Teachers’ Perception of the Influence of COVID-19 on the Performance of Senior Secondary School Class Three Students: Inferences for STEM Education in Nigeria

Abstract

The latest eruption of COVID-19 pandemic in December 2019 has led to the complete lockdown of key conurbations worldwide which occasioned the premature shutting down of schools in conurbations affected. With the surging cases of the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria, it is conjectured that COVID-19 may have an undesirable effect on the performance of senior secondary school class three students in science, technology, and mathematics (STM) subjects in the forthcoming national and regional examinations conducted by the National Examinations Council (NECO) and the West African Examinations Council (WAEC). By drawing on qualitative research method and case study design, the study collected data through electronic interviews conducted with nine STM teachers. Results showed that there are likelihoods of a further drop in the pass rate of senior secondary school class three students in STM subjects in this year’s national and regional examinations if COVID-19 contagion is not curtailed. COVID-19 induced school closure and subsequent adoption of virtual modes of learning mediated through social media platforms, television and radio broadcast has resulted in the loss of quality teaching and learning time coupled with the disruption of the school academic calendar. The study recommended that Nigerian government at all levels should make it a point of duty to distribute iPads and electronic tablets preloaded with e-textbooks to all senior secondary school class three students in the country. This will help to mitigate the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on students’ academic performance in STM subjects in the forthcoming national and regional examinations.