of Basic II students in Benue State, Nigeria. Two research questions and two hypotheses

guided the study. The study adopted a cross-sectional survey. The population for the study was

upper basic II Students. The population of the study consisted of 15,623 Upper Basic II students

from 162 UBE schools. A total of 390 Upper Basic II students in 36 schools were sampled using

multi-stage sampling technique. Three validated instruments were used for data collection

namely; Basic Science Performance Test (BSPT), Students’ Interest in Basic Science

Questionnaire (SIBSQ) and Basic Science Students’ Self-Esteem Questionnaire (BSSSQ. The

reliability coefficients of 0.82, 0.70, and 0.90 were obtained for the SIBSQ, BSSSQ using

Cronbach’s Alpha and BSPT using Kuder-Richardson Formula 20 (KR-20) respectively. Basic

Science teachers from the sampled schools were trained as research assistants to administer the

instruments directly.

Mean scores and standard deviations were used to answer the research

questions. T-test was used to test the null hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The findings

reveal that there was a significant difference in the mean self-esteem ratings in Basic Science

between students with high, and low interest (t= 1.852, p=0.045 < 0.05). There was a significant

difference in the mean performance scores in Basic Science between students with high interest

and those with low interest. (t = 2.842, p=0.005 < 0.05). Therefore, it was concluded that students

with high interest and those with low interest recorded a significant difference in their mean

performance scores particularly in Basic Science. It was recommended that, Basic Science

teachers should endeavor to create opportunities for learners to engage in learning Basic Science

during planning; delivering and assessment of their lessons to enable students develop interest

which could lead to high self-esteem and also which may tend to improve students’ performance

in Basic Science.