A comparative study of students' academic performance in public examinations in secondary schools in Ondo and Ekiti states

Abstract: This study investigated students' academic performance in public examinations in Secondary Schools in Ondo and Ekiti States, Nigeria. As a descriptive research, the study population comprised all the 281 secondary schools in Ondo State and the 171 secondary schools in Ekiti State, Nigeria. Out of this population, a sample of 240 secondary schools in Ondo State and 146 secondary schools in Ekiti State was taken. The method of selection was by stratified random sampling technique. The instrument used to collect data for the study was an inventory while the data collected was analyzed using percentages, chi-square statistic and the t-test. It was found that the performance of student in the Junior Secondary Certificate (JSC) and the Senior Secondary Certificate (SSC) examinations was low. Based on this, it was recommended that the educational system needs to be revamped and made result oriented in the two States. The teaching and learning processes in all schools in the two States should be re-examined with the aim of improving the quality of performance of students in JSC and SSC examinations