ABSTRACT
The study was carried out to investigate the influence of the school environment on academic achievement of students in Enugu State public secondary schools. The design of the study is descriptive while the population comprised principals and teachers in the education zone. The sample size for the study was 600 respondents while a researchers’ self developed questionnaire formed the instrument for data collection. Three experts validated the instrument and a cronbach Alpha reliability coefficient method was employed to ensure the reliability of the instrument. Four research questions and two null hypotheses guided the study;whilestudentt-teststatisticswasusedtotestthehypothesesat
0.05 level of significant. A review of empirical studies was carried out to guide the researcher into previous studies in the area and also to provide the researcher with the theoretical base. A 29-item questionnaire was used to get information from the respondents. Based on the data collected and analyzed, the following results were obtained. That staff office, classroom spaces for teaching students and staff common room represented the major areas that to a great extent affect the academic achievement of students in public schools, with regard to buildings. It was also revealed that desks, current books and presence of library assistants constituted the areas of influence to the academic achievement of the students with regard to library services in the public secondary schools. Both the principals and teachers agreed that access to reading materials in the school, lack of facilities, and nearness to school and in sufficient qualified teachers very greatly affect the academic achievement of the students. Inadequate teaching materials were also noted as a major factor affecting the students’ academic achievement. The two groups also shared common views in terms of the great influence of school health services, fencing of school for security and provision of power supply as important variable affecting the academic achievement of the students of public secondary schools. Based on the above, the researcher recommends that schools should be provided with functional libraries, equipped with current reading materials to help enhance both the students’ academic achievement and the teachers’ effectiveness in academic activities in theschool.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title Page
i
Approval page
ii
Dedication
iii
Acknowledgement
iv
Certification
v
Abstract
vi
Table of Contents
vii
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
Background to the Study
1
Statement of the Problem
11
Purpose of the Study
12
Significance of Study
12
Scope of the Study
13
Research Questions
14
Hypotheses
14
CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF LITERATURE
Conceptual Framework
16
Concept of Environment
17
Concept of Public Secondary schools
19
Historical Development of Public Secondary School
20
Changes in Structure of the Ownership of Public Secondary School
23
School Building
27
Library Services
28
School Location
30
School Facilities
32
Theoretical Framework
34
Skinnerian environmental theory
34
Review of Empirical Studies
36
Summary of Literature Review
40
CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHOD
Design of the Study
42
Area of the Study
42
Population for the Study
43
Sample and Sampling Technique
43
Instrument for Data Collection
43
Validation of the Instrument
44
Reliability of the Instrument
44
Method of Data Collection
45
Method of Data Analysis
45
CHAPTER FOUR: RESULTS
Research QuestionOne: 46
ResearchQuestionTwo: 47
Research QuestionThree: 49
Research QuestionFour: 51
Hypothesisone: 52
Hypothesistwo: 53
Summaryof findings: 54
CHAPTER FIVE: Discussion of Results
Extent school buildings affect academic achievement of
Students 56
Extent library services affect academic achievement of
students of publicsecondaryschool 57
Extent school location affects academic achievement of
thestudents 58
Extent school facilities affect the academic achievement of student in thepublicschools 59
Conclusion 61
EducationalImplications 62
Suggestion forFurtherStudies 65
Summary oftheStudy 65
References 68
AppendixI: Questionnaire 72
AppendixI: Letter of IntroductiontoRespondents 72
AppendixIII: Summary of the zones inEnuguState 76
AppendixIV: List of School in Enugu StateEducationZones 77
