ACCESS TO EDUCTIONAL RESOURCES AND ITS IMPACT ON LEARNING IN RURAL NIGERIA SCHOOLS

This research was designed to investigate the access to eductional resources and its impact on learning in rural Nigeria schools. Literature Review showed that the availability and utilization of learning materials, infrastructure, qualified teachers, and digital tools influences students’ academic performance and motivation. The essence of resources availability is of necessity and utmost importance it will help in strengthening teaching effectiveness for achieving both Instructional and Educational objectives. Six research questions were formulated to guide the study. The study adopted survey research method. The population for the study comprised of all the teachers and students both in SSS1 to SSS 111 of six public schools which consist of 1050 in Orhionmwon Local Government Area, Edo State. The main research Instrument used was the structured questionnaire to which 180 students and 20 teachers randomly selected responded to collect relevant data. The validation of the research Instrument was obtained through scrutiny of the project supervisor and two other lecturers from the department of Curriculum and Instructional Technology, Faculty of Education. A test-retest was used in establishing the reliability of the questionnaire. The administered the instrument to 10 respondents who were not part of the main study. Re- administered after 7 days on the same respondents. The two scores were anaylsed using Pearson products moment correlation coefficient (r), and a reliability ratio of 0.80 was obtained. The analysis and interpretation of data involved the use of mean and standard deviation to answer the research questions. The findings of the study revealed that Educational Resources have significant impact on the academic achievement of students. The availability of educational materials is of great influence to students in rural schools as it helps to facilitate learning process and help support Instruction. The Findings also indicate that inadequate access to textbooks, laboratories, ICT facilities, and well-trained educators significantly hampers learning outcomes. The study highlights the need for targeted government policies, community involvement, and sustainable investments to ensure equitable access to quality education.