Equipped Science Laboratories Versus Students’ Participation and Academic Achievement: The Case of Nigeria Niger Delta Secondary Schools and National Certificate Examinations

Abstract

Niger Delta Region of Nigeria is an oil reach area that has served the economy of Nigeria very well but has not much in return for itself, and if anything at all, devastation of the ecosystem and impoverishment of the people, were the unfortunate outcomes. The creation of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) in year 2000 has proved to be a good response from the federal government to the region after many years of neglet. The commission is imprinting its relevance in many fronts in the region. Education and youth development has become a front burner for the commission in resent years. Science education received a boost in 2021 when NDDC decided to equip some secondary schools with laboratory resources as an intervention. This study is asking a vital question: What is the effect of this intervention on students participation and achievement in science education?. Data was gathered from  schools that received laboratory equipment in all nine states of the region, using checklist for enrollment and achievement grades in school certificate examinations in chemistry, physics, biology and Agricultural Science as relevant data. The objective was to compare the status of the variables before and after the intervention by NDDC. Mean scores were used to answer the research questions while chi-square was used to test the hypothesis. Based on the findings of a significant positive effect in enrollment and achievement, recommendations to guide the Commission and other government agencies that have neglected populations, were proffered.

Keywords: Science equipment, School laboratory, Science enrolment, Niger Delta Region.

DOI: 10.7176/JEP/17-6-05

Publication date: June 30^th 2026