Students Achievement in English Language, Mathematics, Basic Science and Basic Technology as A Predictor of their Success in SSCE Science

Abstract

Science is defined as a body of knowledge that has been objectively and systematically acquired. Producing more science students in Nigerian secondary schools will no doubt accelerate technological development as more scientists and technologists will graduate from the nation's ivory towers. This is unarguably one of the missions of vision 2020 but unfortunately most students without relevant scientific background maneuver their ways into science classes at secondary school level. The resultant effect of this is admission of average students in the science and technology departments of universities who eventually end up as half-baked graduates with little or no scientific and technological knowhow. In line with this mind-boggling understanding, there is need for school administrators to critically appraise and analyse the achievement of students in science related subjects in our junior secondary schools in order to create a prediction model that would give sufficient insight into students' ability to be successful or not in the sciences. In this paper, discriminant analysis was used to predict students' ability to be successful in science based on their scores in junior secondary school English language, mathematics, basic science and basic technology. Mathematics and English language are compulsory for all fields of study while fundamental knowledge of basic science and technology is needed to pursue a science related discipline.