SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT AND STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN PUBLIC JUNIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN OVIA NORTH EAST LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF EDO STATE

ABSTRACT

The research focused on school environment and academic performance in public junior secondary schools located within the Ovia North East Local Government Area. To guide the study, twenty two research questions were formulated and subsequently addressed. The research employed a descriptive research design. The study encompassed a population of twenty-eight (28) public junior secondary schools in the Ovia North East Local Government Area. A sample of eight (8) public junior secondary schools within Ovia North East Local Government Area, Edo State, was selected for the research. Data collection was facilitated through the use of a checklist and a questionnaire which had been validated by the researcher's supervisor and two other experts from the Department of Educational Management at the University of Benin, Benin City. Data analysis involved the application of various statistical techniques, including simple percentages, frequency counts, Pearson's product-moment correlation, and Fisher's Z statistics. The findings of the study unveiled that school environment was notably high among the schools in the Ovia North East Local Government Area of Edo State. Moreover, it was evident that conducive school environment influences their academic performances. The research also revealed a significant correlation between school environment and students' academic performance in public junior secondary schools in the Ovia North East Local Government Area of Edo State. Furthermore, the study identified positive significant correlations between school environment and students' academic performance, based on school location and a moderate negative correlation between school environment and students’ academic performance based on school size. The study's recommendation encompassed with the renovations and modernization of old and dilapidated buildings should be carried out to ensure that components of school environment be adequate also government can help to improve the quality of education by setting standards, inputs to improve performance, adopting strategies for the acquisition and use of inputs. Maintenance culture which could be periodic, preventive replacement, emergency or shutdown should be carried out. The school management should make sure that the school environment is conducive enough for the children to learn very well and feel safe and comfortable. Government should build quality school environment for both the rural and urban locations. Further research can be carried on this work, and can also be used for both junior and senior public secondary schools.