Determinants of Curriculum Overload and Students’ Academic Performance in Secondary Schools in Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District
Mfonobong Ekong Johnson, Ekaette Effiong Udoh, Blessing Assamudo Uso
Abstract
This study assessed the determinants of curriculum overload and their effect on secondary school students’ academic performance in Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District. The study focused on examining the relationships between instructional time constraints, teachers’ workload and excessive curriculum content as factors influencing students’ academic performance. Three research questions and corresponding null hypotheses guided the study. The population comprised 24,066 Junior Secondary 3 students across 89 public secondary schools in 9 local government areas, from which a sample of 478 students was selected using a two-stage random sampling technique. Data were gathered using faced and content instrument validated by three experts titled “Determinants of Curriculum Overload and Students’ Academic Performance in Secondary School (DCO- SAPSS) Questionnaire”, with Cronbach alpha reliability coefficients of 0.81 for DCO and 0.71 for the SAPSS. Data were analyzed using Pearson Product Moment Correlation (PPMC) at a 0.05 level of significance. Findings revealed weak but statistically significant positive relationships between instructional time constraints, teachers’ workload, excessive curriculum content and students’ academic performance, indicating that these variables contributed to curriculum overload and influenced learning outcomes. The study concluded that insufficient instructional time, excessive workload and expanded curriculum scope limited instructional effectiveness and students’ concept mastery. The study recommended curriculum streamlining, adequate time allocation, teachers’ workload reduction and the adoption of learner-centered teaching strategies to improve academic achievement and instructional quality.
Keywords
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