Abstract:
The study investigated the effect of availability and utilization of instructional resources on student’s performance in science in senior secondary schools in Sokoto State. A descriptive survey research design was used. Forty seven (47) science teachers in seven (7) sampled schools were selected across six (6) Educational Zones in the state. A total of three hundred and thirteen (313) senior secondary school two (SSII) students were selected as sample out of one thousand six hundred and twenty eight (1628) students’. Three (3) instruments were used in collecting data which included Laboratory Facilities/Equipment Inventory for Physics, Chemistry and Biology, Assessment Observation Form on Utilization of Instructional Resources and Student’s Science Performance Test. The instruments were found reliable and valid for collecting data. Five (5) research questions were developed, of which research questions 1 and 2 were answered using frequency count and simple percentage. The findings revealed that there are adequate instructional resources in senior secondary schools but the resources are inadequately utilized by the science teachers. T-test statistical tool was used for the analysis of three (3) hypotheses. All the null hypotheses tested were rejected and alternative hypotheses were accepted The study revealed that there was significant difference on the availability and utilization of instructional resources between schools with adequate and those with inadequate instructional resources on students performance in science. Based on the above findings, the researcher recommended that Ministry of Education and private school proprietors should make sure that laboratory equipment are supplied to the schools and the quantity should be supplied according to the number of students available in each school. It is also recommended that teachers should make the best use of the available instructional resources.
