AVAILABILITY AND UTILIZATION OF LABORATORY RESOURCES ON SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT IN BIOLOGY IN CALABAR SOUTH LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, CROSS RIVER STATE

This study was designed to investigate the availability and utilization of laboratory resources on secondary school student’s academic achievement in Biology in Calabar South Local Government Area, Cross River State. Three research questions were posed and three null hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. Descriptive survey research design was used for this study. Two hundred (200) respondents comprising one hundred and ninety (190) senior secondary two (SSII) students and ten (10) Biology teachers were randomly drawn for the study. Research questions were analyzed using mean and standard deviation whiles the research hypotheses were tested using simple linear regression analysis at 0.05 level of significance. Results obtained from the study showed that availability of laboratory resources accounted for 28% of students’ academic achievement in Biology, and Availability of laboratory resources significantly influences students’ academic achievement in Biology; provision of laboratory resources accounted for 31% of students’ academic achievement in Biology, and provision of laboratory resources significantly influence students’ academic achievement in Biology; utilization of laboratory resources accounted for 35% of students’ academic achievement in Biology; also utilization of laboratory resources significantly influences students’ academic achievement in Biology. Based on the findings of this study the following recommendations were made: Schools should ensure that biology laboratories are wellstocked with the necessary equipment, materials, and resources, schools and educational authorities should implement policies that guarantee the continuous and sufficient provision of laboratory resources, regular audits and assessments can help in identifying shortages and areas that need improvement, teachers should be trained on effective ways to utilize laboratory resources to maximize student engagement and learning outcomes. schools should establish routines for the maintenance and upgrading of laboratory facilities, Promoting group activities and experiments in the laboratory can enhance students’ understanding of biology concepts, collaborative learning experiences often lead to better retention and application of knowledge, and introducing digital tools and simulations in the laboratory can supplement traditional experiments and provide students with a broader learning experience.