Factors Influencing Female Students’ Perceptions of Their Choice of Science Subjects at Senior Secondary Schools in Makurdi Metropolis, Benue State, Nigeria

The study investigated female students’ perceptions of selecting science subjects at senior secondary schools in Makurdi Metropolis, Benue State, Nigeria. A descriptive survey design was employed for the research. Two research questions and one hypothesis guided the investigation. The population included all female students in Boarding Secondary Schools (BSS) and Day Secondary Schools (DSS), approved by the Benue State Ministry of Education, with a sample of 1,500 students drawn from 50 schools using stratified random sampling. The Female Students’ Choice of Science Subjects Questionnaire (FSCSSQ), developed by the researchers with a reliability coefficient of 0.80, was validated by two Science Education experts and one in Test and Measurement, and used to collect data. The data were analysed through descriptive statistics such as means and standard deviations to answer the research questions, while an independent sample t-test was conducted to test the hypothesis at a 0.05 level of significance. The results showed that factors such as peer influence, drug abuse, and early marriage, among others, significantly affect female students’ choice of science subjects. There was a significant difference in how female students in BSS and DSS perceived these factors (p<0.05). The study recommended, among others, that the Ministry of Education and other relevant stakeholders should provide well-equipped laboratories, necessary textbooks, and other learning materials to support practical science education in both boarding and day secondary schools to attract more female students to the choice of science subjects. Ensure proper counselling for female students regarding science subject choices, and provide adequate science teachers and facilities in both boarding and day secondary schools to encourage more female students to choose science subjects. Relevant stakeholders should ensure science teachers are competent, enthusiastic, and supportive to make subjects more appealing to female students.