EFFECTS OF SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT ON SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS’ MATHEMATICS PERFORMANCE IN ABIA STATE

By A. O. Letitia & O. C. Chiny

Abstract: The study investigated the Effects of School Environment on Secondary School Students’ Mathematics Performance in Abia State. The study was guided by two specific purposes, two research questions, and two null hypotheses. The study adopted ex-post facto research design. The population of the study comprised all 9,783 Senior Secondary School Two (SS2) Mathematics students in public secondary schools in Abia State. A sample size of 400 respondents was drawn for the study. Two instruments; School Environmental Factors Questionnaire (SEFQ) and Students’ Mathematics Academic Performance Proforma (SMAPP), developed by the researcher were used for data collection. The validity and reliability of the instruments were well-established. Data were collected on face-to-face basis and retrieved by the researcher and the research assistants upon completion by the students. Data collected were analyzed using mean, standard deviation, and t-test through Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Findings revealed that school environmental factors (school location, and school facilities) have significant influence on the academic performance of students in Mathematics. In line with the findings, it was therefore recommended, among others, that government and educational authorities should provide targeted interventions to improve rural schools by ensuring equitable distribution of qualified teachers, infrastructure, and learning resources; and that school administrators and policymakers should prioritize the provision and maintenance of adequate school facilities, including classrooms, libraries, and laboratories, to create conducive learning environments.
Keywords: School Environment, Secondary School Students’ and Mathematics Performance