E. O. OBOZOKHAE

The study aimed to assess the problems of teaching history in Nigeria secondary school using secondary schools in Oredo Local Government Area, Edo State, as a case study. Four (4) research questions guided this study. The population of this study comprised of a sample of one hundred and forty-four (144) respondents which was selected through simple random sampling technique. The study adopted survey research design for the study and the major instruments used for data collection was questionnaire. The findings of the study revealed that the shortage of qualified history teachers in Nigerian secondary schools highly impact the quality of history education, that inadequate instructional materials and resources to a high extent hinders the effective teaching and learning of history in Nigerian secondary schools, the results of the analysis conducted revealed that the current history curriculum in Nigerian secondary schools fails to represent Nigeria's rich historical and cultural diversity, and highly affects student interest and engagement and also revealed that the marginalization of history as a subject within the Nigerian secondary school curriculum has highly contributed to the decline in its popularity among students and educators

The study investigates “the influence of instructional materials on the academic performance of junior secondary school students in Oredo Local Government Area of Edo State”. Four (4) research questions were raised to guide the study. The respondents comprised of students who were one hundred (100) in number. Also, the descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study. In organizing and presenting collected data, tables and percentages were used. The study was motivated by the necessity to establish the essence at which instructional materials affects the academic performance of students. To solve the research problem, various methodology was used such as population of the study and sample and sampling techniques. The research instrument used in collecting data were questionnaires. The questionnaires were divided into two sections, Section A and B. Section A was designed to generate personal information of the respondents, while Section B comprised of items on the topic under investigation. The instrument was reviewed and validated by the project supervisor and other experts in the Faculty of Education, University of Benin, Benin City. The findings of the study revealed that instructional material are not available in schools for teaching English Language. Such materials like computers and projectors. It was also found that though teachers are experienced in teaching English Language in schools, some of them only come to class with either a textbook or a lesson note. Findings of the study also revealed the non-adequacy of the materials available in schools for teaching English Language. Based on the findings, the following were recommended; that government should organize seminars and workshops for training and retraining teachers on the effective use of instructional materials for teaching. Also, it was recommended that schools should ensure they make available and adequate instructional materials for teaching and learning English Language in junior secondary schools. Lastly, it was recommended that teachers should develop a positive attitude towards the usage and improvisation of instructional materials for teaching.