Factors affecting academic performance of senior high school students in chemistry in the Akatsi south district of the Volta Region

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to find out the factors affecting the academic performance of students in Chemistry in the Akatsi South District. The study employed descriptive survey design. The population of the study was made up of all Senior High School students studying Chemistry as well as all chemistry teachers in the Akatsi South District. The sample comprised of four (4) teachers and one hundred and thirty-one (131) students who were selected using purposive and simple random sampling techniques respectively. Questionnaires were employed as the main data collection tool. Records of 2020 WASSCE results were also collected and analyzed. The instrument validity was established by expert judgement whilst its reliability was established through test-retest method yielding a Cronbach alpha Coefficient of 0.79. The collected data were analyzed quantitatively using frequencies and percentages. The study revealed among others that, the performance of students in Chemistry for 2020 WASSCE was very poor. School factors such as: use of limited of teaching methods, inadequate periods to cover a broad syllabus, failure of Chemistry teachers to be punctual and regular, inadequate laboratory and library resources were identified as the contributing factors to the poor performance. In addition to these, socio economic factors such as low educational background of parents and financial problems resulting in extensive absenteeism of students from school and inadequate time at home to study emerged as factors affecting the performance of students in Chemistry in the Akatsi South District of the Volta Region of Ghana.