YOLA SOUTH LOCAL GOVERNMENT OF ADAMAWA STATE

Elishama, Lakam John

Department of Mathematics

Adamawa State Polytechnic, Yola, Nigeria.

E-mail: elishamalj@gmail.com

Abstract: This study ascertains the predictive  strength of  the Junior Secondary Certificate  Examination (JSCE) in predicting  the  performance  of  students in  the Senior  Secondary Certificate Examinations (SSCE) in Yola-South L.G.A Adamawa  State, Nigeria. As  an  ex-post facto  and  a  descriptive  research,  the  study  population  comprised of 1,655  and  1,366  students  who  registered  for  JSCE  and  SSCE  respectively  in  five  secondary  schools  in  Yola-South  metropolis  of  the  state.  Out  of  this  population,  a  sample  of  665  students  was  selected  through  the  stratified  random sampling  technique.  The  instrument used to collect  data  for  the study was an inventory while  the  data  collected  was  analyzed using percentages, z-test,  and correlation. The  results  of  the  investigation  revealed that  the  academic  achievement  of  the  students  in  the  Junior  Secondary  School Certificate Examination (JSCE) in  Yola-South metropolis  was  a  poor  predictor of low performance in Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination (SSCE). Since the performance level was generally low in both  examinations,  it is  recommended  that  the  state  government  should  intensify  more  effort  in  ensuring  better  teaching  and  learning strategies  in  schools  through  effective  supervision  and  monitoring  of  schools,  more  qualified  and  competent  teachers  should  be  trained  and  employed  to  teach  in  Junior  Secondary  Schools.