CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Every living organism reacts to its physical environment; secondary school students and teacher likewise react to their environment. The environment in question may produce comfort or discomfort; arouse feeling and disquiet and depression of feelings of ration and pride.
It may also encourage or retard learning, allow the easy spread of communicable Disease or safeguard health, may increase or decreases the possibility of accidents. The provision of safe sanitary and attractive physical environment plays an immeasurable role from the stand point of the productively of both the teachers and the students.
The emotional and social dimensions of the school environment are characterized by the harmonious inter personal relationship between teachers and learners on one side and between students themselves. The characteristics of a healthy physical environment include the school building being used, regular classrooms and special rooms with sample space provided to avoid over-crowding and to permit those activities that are included in the educational programme. There must be adequate and proper lighting, careful acoustic measures to minimize noise. Effective ventilation plus suitable and attractive furniture must also be made available. Also, included in the physical environment must be supply of safe drinking water, sufficient facilities for toilet, adequate waste disposal facilities, laboratory facilities, sufficient visual and audio-visual aids and other good instructional materials.
The school environment, having its own cultures that influence the behaviour and performances of students in different ways. Any school environment where the facilities are made available is likely to produce positive on the teaching and learning process for the students. This form of environment tends to encourage teachers to put more effort into their job while it stimulates the learning ability of the students in question.
In addition to the characteristics of the environment of the school are human elements which include the teachers, the students themselves and the peer group. The qualification of the teachers, their readiness to work and their interests in the students goes a long way to either encourage or discourage learning. The students on the other hand as the recipient of instruction also pick important parts in the teaching and learning process. Their level of intelligence which could be as a result of their psychological background, their readiness to learn and their level of cooperation with the teachers matter a lot.
Finally, the peer group as another major element in the environment can affect learning either positively or negatively. This depends largely on the mode of interaction and relationship which exists between these groups.
Watts (2002) identifies the classroom and school surrounding jointly as an artificial environment deliberately constructed and managed to facilitate more rapid and effective learning that needs to take place in the society at large. The school environments in consonance with the one expressed above is both physical and human and affects the students physically, mentally and emotionally.
Rattan (2005) is of the opinion that environment affects academic achievement. It is therefore not out of place to determine the effect of rural and urban as well as home environment factors on the performance of secondary school students.
This study will look into the effect of teaching and learning environment on students’ performance in financial accounting in senior secondary schools in Oyo West Local Government Area of Oyo State.