School Population And Academic Performance Of Basic School Students
[A CASE STUDY OF ILORIN SOUTH LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, KWARA STATE]

Tracing the current trend in school enrolment, Babalola (2007) explained that the introduction of universal fee primary education in 1976 accounted for the geometric increase in school population. Bangbose (2008) observed that geometric increase in school population could be linked with the opportunities given to school aged children to received education at no cost. He opined that the introduction of universal free primary education was the first step taken by the government to create opportunities for children to attend school.
    Similarly, Jaiyeola (2001) reported that the school in the late eighties witnessed sporadic increase in the number of children in schools in Nigeria. He explained that the introduction of universal free primary education signaled a new chapter i.e the development led to over stretching of the infrastructures (classroom) whereby classroom were congested and at that time, children were taught under trees. Also Oyewo (2003) observed that the school experience population explosion and both teachers and learners were subjected to untold hardship such as learning under congested classrooms, inadequate textbook, in balance teacher, pupil ration where by a teacher, teachers more than forty pupils in a class and other challenges.
    Moreso, Abdulsalam (2005) remarked that over population in schools led to the introduction of a temporary measure to minimize the challenges being faced by the teachers. According to him shifting system which allowed a school to operate two sessions were introduced as palliative measure to minimize the hardship being experienced by teachers and the learners in the same vein, Jolayemi (2000) posted that shifting system was introduced to ensure that the available infrastructures in the school were maximally used to the learners. He explained further that shifting system emerged as an emergency strategy to cater for the increasing number of pupils in the schools.
    Owoyale (2006) observed that the school population is a phenomenon that determines the operational techniques and conclude that many factors are responsible for the geometric increase recorded in the school. He explained that the school population represents an index in the development of educational in Nigerian and it is on this premise that the government harnesses resources to ensure that the challenges of population are minimized.

Factors Affecting School Population
    School population is a dynamic phenomenon that is being influenced by several variables such as government policy, population growth rural –urban migration location of school crisis (civil or inter-tribal crisis). According to Alabi (2006), the factors that influence school populations are such that anchored by prevailing situation which determine the population growth trends in the schools.
    Government policy as a factor that influences school population, Adeyinka (2004) remarked that the introduction of universal free primary education and universal basic education have drastically affected the school population. He observed that the universal free and compulsory primary education in Nigeria introduced in 1976 led to the increase in school enrolment and concluded that the government giant strides remain memorable in educational development in the country. Oyelade (2007) reported that the enrolment witnessed between 1976 and 1987 was imprecated in the development of education in Nigeria because of the opportunities afforded the school aged children to enroll in school. According to him, this influenced the development of education in the country and he observed that the population in schools also led to the emergence and establishment of new secondary school.
    Olaonipekun and Solomon (2000) reported that government policies through ordinances, decrees and legislation influenced the development of education in Nigeria. They posited that the over increasing population in school could be connected with polices that facilitate the expansion of existing new ones. They also agreed that the development recorded in education could be linked to polices enacted by government. Today, most schools are either low or high populated due to ever changing education policies and have witnessed several policies that at times negate the objectives or goals of earlier policies.
    Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa with over 160 million people and increase annual rate. According to Oyinloye (2000), there is no population policy in Nigeria that stipulate, the number of children a couple procreate. Therefore, the population continues to increase at alarming rate. Also Bamidele (1998) observes that the increase in the county’s population is a factor responsible for the scramble for the limited spaces in institution of learning in spite of the proliferation of schools and concluded that except the government evolve legislation that stipulate the number of children per family, the existing schools would be inadequate to meet the children needs and aspiration.