CHAPTER ONE

   INTRODUCTION

1.1   BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Reading culture is a well-organized and systematic pattern of study that has resulted in a level of consistency on the part of students in terms of comprehending academic subjects and passing exams. Students' academic achievement in Agricultural Science is heavily influenced by their reading habits. Reading and academic success are intertwined and mutually reliant (Bashir, 2008). Students come from a variety of backgrounds and locations, with varying degrees of academic achievement. As a result, their reading patterns are different. Some pupils have a strong reading habit, whereas others have a weak reading habit. Academic accomplishment refers to how much information a student has gained in school (Mattoo, 2012). Personal exploration is an important part of a creative and pragmatic education. Self-study, followed by self-thinking and analysis, is required for personal exploration. Self-study, often known as reading on one's own initiative, necessitates the development of a reading habit. Reading allows one to have a better grasp of one's own experiences and may be a fun journey of self-discovery. Reading habits are best acquired at school at a young age, but once formed, they may last a lifetime (Green, 2001). Reading and academic performance are critical for researchers and educators to understand that every kid, whether gifted, average, or normal, should be educated in his or her own method, but that if he or she has a good study habit, he or she may succeed in Agricultural Science and in any scenario. It is the habit of reading that aids the student in acquiring useful and desirable knowledge. A solid reading habit is a powerful tool for a student to succeed in life (Bashir, 2012). According to Pelani (2012), developing a reading habit is a necessary component of building a literate society in the globe. Individual personalities are shaped, and it aids in the development of good thinking skills and the generation of new ideas. According to Pelani (2012), efficient reading is a crucial component of effective learning, and reading is intertwined with the whole educational process; hence, educational achievement necessitates a good reading habit. Both the elderly and the young found time to read before the invention of television, but nowadays, reading has lost its relevance since both the old and the young are captivated to the television. In terms of educational institutions, it appears that preparing students for exams is the be-all and end-all of our educational system. Scholars and educational authorities have long been interested in the relationship between study habits and students' academic success in Agricultural Science (Yenagi, 2009). Many factors impact students' capacity to build a good and efficient reading or study habit in Agricultural Science in Nigeria. Students' health, motivation, anxiety, their surroundings, and the sufficiency of infrastructures such as textbooks and a well-equipped library are all elements that might influence their academic achievement in Agricultural Science. Nuthana (2009) investigated the factors of pupils' low academic performance. Intellectual capacity, poor study habits, achievement motivation, lack of occupational ambition, low self-concept, low family socio-economic position, and bad family structure are some of the causes found. Teachers' problems, insufficient school facilities, problems traceable to kids, problems created by parents and society at large, and government policies and low educational financing are all factors contributing to pupils' poor performance ( Olutola, 2007). In a similar vein, Ichado (1998) stated that a student's home environment had a significant impact on his or her academic achievement in school. The word study or reading habit refers to a student's method of studying, which might be methodical, efficient, or unproductive. It essentially implies that a good study or reading habit leads to good academic achievement in Agricultural Science, whereas a bad study or reading habit leads to academic failure. Reports, examinations, assessments, and ratings can all be used to examine and rate a person's study or reading habits (Ajila, 2002). Students' attitudes about any topic, such as Agricultural Science, have been defined as a product of their ideas about the subject and implicit evaluative reactions to those views. According to Hussain (2000), study attitude refers to predispositions that pupils have established through time toward private reading. Study attitude also opens you a lot of opportunities for academic success. Academic achievement of students is extremely significant in both education and the learning process. It is regarded as a crucial factor for assessing one's complete potentialities and capacities, which are commonly assessed through examination results (Yenagi, 2009). Nagaraja (2004) concluded from a review of the research that excellent study or reading habits and attitudes are essential for academic performance. Scholars and educational agencies have long been interested in the relationship between reading habits and students' academic success in Science disciplines. For example, in 1994, the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) performed a research to determine the association between students' reading habits and their academic achievement. The results of the reading study demonstrated a link between reading habits and academic success. Onwuegbuzie (2001) conducted a series of studies to determine the link between academic achievement and reading habits, and found a favorable correlation between the two factors. One of the main reasons for pupils' underdeveloped abilities might be a lack of learning methodologies. Betty (2004) claims that it is not uncommon for kids who spend an excessive amount of time remembering reading content to still be struggling. Reading habits are learning habits that allow pupils to work independently. The reading habit, according to Azikiwe (1998), is the accepted style and manner in which a student arranges his or her private reading following classroom learning in order to achieve mastery of the subject. A healthy reading habit is beneficial to students since it helps them develop mastery in their areas of specialty and, as a result, exceptional performance in Agricultural Science, whereas the contrary creates barriers to learning and accomplishment, leading to failure. Environmental impact, according to Ozmert (2005), is a crucial role in the establishment of a student's reading habit. In a similar vein, Oladeji (2007) claims that most children's environments are not favorable to reading; as a result, some parents want their children to attend boarding school for adequate discipline and to instill a better reading habit. Achievement is a pedagogical phrase that refers to the process of determining a student's performance in formal education. It is measured by ratings and is influenced by a variety of circumstances (Adetunji, 2006). In essence, the National Policy on Education (Federal Republic of Nigeria, 2004) has determined school accomplishment content based on school courses categorised as core or elective. Despite the fact that there are several research on the causative and predictive nature of determinants of reading habit on students' academic achievement, all of the variables tend to focus on bad reading habits. As a result, the importance of reading habits, particularly in elementary and secondary schools, cannot be overstated, given their impact on the development of intellectual abilities and student achievement.

1.2   STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The challenge that most students have, which leads to their poor performance in agricultural science tests and examinations, is a lack of suitable reading habits (Oladeji, 2007). The learner must develop solid reading and study habits in order to achieve exceptional results. One of the numerous challenges plaguing students today is their lack of interest, rather than their incapacity to read (Ozmert, 2005). As stated above, the purpose of this study was to investigate students' reading habits and their effect on academic achievement in agricultural science in secondary schools.

1.3   OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The study's goal is to look at the influence of reading culture on secondary school students' academic performance in agricultural science. The study's specific goals are to:

i. Assess agricultural science students' reading habits.

ii. Compare and contrast the academic achievement of students who have acquired a reading habit with those who do not.

iii. Investigate the factors that affect students' reading habits.

iv. Look at the effect of students' reading habits on their academic achievement in agricultural science.

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