15 THE PROBLEM OF CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN NIGERIA: IKA NORTH EAST LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, OWA OYIBU, AS A CASE STUDY

ABSTRACT

The study analyzed teacher’s perception of problems in classroom management in some selected public and private senior secondary schools in Ika North East Local Government Area Owa-Oyibu, Delta State Nigeria. Data were collected for the study using a self report designed questionnaire which was developed from literature by the researcher, validated and tested for liability Purposive non-probability random sampling technique was used to select the number of schools to be used. Two hundred and ten (210) teachers served as sample for this study. Research questions were raised to be answered and hypotheses formulated to be tested in the study. A one way analysis of various (ANOVA) was used to analyze data. The findings from this study revealed that teachers form the sampled schools perceived overpopulation as significant problems in classroom management, but infrastructural deficiency, teacher personality and poor school learning proved to be insignificant problems in classroom management. Based on the findings of the study, it was concluded that the self needs of teachers must be revisited and efforts made by the government towards uplifting the learning conditions of the learners and teachers motivation and productivity. In other words, the state as well as the Federal Government should ensure that the classrooms are not overpopulated. The students should be better controlled and motivated by the teachers with assistance of school guidance counsellors and creation of conducive learning environment. The government also has a role to play in providing the necessary teaching aids and periodic maintenance of building facility and laboratories equipment. Thereafter, suggestions for further studies were made.

INTRODUCTION

In our system of education, classroom management plays a very vital role, it is a facility that could enhance learning if properly conditioned. The Nigeria educational system is divided into two: Formal and Informal System; in formal system, learning occurs in an organised and structured environment (such as in an education or training institution or on the job), informal system of education lacks the structure and standard of formal education, learning happens outside the classroom, before the introduction of formal education in Nigeria, the system adopted then was informal traditional or indigenous Nigeria education (fafunwa, 1974). The type of education takes place everywhere and throughout life. Classroom management has also defined as orchestration of the learning environment of a group of individuals within a classroom setting (Evertson, 2003).

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Teaching has been noted as one of the most difficult jobs in the world. It becomes more difficult when the teacher is the one responsible for maintenance of student’s interest, accompanied by cheating and the standard of education which continues to fall. Where good classroom management is lacking, there is chaos teaching and learning are disrupted and much learning does not take place.

Equally important in classroom management and the issues of discipline and the handling of disciplinary problems. Many secondary school teachers are yet to appreciate the importance of understanding the personality of the student he/she is handling in other to keep the classroom ready for the task at hand. This creates a picture of the activities that a teacher is involved in while in the classroom.

When the class is overcrowded with many students and the school management and the government refusing to provide enough learning space, it will adversely affect educational system. Infrastructural deficiency as in lack of facilities like good buildings, enough play ground, good roads, pipe borne water, laboratories could greatly affect teacher management of students and classroom. When teaching aids like: television, film strip, map video, graph and chart are not provided by the government and the school authorities. It will surely hinder the educational system. Some secondary schools are not well sited or located in conducive environments. When such schools are very close to the market, record studios, motel or wielding workshops, this will affect the learning outcomes because the noises coming out from such places will affect the attention span of the learner.

RESEARCH QUESTIONS

The following are the research questions of the study:

• What is the relationship between infrastructural deficiency and classroom management in Senior Secondary Schools in Ika North East Local Government Area of Delta State?
• What is the relationship between overpopulation and classroom management in Senior Secondary Schools in Ika North East Local Government Area of Delta State?
• What is the relationship between teacher personality and classroom management in Senior Secondary Schools in Ika North East Local Government Area of Delta State?
• What is the relationship between poor learning environment and classroom management Senior Secondary Schools in Ika North East Local Government Area of Delta State?

HYPOTHESIS

A null hypothesis is formulated to be tested in this study:

The composite joint contributions of the identified variables of infrastructural deficiency, overpopulation, teachers personality and poor learning environment are not significant problems.

SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The variables this study shall measure are infrastructural deficiency, overpopulation, teachers personality and poor school learning environment. This study is delimited to selected Secondary Schools in Ika North East Local Government Area of Delta State. The schools includes: Kings Solomon Secondary School, Ideal Secondary School, Calvary Secondary School, Unique Secondary School, Ute-Okpu Secondary School, Owa Oyibu Secondary School and Owa Alero Secondary School. The sample selected for this study was two hundred and ten (210) Public and Private Secondary Schools teachers. Variables or gender will not be considered in this study but observation and a self-designed instrument shall be only source of data collection.

METHODOLOGY

The research design adopted for this study is the descriptive survey. Data were collected for the study using a self report designed questionnaire which was developed from literature by the researcher, validated and tested for reliability. Purposive non-probability random sampling techniques was used to select the number of schools to be used. Two hundred and ten (210) teachers served as sample for this study. Research questions were raised to be answered and hypotheses formulated to be tested in the study. A one way analysis of variables (ANOVA) was used to analyzed data.

Population of the study consist of all the Public and Private School Teachers (Secondary) in Ika North East Local Government Area, Delta State, Nigeria.

The instrument adopted for this study is questionnaire titled: ‘Teacher’s Perception of Problems in Classroom Management in Secondary Schools in Delta State, Nigeria was used to gather data for this investigation. The questionnaire was developed by the researcher from literature.

Research Question 1: Is infrastructural deficiency a significant problem in classroom management?

Table 2: Analysis of variance showing relationship between infrastructural deficiency a significant problem in classroom management.

Source of Variation	Sum of Square	Degree of Freedom	Mean Square	Calculated F-Value	Critical F-Value
Between Groups	.037	1	.037	.146	.703
Within Groups	52.387	208	.252
Total	52.424	209

From table 2 analyses, the result has shown from the calculated value (0.14) which is less than the critical F-value (0.70) that infrastructural deficiency is not a significant problem in classroom management.

Research Questions 2: Is overpopulation a significant problem in classroom management?

Table 3: Analyses of variance showing relationship between overpopulation and classroom management.

Source of Variation	Sum of Square	Degree of Freedom	Mean Square	Calculated F-Value	Critical F-Value
Between Groups	.148	1	.148	.591	.443
Within Groups	52.275	208	.251
Total	52.424	209

Table 3 result posit that overpopulation is a significant problem in classroom management. With a different of 1208 and a calculated value of 0.59 and 0.44 critical F-value which is higher than the latter, it is obvious that overpopulation could account for df in teacher ability to manage his/her classroom.

Research Questions 3: Is Teacher Personality a significant problem in classroom management?

Table 4: Analyses of variances showing relationship between teacher personality and classroom management.

Source of Variation	Sum of Square	Degree of Freedom	Mean Square	Calculated F-Value	Critical F-Value
Between Groups	.000	1	.000	.000	.996
Within Groups	52.424	208	.252
Total	52.424	209

Table 4 analyses indicates that the critical f-value (0.99) is far greater than the calculated (0.00) under a df of 1 and 208. This result validates the fact that teacher personality is not a significant problem in classroom management.

Research Questions 4: Poor learning environment and classroom management?

Table 5: Analyses of variance showing relationship between poor school learning environment and classroom management.

Source of Variation	Sum of Square	Degree of Freedom	Mean Square	Calculated F-Value	Critical F-Value
Between Groups	0.079	1	.079	.344	.558
Within Groups	47.545	208	.229
Total	47.624	209

In table 5 analyses, the result herein shown poor school learning environment as not a significant problem in classroom management. Under a df of 1 and 208, the calculated f-value of 0.344 is less than then critical f-value of 0.55.

 

HYPOTHESES

The composite joint contributions of the identified variables of infrastructural deficiency, overpopulation, teacher personality and poor school leaving environment are not significant problems in classroom management.

 

Discussion of Results

Infrastructural deficiency as a problem in classroom management.

In table 2 result analysis, infrastructural problem has proved not to be a significant problem in classroom management. This is not surprising because the respondents in their response to the items showed that the use of generator set during light failure availability of sport facilities and equipment adequate laboratories for practical use and available classrooms for teaching in the school though not very satisfactory are noty so bad that they interfere with their classroom management.

From the result evident, it is glowing that though the schools might lack in provision, the teachers are still able to manage their students effectively and deliver positive learning outcomes though this finding does not collaborate that of Leichardt (1985) and Thompson (1994), it is not idealistic for the government to lay back in their efforts to boost infrastructural growth in schools in order to improve teacher – classroom management.

Overpopulation as a problem in Classroom Management

In the association between overpopulation and classroom management in schools, several educational research studies have played evidence to symbolic relationship between overpopulation and classroom management. This is due to the effect an over populated classroom could have on teaching and learning outcomes. The National policy on Education (1994-2009) has specified the conditions for effective learning and educational practices in schools. The concept “over population” ranges from a highly populated classroom. Some research results like those of Ebubechukwu (2002) have revealed a positive correlation between the two variables under study. From Table 3 result analyses, overpopulation has proved to be a significant problem in classroom management.

This very substantial positive relationship once again highlights the ability of the government to afford the school aged children their right to a befitting education and standard. When there are so many students sitting in the bare floor or sharing chairs meant for one or two students, how easily could a teacher perform his/her job and at the same time have easy access to movement to administer discipline or control the students he/she should be teaching at the same time? This is an ugly situation most teachers in Delta State find themselves in during personal interaction with the researcher said that they are well trained and have several years experience but are forced to teach under unhealthy conditions. This finding is at variable from those of Foloyin (2000).

Teacher Personality As a Problem in Classroom Management

Table 4 result analysis has indicated a negative association between teacher personality and classroom management in schools. This means that though a teacher might portray a cheerful mastery teaching, but might occasionally miss his/her tenses in the course of the teaching exercise, the classroom might still be rowdy but he/she bringing his innate qualify into bear could still manage to calm the students down.

The present study brings to light the narrowed gap achieved in literature in the area of path links between teacher personality, classroom management skill and effective classroom management in schools. The finding in this study though at variable from that of Eleleme (1998) has significance with those of Isyaku (1997).

Poor School Learning Environment as a Problem in Classroom Management

Learning environment is a construct in education which is determined by many factors to interpret its symbolic nature. The meaning ranges from a formal organized structure for imputing knowledge from an educator to a learner, a conducive friendly place for teaching and leaving experiences to a quiet and well situated area for a school to be set up in. Many researchers have tried to establish relationship between teacher method of teaching and classroom management in schools but few have gone ahead to examine the association between poor learning environment and classroom management.

In other words, the school, learning environment under studies are conducive, well arranged and situated for the students to learn in and the teachers to manage the classrooms effectively. This goes on to instigate, there is yet to be provided efficient data or evidence for prove that learning environment actually influences classroom management. The finding here is in support of those of Burkhan (2002)

Conclusion

This work has so far examined the identified problems of classroom management in secondary schools with a particular focused in Ika North East Local Government Area of Delta State, Nigeria.

This findings will further throw more light on the conditions of several schools in the area of the study and the need for the government to revisit overpopulation problem in several schools in the state, look into the need to appoint more school counsellors to work aside the classroom teachers in the area of student discipline and pay more attention to improvisation of teachings aids to argument what is supplied to the schools in the area of study. All the aforementioned salient points shall go a long way to beef up classroom management challenges among teachers in the state.

Recommendations

Based on the results form the study, the following recommendations are offered:

• Teachers should be encouraged to stay on the job in secondary schools through motivation/incentives. Teachers’ ability to manage their classes should be recognized and reward as a regular process in order to motivate them to higher productivity.
• Government should intensify efforts in the provision of infrastructural facilities in all public schools in order to avoid overcrowded classrooms in Delta State and other Nigerian States.
• The age of the learner should not be considered as a hindering factor in classroom management, but there is need for the classroom teachers to design the curriculum to suit all ages of learners in the class to avoid misconducts and noise making during class instruction.
• Secondary school teachers should always portray a cheerful facial disposition and be very friendly to the students.

• Schools should be sited in ventilated area and the building should be well situated.
• Refresher course and seminar workshops on classroom management should be organized periodically each year for the teachers by the state, federal government and non-government organizations to orientate them on their teaching skills and teacher personality.

 

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