The Relationship Between Class Size And Secondary School Students Academic Performance In Geography
[A CASE STUDY OF ABEOKUTA-SOUTH LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF OGUN STATE]

Abdulkareem (2000), stated that the work of geography teachers can be enhanced by well planned building and that institution strategies are influenced by the quality and quantity of the available resources to meet the number of students in each geography classroom, he added that it is therefore justifiable to say that inadequate school resources discourages the inspiration or motivation and challenges of geography students imagination of physical geography aspect and introduction of appreciation of quality.
    Adeboye (2000), lamented that as a result of increased enrolment in the schools, many schools are short of almost everything that enhances teaching and learning of geography from classrooms, teachers, furniture, laboratories and other equipments, attendance and even chalk; leading to half baked products of geography students from our educational system.
    Abdulahi (2000), confirmed that the major problem facing effective teaching and learning process in our schools especially the teaching of geography which has many abstract features are non availability of vital laboratory equipment, charts, maps and other facilities that will meet the demand of the increasing numbers of students in geography classes all over the country.
    Adeshina (1999), noted that the demand for education has perhaps been the most persistent and pressing. Though Nigeria has increased enrolment since attaining political independence, the pressure for more and better education has continued to mount.
    In spite of the tremendous achievement in the development of the educational system, the resources available have never been adequate.
    Many adolescents do not attend school because their parents are unable to afford the monetary cost of schooling. For others, they have to start working to support their family. Figures also show that there are higher proportions of boys in junior secondary school as compared to girls.
    Transition rates from primary school into junior secondary school are low compared to the 100% transition rate envisaged under the country’s education scheme. Although there has been a slight increase in transition rates, opportunities for entering into junior secondary schools are limited.
    National data shows that more than half of the children who would have been admitted are denied admission due to unavailability of space. This can be explained by lack of adequate schools. In many cases, the great distance to schools is a major obstacle to enrolment. In addition, those who enrols in school either drop out or attending irregularly.
    In 2006, only 33% of the pupils completed junior secondary school. The lack of adequate sanitation in schools also contributes to poor school attendance of the girl child.
    The quality of education at this level is low. Evaluations show that students perform poorly in core subjects, which geography is a branch.

Effects of Class Size on Academic Performance in Geography
    According to Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, class size is a rapid increase in population of students in a particular class.
    Ajiboye (1989), defined class size as the total number of students in a particular class at a given period, in the above definitions the term class size occur in the school setting where the number of students exceeds the number of available resources such as classrooms, laboratories, charts and maps, teachers and also furnitures.
    Ibrahim (1990), noted that increase in population would cause over crowded classroom and this would affect our teachers to interact with students and effective evaluation of the lesson would be greatly hindered.
    Farrant (1984), stated that increase in population would cause or increase in secondary school enrolment particularly during the first year of enrolment, this sporadic increase out – numbered the available classrooms and led to over-crowded classrooms and shortfall of teachers according to the National Policy on Education (1981).
    Class size issue also persists because of the tension between the research findings and the cost of implementation. As school population increases, so also the class size increases.
    In a compilation of studies examined by Educational Research Service, Robinson (1990) concluded that research does not support the expectation that class size will of themselves result in greater academic gains for students. He observed that the effects of class size on students learning vary by grade level, pupil characteristics, subject areas, teaching methods and other learning interventions. In particular review of the studies concludes that smaller class are most beneficial in reading and practical and that the research rather consistently finds that students who are economically disadvantaged or from some ethnic minorities perform better academically in smaller classes.