The researchers examined how the number of students in a classroom relates to academic results in Business Studies across public junior secondary schools in Kosofe Local Government Area, Lagos State. Their findings matter because Business Studies plays a key role in equipping young students with foundational knowledge in commerce, entrepreneurship, and basic financial literacy—skills seen as essential for youth employment and economic resilience in Nigeria.
Why class size matters in urban education
Lagos is one of Africa’s fastest-growing cities, and its public school system is under constant pressure from rising enrolment. In densely populated districts like Kosofe, classrooms often accommodate far more students than they were designed for. While large classes pose challenges across subjects, the impact is especially pronounced in Business Studies, which depends on practical exercises, simulations, and close teacher supervision.
When classrooms are overcrowded, teachers struggle to monitor students’ work, provide individual feedback, and organize hands-on activities. Lessons that should involve active participation often become lecture-based out of necessity. As a result, students may grasp theoretical concepts but fail to develop practical competencies, weakening the subject’s core purpose.
How the research was conducted
The study used a correlational research design to analyze the relationship between class size and academic performance without manipulating classroom conditions. Data were collected from 100 junior secondary school students drawn from four public schools in Kosofe Local Government Area. These schools were selected because of their high enrolment levels and availability of academic records.
Researchers gathered three main types of data: official class size records, students’ most recent standardized examination scores in Business Studies, and survey responses capturing students’ perceptions of how class size affected their learning experience. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and correlation analysis to identify patterns and relationships.
Key findings at a glance
The results paint a consistent picture of overcrowding and its consequences:
- Business Studies classes across all four schools exceeded recommended class size limits, with some classes enrolling close to 100 students.
- Academic performance clustered around the “average” range, with relatively few students achieving high scores.
- Schools with smaller class sizes recorded higher mean examination scores than those with larger classes.
- Statistical analysis revealed a significant negative relationship between class size and academic performance, with a correlation coefficient of r = –0.59.
- A positive correlation (r = +0.64) was found between class size and students’ perception scores, indicating that students in larger classes were more aware of overcrowding as a learning barrier.
In practical terms, students in less crowded classrooms performed noticeably better than their peers in heavily congested learning environments. The pattern remained consistent across all schools examined.
What the findings mean for policy and practice
The study strengthens the argument that improving educational quality requires more than curriculum reform. Classroom conditions, particularly student-teacher ratios, play a decisive role in determining whether learning objectives are achieved. For skill-based subjects like Business Studies, the cost of overcrowding is especially high because practical learning is difficult to deliver at scale.
According to Olayemi and Olubunmi, reducing class sizes would allow teachers to adopt more interactive teaching strategies and provide meaningful feedback. Where immediate reductions are not feasible, the authors suggest interim measures such as additional instructional support, improved classroom management strategies, and the selective use of educational technology to enhance engagement.
The findings also have implications for infrastructure planning. Rapid urbanization means that without sustained investment in new classrooms and teacher recruitment, learning outcomes may continue to stagnate or decline. For policymakers, the data offer empirical backing for enforcing class size standards and prioritizing resources in high-density urban schools.
Author perspective
Reflecting on the results, the researchers emphasize that overcrowding is not just an administrative inconvenience but a structural barrier to effective learning. Drawing on their experience in teacher education, they argue that “large class sizes significantly limit the ability of teachers to deliver skill-oriented instruction and reduce opportunities for meaningful student participation,” an observation grounded in their Lagos-based data and classroom realities.
About the authors
- Ayodele Fredrick Olayemi, M.Ed., is a lecturer in business education with expertise in classroom management and educational assessment.
- Oladeji Ige Olubunmi, M.Ed., specializes in vocational education and education policy.
Source
- Journal article title: Relationship Between Class Size and Academic Performance in Business Studies Among Junior Secondary School Students in Kosofe LGA, Lagos State
- Journal: International Journal of Applied and Advanced Multidisciplinary Research
- Year: 2026
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.59890/ijaamr.v4i1.178
- Official journal website: https://nvlmultitechpublisher.my.id/index.php/ijaamr/index
0 Komentar