Science Teaching and Learning: Qualitative and Functional Chemistry Education, Does Gender and Age Affect Academic Achievement

Abstract

One of the key points in Late President Yar’adua’s 7- point agenda is the accomplishment of qualitative and functional
Education. This can be monitored through assessing academic achievement of students. Chemistry Education occupies a
central position to all disciplines. This study examined the correlates between age and gender on academic achievement
(CGPA) of Chemistry students. The study used thirty six (36) females and forty (40) males giving a total of sample seventy eight
(76). Scatter – plot, mean and standard deviation were used for the descriptive statistics while univariate analysis of variance
(ANOVA) and multiple regression were used for inferential statistics. T-test was used to test the null hypothesis formulated
(P<0.05). Result revealed a linear relationship between, age-CGPA and gender-CGPA.A low positive correlation coefficients
was obtained for ages and gender (r=0.006 and 0.105) which were not significant. The predictor variables jointly accounted for
1.1% of the variance, age was the better predictor. The null hypothesis tested was accepted implying no significant difference in
academic achievements of students. It was suggested that some more variables be included so as to determine significant
correlation of students’ academic achievement of Chemistry students.