SELF-CONCEPT AND JUNIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS' ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT IN BASIC SCIENCE IN IFE CENTRAL LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, OSUN STATE

Abstract

The study investigated self-concept and junior secondary school students’ academic achievement in Basic Science in Ife Central Local Government Area, Osun State. The study determined the level of self-concept among junior secondary school students in Ife Central Local Government Area, Osun State; and examined the relationship between self-concept and junior secondary school students' academic achievement in Basic Science in the study area.

The study adopted the descriptive survey research design of correlational type. The population for the study comprised all junior secondary school two (JSS II) students of Basic Science in Ife Central Local Government Area, Osun State. The sample for the study consisted of two hundred (200) junior secondary school two (JSS II) students of Basic Science that were selected using simple random sampling technique. A multi-stage sampling procedure was used to select the sample for the study. In the selected area, ten junior secondary schools were selected using simple random sampling technique. In each selected school, twenty (20) students were selected using simple random sampling technique. Two research instruments namely: "Students' Self-concept Questionnaire" (SSQ) and "Previous Term Results in Basic Science" (PTRBS) were used to collect data for the study.

Data obtained after the administration of the instrument were analyzed using frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation and Pearson Product Moment Correlation (PPMC) statistical tools. Results showed that the level of self-concept among junior secondary school students was moderate at 54.0% in Ife Central Local Government Area, Osun State. Results of the study further revealed that there was significant relationship between self-concept and junior secondary school students' academic achievement in Basic Science in the study area (r = 0.815; p < 0.05). The study concluded that self-concept predicted junior secondary school student's academic achievement in Basic Science in Ife Central Local Government Area, Osun State.