Introduction



Educational physiologists and other stakeholders in education have for long engrossed themselves in what could militate against an individual’s academic performance. Thus, it has attracted the attention of researchers in education, psychology and sociology. They have therefore, identified numerous factors that are associated with academic success or failure. This search for the causations is unending. This has made the subject matter of academic achievements to enjoy flowering research attention. And this has led to the opening of a gray academic research vista (the combinatorial and/or single effect(s) of family, individual leaner, school, society and government on academic achievements). As mentioned interalia, legion of variables have been studied by scholars. They include; motivational orientation, self-esteem, and learning approaches (Minnaert and Janessen, 2000; Melendez 1997; Kaulukui, 1996; Wilson, 1996; Gorton, 1995); and more recently, child, family, school, society and government (Aremu et al 2001; Aremu 2000 and Popoola 2000). The overall conclusion from these diverse and numerous works is that school failure is a real problem.

Interestingly, as revealing as the findings of these variables were, researchers seem not satisfied in view of the ever recalling decimal of poor academic achievements, or instant academic failure, for instance, Aremu, et al (2001) smarting from a related study, submit that learning outcomes (success or failure) are determined by multifarious and dynamic causations some of which are beyond the powers and influence of the learner. They then query thus; how would a student’s influence the government of his/her country on the funding of education. One of the variables under investigation in the current study is the impact of governance on academic achievements of learning. A phenomenon Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), a potent and dynamic trade union of university teachers in Nigeria has over a decade been battling with the Federal Government of Nigeria.

The importance of adequate funding of education cannot be downplayed for a country that wants to triumph over mediocrity. According to Spardy (1976) and report of National Commission on Children (1992), the amount of funding expends on education by the local government appears to be related to effectiveness of education. Going by the report of Centre for the Study of Social Policy (1986), school districts with more funding have lower dropout rate.

Parenting has also been found to be a major factor in the academic achievement of learners (Aremu, 2000; Agbeyihane, 2000; Nwagwu, 1995). It is thus indicated that style of parenting (see Aremu, 1999) or physio-emotional involvement of parent in the academic of the children could affect school performance. Dornbusch et al (1987) submit that the authoritative parenting style characterized by warmth, interest and concern along with clear rules and limits has positive influence on grades. While Lamborn, et al (1991) reports that the neglectful style of parenting has the most negative effects on grades, attitudes towards schools, and ability. Natriello and Mcdill (1996) stress it that if parents set high standards children would exact more efforts and their school achievements would be higher. Similarly Conklin and Darley (1981) are of the opinion that students whose parents express positive expectation regarding their child’s continuing school after high school are more likely to do so, while those whose parents do not have such expectations are more likely to end their education at the point of high school graduation.

School as a variable of interest could contribute to learner’s academic performance. Cipriqnmi – Sklar (1997), Odowgwu (1994) and Ukwuije (1988) are of the mind that some factors associated with the school of the learner contribute immensely to academic achievement. Mahan and Johnson (1983) report that high school dropouts do not feel a strong sense of belonging to their school and are not very interested in school.

The individual learner himself as a very important phenomenon upon which the totality of academic revolves cannot be dispensed with. The individual child has been found to have many predisposing characteristic, the manifestation of which affect performance in academies, cognitive entry behaviour (Ogunkola, 2000) emotional and physical maturity (Akintayo, 1998), intelligence (Bamisaiye, 1998), ability effort task difficulty and luck (Weiner, 1979), Magdol (2005) stress that an individual student might do poorly in school and subsequently leave prematurely for a variety of reasons. Sapp’s (1990) finding might be one of the reasons referred to by Magdol. Sapp (1990) discovers that positive ratings, both overall and academic, are correlated with better grades and text scores.

The variables above have definitely been found to influence learner’s performance in academics. Good as they seem to be, their combinatorial effects on academic performance would have been more robust research wise if research efforts are made in that direction. For instance, Aremu et al (2001) reveal that positive significant relationship exist between the predictor variables (child, family, school, society, and government), and academic performance of secondary school students. Also consistent with this, is the view express by Magdol (2005) who was of the mind that low academic achievement is measured in a variety of ways among which are tests scores, absenteeism, suspensions, and expulsions, and the percentage of students who have been held back.

Given the above background, it seems that the subject matter of academic achievements/performance is a budding research area. As long as individuals seek for knowledge, and their pre or post learning performances are subjected to some criteria of excellence, which are also dependent on specified or desired standard, research efforts on this subject matter will not cease.

Our major pre-occupation in the current study is to examine the combinatorial effect(s) of the five causative variables – family, individual, school, society and government on the university’s undergraduates’ academic achievement. Thus, we propose these two research questions:

1.To what extent would the five independent variables (individual, family, school, society and government) predict academic achievement of undergraduates of a Nigeria university?

2.What is the relative contribution of each of the causative variables to the dependent variable (academic achievement)?

Method

The study adopted an ex-post facto methodology approach. This is because the five independent variables whose effects on the dependent variables (academic achievements) were beyond the manipulations of the researchers. Their effects have occurred prior to their investigation. A total of 395 undergraduate students of the University of Ibadan Nigeria were sampled through a randomised process from 5 faculties of the university. The participants whose age ranged from 17 to 29 (x = 22.9; SD – 2.9) were represented thus Arts: 84 (21.3%), College of Medicine: 64 (16.2%), Education: 78 (19.7%); Engineering: 82 (0.8%) and Social Sciences: 87 (2/03%). Gender representation of the participants showed that 200 (22.03%) were females, while 195 (49.4) were males.

Measures

Academic performance 5 = Factor Inventory

The inventory, Academic performance 5 = Factor Inventory (Aremu, 2000) is a conglomeration of 5 basis causative factors. It is a 100 – self – report scale designed to measure the causative factors affecting academic performance of the respondent (see Aremu and Adika, 2001). It is a 5-point scale. The inventory has a 0.07 reliability co-efficient value.

Procedures

Copies of the AP5 – F1 were administered on the participants by engaging the services of 10 Graduate students who have been schooled with the inventory. The administration was carried out by them in the form of a take – home exercise. A total of 500 inventories were administered with 79% survey return rate.

Results

Multiple Regression analysis, Analysis of variance and Pearson’s product moment correlation statistical tools were used to analyze the data collected. The first research question which sought to know the extent to which the five independent variables would predict academic achievement of the participants was tested. The results revealed the effects of the five predicting variables (individual, family, school, society and government on academic achievement of undergraduates of a Nigerian university. The regression analysis yielded a co-efficient of multiple regression (R) of 975 (adjusted) and multiple regression square (R2) of 951. The result of the analysis of variance calculated on the multiple regression indicated that F for R2 is 1525.702. This was found to be statistically significant at 2 < 0.01.

The following co-efficient values of 0.473, 0.498, 0.387, 0.573 and 0.353 on the individual, family, school, society and government respectively indicate positive significant relations to the academic achievement. It is then imply statistically that the five independent variables influences academic achievement. Also, above, all the five predicting variables investigated in the current study contributed significantly to the university undergraduates’ academic achievement.

Discussion

From the empirical investigations made on the five predicating variables on academic achievement as encapsulated in this study, it is obvious that the variables (individual, family, school, society and government) perfectly and combinatorially predict academic achievement among university undergraduate students. The multiple regression calculated, R2 = .925, which is translated into 95.1% of the observed variance, lends statistical nod to our submission. A further statistical proof of our claim is better appreciated with the calculated F-value of 1525.702 at a very low 0.01 significant level.

The results further lend a statistical pointer to the predictiveness of each of the independent variables (individual, family, school, society and government) to the dependent variable (academic achievement). The values of standardized regression weight (B) and t-ratios give the claims in this study a final statistical seal.

The significant results obtained in the study attest to the predicting potency of the five variables investigated on the academic achievement of learners. The findings amply demonstrate it that an average learner is being confronted with myriad factors which are anti academic. Interestingly, our current findings have a very good support in the works of Aremu, et al. (2001), Popoola (2000); Oluwole and Oluwole (2005), Edwards and Knight (1994); and Biechler and Snowman (1986). It must then be inferred that the present findings represent the agony of an average student in Nigeria. Many factors at a time (including the ones cited by other scholars) militate against the scholastic achievement of students. One beautiful thing about the current study is that its execution coincides with a period in which crisis orchestrated by the universities’ teachers and Federal Government face off on funding of education among other demands, is bedevilling university education in Nigeria. It then calls for reason that the plethora of crisis militating against academic performance of learners should be seriously addressed by all.

Limitation and Concluding Thought

The current study is not without some limitations. One major limitation noticed in the study has to do with the paucity of studies that are directly related and encompassed the five variables studied. This accounts for the not-too-far reaching inferences drawn in the study. This notwithstanding, the inferences drawn are strong enough to warrant a reference source for researchers.

It has been empirically proved that individual students are confronted with some unfriendly factors that obstruct performance in academics. This calls for concern on the part of all stakeholders (policy makers and planners, academics, educational psychologists, counselors, teachers, education administrators, physchometricians, parents, and students) in education. The drifts which may be consequent to those factors is better imagined than being real. It is therefore, not out of importance and concern if a national conference on education is convocated. At least it will be a pathway to the consumption of various research works on academic achievement. And by so doing, good and effective education blueprint would emerge.

References

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