with or accomplish different tasks given to them by their teacher. Academic performance in this context is related to content and intellect, meaning that academic performance depends on the learner’s competence.

Due to the suspension of classroom teaching in many schools in Nigeria, students commitment level and consistence has decreased resulting to poor and unimpressive academic performance. Thus, this study seeks to investigate how the coronavirus lockdown affected the academic performance of secondary school students.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

COVID-19 pandemic has affected all levels of the education system (9). Educational institutions around the world (in 192 countries) have either temporarily closed or implemented localized closures affecting about 1.7 billion of student population worldwide (10). Many high schools around the world either postponed or canceled all academic activities to minimize gatherings and hence decrease the transmission of virus. However, these measures lead to higher academic implications on mostly students.

It is upon this ground that this study examines the impact of Covid-19 on the academic performance of secondary school students.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

This study examines the impact of Covid-19 on the academic performance of secondary school students. This however is achievable through the following objective;

Examine the effect of schools lockdown as a result of coronavirus epidemic on the academic performance of secondary school students.
Investigate if the period of stay at home increased the number of illiterates in the society.
Investigate the extent to which the coronavirus school closure affected the academic calendar and academic performance of students.

1.4 Research Questions

Is there any impact of School lockdown as a result of Coronavirus epidemic on the academic performance of secondary school students in Nigeria?
What is the effect of schools lockdown as a result of coronavirus epidemic on the academic performance of secondary school students?
Did the period of stay at home increased the number of illiterates in the society?
What is the extent to which the coronavirus school closure affected the academic calendar and academic performance of students?

1.5 Research Hypotheses

Ho1. School lockdown as a result of Coronavirus epidemic has no impact on the academic performance of secondary school students in Nigeria.
H1. School lockdown as a result of Coronavirus epidemic has no impact on the academic performance of secondary school students in Nigeria.

1.6 Significance of the Study

This study on the effect of covid-19 on the academic performance of secondary school students, is findings and recommendation will be immensely relevant to ministry of education, major stake holds in the educational sector and students.

This study also will also be of relevance to researchers who may carry out studies related to the one of concern.

1.7 Scope of the Study

This study covers ten (10) selected Government secondary schools in Anambra West Local Government Area, Anambra State.

1.8 Limitation of the Study

The major constrain of this study is time factors as the researcher had a little time frame to carry out this study. More so financial constrains and language barriers were also major key factors that limited this study.

1.9 Definitions of Terms

Coronavirus:

COVID-19 is a disease caused by a new strain of coronavirus. ‘CO’ stands for corona, ‘VI’ for virus, and ‘D’ for disease. Formerly, this disease was referred to as ‘2019 novel coronavirus’ or ‘2019-nCoV.’

Academic Performance:

This is the extent to which a student, teacher or institution has attained their short or long-term educational goals. Completion of educational benchmarks such as secondary school diplomas and bachelor’s degrees represent academic achievement.

Chapter Five

Summary, Conclusions and Recommendations:

5.1 Introduction

This chapter summarizes the findings into the effect of covid-19 on the academic performance of secondary school students using 10 selected secondary schools in Anambra West LGA as case study. The chapter consists of summary of the study, conclusions, and recommendations.

5.2 Summary of the Study

In this study, our focus was to examine the effect of covid-19 on the academic performance of secondary school students using 10 selected secondary schools in Anambra West LGA as case study.The study specifically was aimed at examining the effect of schools lockdown as a result of coronavirus epidemic on the academic performance of secondary school students; Investigate if the period of stay at home increased the number of illiterates in the society; and investigate the extent to which the coronavirus school closure affected the academic calendar and academic performance of students..

The study adopted the survey research design and randomly enrolled participants in the study. A total of 120 responses were validated from the enrolled participants where all respondent are active students of the 10 selected secondary schools in Anambra West LGA, Anambra State.

5.3 Conclusions

Based on the findings of this study, the researcher made the following conclusion.

School lockdown as a result of Coronavirus epidemic has an impact on the academic performance of secondary school students in Nigeria.
Schools lockdown as a result of coronavirus epidemic has a negative effect on the academic performance of secondary school students.
The period of stay at home increased the number of illiterates in the society.
The coronavirus school closure has in a very high extent affected the academic calendar and academic performance of students.

5.4 Recommendations

Based on the findings of this study, it is of the researcher’s opinion that Government should at all time be prepared in other to contain any epidemic that may occur in the future, also this study recommends for parents to hire private teachers for their children when they are not in school, this will boost their academic performance in classroom.

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