A.H OYAKHIROME

This study investigated university students’ attitude towards chemistry and its effect on their academic achievement among 50 undergraduate chemistry students at the University of Benin. The aim was to determine how perceived relevance, enjoyment, and difficulty influence performance in chemistry courses. Using a descriptive survey design, data were collected with a structured questionnaire and analyzed with SPSS using descriptive statistics, correlation, and regression. The mean scores showed moderate to positive attitudes: perceived relevance (M = 3.01, SD = 0.64), enjoyment (M = 2.95, SD = 0.62), and perceived difficulty (M = 2.83, SD = 0.59). The mean academic achievement score was 68.7 ± 9.4, indicating moderate–high performance. Correlation analysis revealed significant positive relationships between relevance (r = 0.42, p < 0.01) and enjoyment (r = 0.49, p < 0.01) with academic achievement, while perceived difficulty correlated negatively (r = –0.34, p < 0.01). Regression analysis showed that the attitude components jointly explained 43% of the variance in performance (R = 0.66, R² = 0.43, Adjusted R² = 0.41, F = 20.26, p < 0.001). Enjoyment (β = 0.37, p = 0.000) and relevance (β = 0.28, p = 0.000) were the strongest positive predictors, while difficulty had a significant negative effect (β = –0.25, p = 0.000). Gender differences were observed, with females (M = 69.8 ± 9.1) outperforming males (M = 67.2 ± 9.7, p = 0.037). No significant difference occurred across study levels (F = 0.71, p = 0.546). The study concludes that positive attitudes—especially enjoyment and perceived relevance—enhance academic success, while perceived difficulty lowers performance. It recommends interactive teaching, real life applications, and improved laboratory access to strengthen students’ engagement and achievement in chemistry.

This research was carried out for the purpose of assessing the attitude of secondary school students towards the learning of chemistry a case study of secondary schools in egor local government area. The study used the descriptive survey design using 20-item questionnaire questionnaire as instrument of data collection and fifty (50) respondents were selected from 5 schools
in egor local government area. The study adopted percentage, mean standard deviation to analyse the research questions from data collected, Data analyzed using descriptive statistics, with a mean score of 2.50 indicating a positive attitude or agreement.
This study analyzed the attitudes of secondary school students towards chemistry learning in the Egor Local Government Area and investigated the influence of teaching methods and style, curriculum topics, and the sex of the chemistry teacher on these
attitudes. Key Findings showed that Students generally hold a positive attitude towards chemistry (xˉ =3.18), driven primarily by the recognition of the subject's usefulness for future careers ( xˉ=3.68). Also the Teaching methods exert a strong positive influence on student attitudes ( xˉ =3.76), with students highly favoring active and student-centered methods like encouraging questions, group work, and using real-world examples. While students appreciated practical applications, a significant proportion agreed the curriculum is "too focused on theoretical concerns" ( xˉ =3.48), suggesting a disconnect in curriculum delivery. The direct influence of a teacher's sex on overall attitude was inconclusive (xˉ =2.96), but students did perceive that male and female teachers employ different teaching styles ( xˉ =3.60), with female teachers perceived as slightly more supportive ( xˉ =3.26). The study concludes that pedagogy is paramount, with active, collaborative, and contextualized teaching methods being the most critical factors. It is recommended that chemistry teachers prioritize student-centered methods and contextualize content to
reinforce career utility. Furthermore, curriculum planners should review the theoretical load to ensure practical work and applications receive adequate time. The finding on teacher sex suggests that all teachers should be trained to foster a nurturing and
supportive classroom environment, regardless of gender.

The central thrust of reforms in the teacher education programme is to produce teachers who can perform adequately in the world of work and meet the present day challenges. Teaching practice is a vital aspect of the teacher preparatory programme in teacher training institutions and in Faculties of Education in Nigerian universities. It serves as an opportunity for studentteachers to be exposed to the realities of teaching and professional activities in the field of education.