BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Education plays an important role in national development by equipping individuals with knowledge, skills, attitudes, and competencies necessary for effective participation in society. Among the various fields of education, technical education occupies a strategic position because it provides practical and vocational skills needed for technological advancement, industrial growth, and economic development. Technical education focuses on preparing students for employment, self-reliance, and entrepreneurship through specialized training in technical and vocational disciplines. According to the provisions of the Nigerian educational system, technical education is designed to produce competent manpower required for technological and industrial development.

Colleges of education in Nigeria play a major role in training teachers who later serve in primary and secondary schools, including technical education instructors. Students enrolled in technical education programmes are expected to acquire both theoretical knowledge and practical competencies. However, academic performance among technical education students has remained a concern due to varying levels of achievement observed in colleges of education. Researchers have associated differences in academic performance with several factors including learning environment, teaching methods, motivation, socioeconomic background, intelligence, and study habits.

Study habits refer to the patterns, methods, behaviors, and strategies adopted by students during learning activities in order to improve understanding and retention of academic materials. Study habits involve time management, note-taking, concentration, reading schedules, assignment completion, revision practices, use of learning resources, and examination preparation. According to Credé and Kuncel (2008), study habits constitute an important component of academic performance because they influence students’ learning effectiveness and achievement outcomes. The authors observed that students with effective study habits tend to perform better academically than those with poor learning practices.

Academic performance generally refers to the level of success attained by students in educational activities and is often measured through examination scores, grade point averages, continuous assessment results, and overall achievement. Academic success among technical education students is particularly important because of the practical and skill-based nature of the programme. According to Nonis and Hudson (2010), students’ academic achievement is significantly influenced by the amount of time devoted to study and the quality of study techniques employed.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Technical education is an important aspect of education aimed at producing skilled manpower for technological advancement, industrial development, and national growth. Students enrolled in technical education programmes in colleges of education are expected to acquire theoretical knowledge and practical competencies necessary for professional effectiveness. However, observations have shown persistent variations in academic performance among technical education students, with some students recording satisfactory achievement while others perform below expectations.

Several factors have been identified as possible causes of poor academic performance among students, including inadequate instructional facilities, poor teaching methods, lack of motivation, socioeconomic challenges, and ineffective study habits. Among these factors, study habits have received considerable attention because they directly influence students’ learning processes and academic outcomes. Credé and Kuncel (2008) noted that ineffective study habits negatively affect students’ performance by reducing concentration, retention, and examination preparedness.