EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATIONS

This study investigated the persistent challenges associated withlearning Literature in English in Senior Secondary Schools, with a focus on identifying the key factors that hinder students’ interest, comprehension, and overall performance in the subject. Despite the central role of Literature in fostering critical thinking, cultural awareness, and language proficiency, many students continue to demonstrate poor engagement and low achievement. This research therefore examined a range of contributory issues, including students’ attitudes, students’ interest and instructional methods, the availability and suitability of learning materials, and broader environmental and administrative constraints. A descriptive survey research design was adopted, and data were collected from students across selected Senior Secondary Schools. A structured questionnaire was used to obtain reliable insights into the experiences and perceptions of the participants. Data gathered were analyzed using qualitative method to identify dominant themes and patterns. Findings revealed that major obstacles to effective learning of Literature in English include insufficient exposure to literary texts, students’ perception of the subject as difficult or irrelevant, inadequate teacher expertise, and limited use of engaging or interactive teaching strategies. Other notable challenges include overcrowded classrooms, limited time allocated to the subject, and poor access to recommended textbooks. The study also found that socio-cultural factors and a lack of reading culture negatively affect students’ motivation and ability to appreciate literary works. Based on these findings, the study recommended the provision of instructional materials, encourage positive student attitude towards Literature in English, schools should create opportunity such as reading clubs, literary competitions and drama activities to foster motivation and engagement with the subject, enhance the school learning environment and classes should be well structured and conducive for learning. The study concluded that addressing these challenges holistically will significantly enhance the teaching and learning of Literature in English in Senior Secondary Schools.

Every nation requires sustainable development to cater for its people and growing
economy. Nigeria is not exempted from this trend. The fact is that human resources
form any established sustainable development. This implies that the place of
teachers cannot be over-emphasized in the teaching -learning process. In Nigeria,
it appears that the teaching of art in Junior Secondary schools faces a lot of setbacks
not only in infrastructural facilities, equipment, tools and art materials but also in
the area of under-employment of trained Art teachers in schools. This incident may
have resulted in students’ lack of interest in offering Fine Arts at Senior Secondary
level. Due to the important role that Art plays in general education, it is important
to see that this subject is taught well at Junior Secondary level. To achieve this, both
qualified and adequate number of Art teachers becomes necessary. This study:
“Availability and Adequacy of Art Teachers in Junior Secondary Schools in Oredo
Local Government Area, Edo State” therefore, has specific objectives of assessing
the availability of Art teachers compared to the number of students offering Fine
Arts at the Junior Secondary level; determine what needs to be done to solve the
problem of inadequacy of Art teachers in the area of study, among others. Survey
research design will be employed in this study with two test instruments; Test of
Availability of art teachers questionnaire” to be administered among Art teachers
and “Test to buttress the data collected through art teachers. The data generated
from the study will be analyzed using simple percentages and recommendations
made from emerging results.

The study investigated influence of English Language teaching
methods on public secondary school students in Egor Local Government
Area of Benin City. The design adopted for this study is the descriptive
survey method. Three (3) research questions were raised for the study. The population of this study consisted of all the English Language
secondary school teachers in Egor Local Government Area of Benin City. A
total of sixty (60) English Language teachers were randomly selected as the
sample size from eight (8) public secondary schools in Egor Local
Government Area of Benin City. A structured questionnaire was used to
collect data from respondents. The research instrument used was validated
by experts in the Department of Educational Foundations. Data collected
from the survey were statistically analyzed. After analysis, results were
displayed on tables showing frequencies, percentages, mean scores and
standard deviations of responses, including the decisions made. Based on the findings, it was discovered that the majority of the
teachers in Egor Local Government Area of Benin City mostly make use of
the communicative language teaching method to teach English Language, the teachers need to adopt varying teaching methods in a lesson in order to
achieve their goal in the class, etc. Following the findings, some
recommendations were made on how to ensure adequate use of language
teaching methods in public secondary school in Egor Local Government
Area of Benin City. It was recommended that there is strenuous supervision
of academic activities in secondary schools in Egor Local Government Area
of Benin City by both internal and external authorities, workshops be
organized for teachers of English to refresh their language teaching skills
and enable them also, to be up-to-date on the traditional and modern
language teaching methods, etc.

The study investigated factors associated with the mass failure of students in
English Language in secondary schools in Ovia North East Local Government
Area of Edo State. The design adopted for this study was the descriptive survey
research design. Three research questions were raised to guide this study: What
ways do teachers and schools contribute to students’ failure in English
Language? Are parents responsible in any way to students’ mass failure in
English Language in the area of study? Does the social media have any impact
on the study habits of students?
The population of the study consisted of all the nineteen (19) secondary schools
in Ovia North East Local Government Area of Edo State. A sample size of one
hundred (100) respondents was drawn using the simple random sampling
technique. The data retrieved from respondents were analyzed by the use of a
computer software statistical tool (SPSS). Results after analysis were presented
on tables using Percentages, Frequency and Mean. The study revealed that most schools do not have qualified teachers, also the
school environment of some schools are not condusive for learning as well as
the lack of use of instructional materials to teach students. The study therefore
recommended that schools should ensure they employ teachers who have the
necessary qualifications to teach English Language in schools. Also, it was
recommended that schools should ensure they renovate and maintain school
infrastructures and rebuild old ones. Also, it was recommended that schools
should purchase instructional materials for teaching, and improvise for the ones
too expensive or unavailable for purchase