Abstract

Generally, this work seeks to investigate the impact of the school environment on student academic performance in a secondary school in the Buea municipality.

Specifically, this work investigates the extent to which school location affects the academic performance of secondary school students in Buea municipality, the impact of school climate that affects the academic performance of students in a secondary school in Buea municipality, and the impact of school facilities on the academic performance of students in the secondary school.

The quantitative research method which involves statistical analysis was used in this work.

A random sampling technique was used for this study. Data were collected from students using a questionnaire. Questionnaires were administered to students in form five and upper sixth.

Frequencies and percentages were used to analyze the closed-ended questions. Findings revealed that School location distribution shows a positive significant relationship with students’ academic performance with (B= 0.033, sig= 0.004).

Climate has a positive and significant relationship with children’s psychosocial development (B=0.036, sig= 0.011). 

The school Facilities variable shows a positive significant relationship with children’s psychosocial development with (B= 0.455, sig= 0.013).

A major recommendation made was that the government should initiate and implement relevant adequate school facilities that will assist students in the teaching-learning process towards their academic performances in schools.

CHAPTER ONE 

GENERAL INTRODUCTION

Background to the study

Historically, there has been some evolution as a concerned school environment.

As early as the 1980s, the term school is an institution designed for the teaching of students (or pupils) under the direction of a teacher, whereas an environment is an open area being used by individuals to carry out one activity or another or a surrounding of, and influence on, a particular item of interest.

According to Mick, (2011), School Environment means the extent to which school setting promote student safety and student health, which may include topics such as the physical plant, the academic environment, available physical and mental health support and services, and the fairness and adequacy of disciplinary procedures, as supported by relevant research and an assessment of validity.

In line with this, school facilities have been observed as a potent factor (having or exercising great powers) to quantitative education.

The importance of teaching and learning of the provision of adequate instructional facilities for education cannot be over-emphasized.

The dictum that teaching is inseparable from learning but learning is not inseparable from teaching, is that teachers do the teaching to make the students learn, but students can learn without the teachers.

According to Oni (1992), facilities constitute a strategic factor in organizational functioning. This is so because they are determined to a very large extent the smooth functioning of any social organization.

In reality, Salau (2001) observed that a conducive learning environment in school plays vital roles in providing the vital motivation to enhance effective learning and better performances.

Umoh (2006) further stated that where learning facilitates and teaching personnel are adequate learning and performance are positive.

Onyekwellu (2002) observed that government alone cannot provide all the resources for teaching and learning purposes, therefore parents through the Parents Teacher Association (P.T.A) should assist in providing infrastructural facilities, equipment, tools, and instructional materials to facilitate effective teaching.

Umoh (2006), observed that there is a significant difference between the performance of students with adequate and those with an inadequate school environment.

Furthermore, On the other hand, schools that priorities child development holistically and support a child’s growth in all aspects will eventually consider the design of school facilities.

Therefore, every unit of school facilities must be designed in such a way that it is in accordance with that purpose and may support the school system.

School facilities are one of the main factors that parents consider when choosing a school for their children.

However, not every school realizes that school facilities have a great influence on the teaching and learning process.

Most likely, Schools that only applies the teach-to-test principle and merely concerns about the outcomes will not consider the design of school facilities.

Statement of the problem

The school environment has a key role to play in the academic performance of students when the teaching-learning resources are meet (financial and human resources), good teaching methods, good classrooms conditions, good teachers’ relationship, school accessibility, peer influence, teaching and learning materials will play a major role in the academic performance of the students.

Policies put in place to enhance a good school environment have often lead to futility. This is because of some negative aspects such as overcrowded classrooms, poor teachers’ relationships, the absence of libraries in some schools, poor lighting conditions in some classrooms, poor classroom management by some teachers, etc students are also influenced by school location.

The problem here is the fact that academic performance is being affected by the school environment due to the inefficiency of some school facilities, school climate, school location, and peer relationships as a result of the school environment not enabling.

As a result of this, this study is out to investigate the influence of the school environment on the academic performance of secondary school students in the Buea municipality.

The objective of the study

General objective

To investigate the impact of school environment on student academic performance in a secondary school in the Buea municipality

Specific Objectives

• To investigate the extent to which school location affects the academic performance of secondary school students in Buea municipality,

• To investigate the impact of school climate that affects the academic performance of students in a secondary school in Buea municipality.

• To examine the impact of school facilities on the academic performance of students in secondary school.

Research Questions

General Research Questions

1. To what extent does the school environment affect student academic performances in secondary schools in the Buea municipality?

Specific Research Questions

• To what extent does school location affect the performances of secondary school students?

• What effect does school climate have on the academic performance of students in secondary school?

• To what extent do school facilities affect student performance in Secondary school?

Research Hypothesis

General Hypothesis

Ha: There is a significant relationship between school environment and student academic performance.

Ho: There is no significant relationship between the school environment and student academic performance.

Specific Hypothesis

Ho1: There is no significant relationship between school location and academic performance of students.

Ha1: There is a significant relationship between school location and academic performance of students.

Ho2: There is no significant relationship between Climate and academic performance of students.

Ha2: There is a significant relationship between the climate and academic performance of students.

Ho3: There is no significant relationship between school facilities and the academic performance of students.

Ha3: There is a significant relationship between school facilities and the academic performance of students