Overloaded Curriculum Content: Factor Responsible for Students’ Under Achievement in Basic Science and Technology in Junior Secondary Schools in Plateau State, Nigeria

Abstract

The study was conducted to find out if overloaded curriculum content is one of the factors responsible for JSS 2 students' underachievement in Basic Science and Technology. The survey design was used in carrying out the study in the three senatorial zones of Plateau State. The population consisted of 395 Basic Science and Technology teachers and 26, 098 of junior secondary 2 students. Out of these populations, a sample of 60 teachers and 720 students were sampled in 5 schools from each of the senatorial zones using the proportionate to size stratified random sampling techniques for unequal sizes. Three research questions guided the study. Teachers’ questionnaire, students’ questionnaire and JS 2 basic science and technology curriculum content constituted the instrument for data collection. The findings revealed that the percentage of untreated topics were high with 72%. Both teachers and students strongly agreed that overloaded curriculum content is one of the major factors responsible for students' underachievement in basic science and technology. It was recommended that the curriculum content should be reduced to manageable size that teachers can treat within a given school academic calendar. It was also recommended that more time should be spent on practical activities and topics in the curriculum content should be properly taught at each level before moving to the next.

Keywords: Basic Science and Technology, Overload Curriculum Content and Underachievement.