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Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal – Vol.7, No.7
Publication Date: July 25, 2020
DOI:10.14738/assrj.77.8614.
Akinnodi, O. D. (2020). Assessment Of The Implementation Of Contents For Secondary School Biology Curriculum In Three States In
Southwest, Nigeria. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 7(7) 270-276.
Assessment Of The Implementation Of Contents For Secondary
School Biology Curriculum In Three States In Southwest, Nigeria
Akinnodi, Oladamola Dickson
Department of Science Education,
Faculty Education, Ekiti State University, Ekiti.
ABSTRACT
The study assessed the implementation of contents for secondary school
biology curriculum in three states in Southwest, Nigeria. The descriptive
research design of the survey type was used in this study. The
population of the study comprised all Biology teachers in all the public
secondary schools in Ondo, Osun and Oyo States. The samples for the
study consisted of 180 biology teachers drawn from 180 public
secondary schools in the three states. The sample was selected using
multistage sampling procedure. An instrument tagged Inventory on
Implementation of Biology Curriculum (IIBC) was used for collecting the
data for the study. The validation process was exempted since an
inventory was used. The responses obtained were collated and analysed
using descriptive and inferential statistics. The findings of the study
revealed that Biology curriculum contents were not fully covered. It was
also revealed that most of the schools do not meet the recommended
standard of at least 2 periods per week for practical work in Biology. It
was further revealed that the implementation of the contents of Biology
curriculum in secondary schools do not differ among the three states
considered in this study. It was recommended among others that
Biology teacher should intensify efforts to see that the biology
curriculum contents are covered and implemented.
Keywords: Implementation, Contents, Biology, Curriculum.
INTRODUCTION
Biology is a very essential science subject and a requirement for advance learning of a number of
science related professional courses like medicine, agriculture, pharmacy among others. Biology is
also an essential science subject option for many students to meet registration requirement at the
Secondary School Certificate Examination (SSCE). In contemporary Nigeria, countless emphasis is
placed on science and technological growth. As a result, students moral are boosted to take up
science-related subjects. Today, Biology pervades literally every field of human endeavour, and
plays an important role in educational progress. This is seen in all the technologically advanced
countries of the world today, as a result of scientific investigations (Olayinka, 2016).
Biology is a captivating subject that ranges from microscopic cellular molecules to the biosphere,
encompassing the earth surface and its living organisms (Olayinka, 2016). Biology offers contents
in the training of students who want to study medicine, nursing, pharmacy, forestry, fisheries and
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Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal (ASSRJ) Vol.7, Issue 7, July-2020
so on. Requirement of a credit pass and above in Biology is needed for science related discipline.
Majority of the senior secondary school students choose Biology as an option in the West African
Senior School Certificate Examinations (WASSCE) or National Examination Council’s Senior School
Certificate Examinations (NECO SSCE). Even some students choose Biology as their first choice
because they find it to be an fascinating subject being a subject that is more related to nature.
The goals of the Biology curriculum have been pronounced as laudable according to Agu (2006),
Soyibo (2008) and Yabugbe (2009); and there is evidence to show that even though many students
find Biology interesting, thereby registering for it in the senior secondary schools, many of them
acquire poor result, in the subject year in and year out as shown by Okebukola and Akinbola (2008).
When one inspects the senior secondary school Biology results, in WASSCE and NECO SSCE in
Nigeria, and especially in Southwestern states, in the last nine years (2010-2018), one discovers
that the results were generally poor. For instance, a report from WAEC Chief Examiner has shown
that out of 591,004 candidates that enrolled for Biology examination in 2010, only 25.62% had
credit pass and above. Similarly, in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018 only
34.10%, 36.02%, 41.07%, 41.92%, 40.47%, 44.92%, 49.88% and 47.41% respectively, obtained
credit pass and above in Biology.
The same trend of poor performance was reported in NECO SSCE Biology results for Nigeria from
2010 to 2018. For instance, out of 498,117 candidates that registered for the examination in 2010,
only 53.63% had credit and above. Similarly in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018
only 49.04%, 48.63%, 49.63%, 47.48%, 43.01%, 59.86%, 58.17% and 54.92% obtained credit and
above in Biology respectively.
One wonders whether the poor performance is because of lack of infrastructural amenities or the
teaching methods in use. The researcher expressed some doubts as to whether the senior secondary
school Biology curriculum is being well implemented in schools. This issue ought to be empirically
examined rather than speculated upon hence, the necessity for evaluation of the implementation of
national curriculum for secondary school Biology (NCSSB) in Southwest, Nigeria.
Olaitan and Ali (2007) see curriculum contents in terms of how they relate to the national and
individual goals. The curriculum of biology is strategized to meet the common requirements of all
schools students. Biology as a course is aimed at contributing to the broad view of science. Ajayi
(2008) regarded curriculum implementation as putting the curriculum into work for the attainment
of the objectives for which the curriculum is designed. Omotayo (2007) regarded curriculum
implementation as the task of interpreting the curriculum document into the operating curriculum
by the collective effort of the students and other concerned. Mkpa (2007) said no matter how sound
the curriculum of any subject is planned, designed and documented, if it is not appropriately
implemented, the curriculum may not accomplish its goal and objectives.
The problem of curriculum implementation ought to be empirically inspected rather than
speculated upon, hence, the necessity for the existing evaluation of the implementation of national
Biology curriculum for secondary school Biology (NCSSB). The study measured the implementation
of contents for secondary school biology curriculum in three states in Southwest, Nigeria. The study
specifically examined:
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URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/assrj.77.8614 272
Akinnodi, O. D. (2020). Assessment Of The Implementation Of Contents For Secondary School Biology Curriculum In Three States In Southwest, Nigeria.
Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 7(7) 270-276.
i. to what extent the contents of the Biology curriculum for senior secondary schools have been
implemented;
ii. the depth of practical work done in Biology in secondary schools;
iii. the difference in the implementation of the contents of Biology curriculum among the three
states
Research Questions
The following research questions were raised to guide the study:
1. To what extent are the contents of the Biology curriculum for senior secondary schools being
implemented?
2. What is the depth of practical work done in Biology in secondary schools?
Research Hypothesis
This null hypothesis was generated for this study:
1. There is no significant difference in the implementation of the contents of Biology curriculum
among the three states.
METHODOLOGY
The descriptive research design of the survey type was used in this study. The population of the
study comprised all Biology teachers in all the public secondary schools in Ondo, Osun and Oyo
States. The samples for the study consisted of 180 biology teachers drawn from 180 public
secondary schools in the three states. The sample was selected using multistage sampling
procedure. The first stage involved the selection of twelve Local Government areas from each of the
selected states using simple random sampling technique. In stage two, five public secondary schools
were selected from each of the sampled Local Government areas using simple random sampling
technique. In stage four, one Biology teachers was selected from each of the schools using purposive
sampling technique.
An instrument tagged Inventory on Implementation of Biology Curriculum (IIBC) was used for
collecting the data for the study. The inventory was divided into two sections. Section A and B.
Section A was concerned with the demographic data of the respondents such as name of school,
while section B contained items that bother on biology curriculum implementation. A modified
Likert-type three-point rating scale with the options as Fully Taught (FT), Partially Taught (PT) and
Not Taught (NT) was used.
The validation process was exempted since an inventory was used. The instruments used for the
study were administered on the respondents by the researcher. The responses obtained were
collated and analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The research questions were
answered using frequency count and percentages. The hypothesis was tested using Analysis of
Variance (ANOVA) statistics at 0.05 level of significance.
RESULTS
Question 1
To what extent are the contents of the Biology curriculum for senior secondary schools being
implemented?