Effect of COVID-19 on Academic Performance in Four CORE Subjects of selected Senior Secondary School Students in Upper West Region of Ghana

Abstract

COVID-19 created lots of distortions in the world. This study investigated effect of COVID-19 on academic performance among selected senior secondary school students from Ghana. WASSCE results from 2017/2018 through 2021/2022 academic sessions were considered to determine order in academic performance before, during and after COVID-19. Two research questions and hypotheses were stated, while a descriptive correlational survey was adopted, and convenience sampling technique employed to select needed sample for the study. WASSCE results of five (5) academic sessions were extracted for core subjects in senior high schools for pre-, during, and after COVID-19. Data used are standardized scores with reliability coefficients of 0.5, 0.6 and 0.7 respectively at p=0.01 (2-tailed). Data collected were analyzed using frequency and percentages. Results revealed that highest and lowest mean scores recorded occurred in 2017/2018 and 2021/2022 academic sessions respectively. Also, the relationship between academic performance after COVID-19 was established to be significant and stronger than the relationship between academic performance before COVID-19 which was weak but, not significant. Models introduced into the school system during COVID-19 should continue since academic performance in the core subjects is improving as desired by stakeholders in education.