Factors Influencing the Choice of Health Science Subject at the Senior Secondary School Level in Ekiti State, Nigeria

Abstract

This paper examined factors influencing the choice of Health Science subject by Senior Secondary School students in Nigeria. A simple random sampling technique was used to select eight hundred (800) Senior Secondary School II students in Ekiti State senior secondary schools located in ten local government areas. A questionnaire designed and validated by the researchers was used to gather relevant information. Data collected were analysed with the use of multiple regression. Findings revealed that personal interest of the students, availability of school health facilities and equipment, parental decision and school health counselling services were better predictors to the students’ choice of health service than peer group, teachers’ personality, class size and West African Examination Council / National Examination Council (WAEC/NECO) requirements. Based on these findings, it was recommended that students’ personal interest should be greatly considered in the choice of Health Science subject and the school counsellors should be more enlightened on the relevance of Health Science/ Health Education to the national development.

Keywords: Factors, Influence, Choice, Health Subjects, Senior Secondary Schools, Ekiti State, Nigeria