GENDER DIFFERENCES AND ENTRY QUALIFICATION IN PREDICTING ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF STUDENTS IN NIGERIAN UNIVERSITIES

The study is on Gender differences and Entry Qualification (SSCE Scores) in Predicting Academic Performance of students in Nigerian Universities. The study determined whether there is significant interaction effect between gender and entry qualification (SSCE Score) on the academic performance of students in Nigerian Universities. It also determined the predictive strength of entry qualification on the academic performance of students in Nigerian Universities. The correlational research design was used for the study. The multi stage random sampling technique was used to select 919 respondents (Males -491, Females- 428) from three purposively selected Universities in the South West zone of Nigeria. A self developed Proforma for Academic Records of Nigerian University Students ‘PARNUS’ was used to collect data on entry grades and academic records of the students. The data were analysed using Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient, t-test, two way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and regression analysis. The two hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance. The result of the analysis showed that Entry qualification (SSCE score) significantly predicted the academic performance of students in Nigerian universities but was low, there was no significant difference in the academic performance of male and female students and there was no significant interaction effect between gender and entry qualification on the academic performance of Nigerian University Students. Based on the findings in this study, it was recommended that WAEC and NECO should continue to improve on the quality of the development and administration of their examinations. Traditional and family beliefs that make males to be superior to females should be discarded and every child both male and female should be given a level playing ground to perform.