School Location and School Type Differentials in Attitude towards Schooling among Primary School Pupils in Oyo State, Nigeria

Abstract

The attitude of pupils to primary education determines the sustenance of interest in continuation or dropping out of the school system. However, there have been several controversial submissions on the influence of location on the attitude towards schooling. This study examined attitude towards schooling among pupils in rural and urban primary schools as well as attitude towards schooling among pupils in public and private primary schools in Oyo State. A sample size of three hundred and two (302) primary one pupils were used in this study, they were randomly selected from public and private schools of the selected rural and urban areas of Oyo State. Data were collected using Pupils’ Attitude Questionnaire (PAQ) and the reliability coefficient of the instrument is 0.85. T-test indicated that there is no significant difference in the attitude towards schooling between pupils in rural and those in urban schools. The study also showed that a significant difference existed in the attitude towards schooling between pupils in public and those in private schools (t= 2.889; df =300; p < .05). It was recommended among others that basic amenities should be provided in the rural areas so as to make the place conducive and make life comfortable for both the teachers and pupils thereby improving their attitudes towards schooling.

Keywords: Attitude, Urban, Rural and Schooling.