PERFORMANCE OF STUDENTS IN PRE-VOCATIONAL EDUCATION IN ABA EDUCATIONAL ZONE, ABIA STATE NIGERIA

This paper investigated the performance of students in pre-vocational subjects in Aba Educational Zone, Abia State, Nigeria. It was a descriptive survey research. Two research questions and two hypotheses were formulated. The population of the study consisted of 92 junior secondary schools in the Zone made up of 530 head teachers and pre-vocational teachers. Stratified random sampling technique was used to select a sample of 46 junior secondary schools representing 50%. While 219 head teachers and pre-vocational teachers were selected from these schools. The instrument for data collection was questionnaire which was designed and properly validated by experts in the department if educational management. A test re-test was used to get a reliability coefficient of 0.675 using Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient. Mean and standard deviation were used to answer the research questions while a t-test was used to test the hypotheses at 0.05 significant level. The findings of the study show that the student’s level of participation in pre-vocational subjects is very poor and there was no significant difference in both males and females participation in these subjects in both public and private schools. It was recommended among others that the schools should be well equipped to provide incentives to encourage the study of the subject. This will help to stimulate and maintain the student’s interests in pre-vocational subjects.