Abstract

The study was to investigate “School environment and its Effects on students’ Academic Performance in the Faculty of Education, University of Buea”. A descriptive research design was used. Instrument of data collection was the questionnaire and a descriptive statistics package was used with 30 respondents.

Findings indicated that: aspect of school environment include supportive infrastructure, socialization and friendship; conducive setting and school environment through its resources (materials) enhance teaching and learning; school administration and good management of supportive resource are strategies to enhance learning.

In conclusion, the study suggested that other valid instruments for data collection should be used like interviews and observation. This will improve school environment that in turn enhance learning and academic performance.

CHAPTER ONE

GENERAL INTRODUCTION

1.1 Introduction

This chapter will comprise of the following; background of the study, statement of the problem, purpose of the study, objectives of the study, research questions, significance of the study, scope of the study and operational definition of terms related to the study.

1.2 Background of the Study

According to Yarrow, and Millerwaters, (1997), school environment is of paramount importance to promote learning process. This type of atmosphere prevailing in the school is a perpetual inspiration for the children to learn more and more. The reason is that the child receives an intellectual type of frame of mind from the academic atmosphere and that type can be created by providing a separate room for the study, by providing books, journals and discussions. School environment is the total of all the social, emotional, mental and physical factors that makes overall contribution to the total teaching learning process within the classroom (Yarrow, 1997).

A democratic School environment might be one that gives more sense of freedom and large degree of permissiveness to foster healthy teacher pupil relationship and where pupils are allowed to work independently. On the other hand, an autocratic environment may be described as controlled by the teacher in which teacher decides the goal and the learning activities to be taught.

The pupils do not participate in the selection of learning activities. The issue of poor academic performance of students in Cameroon has been a call for concern to the government, parents, teachers, and even students themselves.

The quality of education does not only depend on the teachers as reflected in performance of their duties, but also in the effective coordination of the school environment (Ajao 2001). With regard to poor academic performance by students in Cameroon, the government has put in place.

The University of Buea has a library, laboratory and a health unit to improve on academic performance. The extent to which students’ learning could be improved depends on the location of the school campus, availability of instructional facilities and the structure of the classroom. If a school is well planned, it will gear up expected outcomes that will facilitate good social, political and economic emancipation towards the academic performance of students. Inadequate lightening, high levels of carbon dioxide in classrooms, noise and inconsistent temperatures makes teaching and learning process difficult (Crandell and Smaldino, 2000). When there is poor maintenance and ineffective ventilation system, it leads to poor health condition amongst students as well as teachers. This leads to poor performance and higher absentee rates (Frazier, 2002; Lyons, 2001). These factors may adversely affect the behavior of students and lead to frustration among teachers and students.

Relating this study to international occurrences are the assertion of Williams, Persaud and Turner (2008), quoting Marsden (2005) which reported that safe and orderly classroom environment, school facilities were significantly related to students’ academic performance. The three researchers also quoted Glassman (1994) asserting that a comfortable and caring environment among other treatment helped to contribute to student’s academic environment.

Developing countries such as USA and Japan have large pool of highly skilled human resources. This has enabled them to exploit local natural resources and to identify and negotiate for other countries resources.

Education through schooling has been a fundamental ingredient for creating economic development. In the United States it has been more important than increased capital in accounting for worker productivity and USA economic growth (Smith, 2003).

In recent times, many schools focus only on teaching thereby forgetting on the different aspects of school environment. Therefore, this study is aimed at examining other aspects of school environment that affects students’ academic performance.

1.3 Statement of Problem

It has been observed in the recent past that universities in Cameroon are not living up to expectation in delivering quality education expected of the system.

A lot of problems seem to be devilling the universities system ranging from inadequate facilities, large class size, school location, old and dilapidated structures, inadequate instructional materials student’s attitude and unqualified teachers there by making the system ineffective. Schools need to be effective so as to be able to deliver the good things expected of them at every point in time. School effectiveness in this context refers to the extent to which schools are able to accomplish their pre-determined objectives.

School effectiveness transcends beyond students passing examinations. It also encompasses students‟ attainment in other domains of learning (the affective and the psychomotor domains). These other domains, apart from having influence on the cognitive achievement, also make the beneficiaries of the education system live a fulfilled life and contribute meaningfully to the development of the society.

However, it has indeed, been observed today that there is persistent poor performance of students in the university of Buea. Researchers such as Yusuf (2002) and Adeyemi (2008) have all shown in their various studies that the extent of poor performance of students in the university has no doubt made parents lost confidence in the ability of the university to produce good products. Experience has shown that there is a high rate of indiscipline in the university.

It has also been observed that lateness to classes, absence from school, noise-making, quarrelling, rudeness to university authorities, deliberate physical harm to others, forgery, cheating in examination and a host of others are daily happenings in our universities. All these tend to make the university ineffective. According to Oladele (2003) the evidence of students‟ moral paucity are more conspicuously seen as high crime in the society and that of the institutions of learning. He further posited that the root cause of these moral laxities translating in higher crime waves is traceable to the non-teaching of ethics, when the students are at the university.

Adewuyi (2002) submitted that conducive school environment can have effect on both the attitudes and achievement of students. He further added that a positive school environment is found to be a very important factor of school effectiveness. Therefore, it is against this background that the researcher decided to examine the Impact of school environment and its effects on students academic Performance in the Faculty of Education, University of Buea.

1.4 Purpose of the Study     

The purpose of the study is to find out the influence of school environment students’ academic Performance in the Faculty of Education, University of Buea.

1.5 General Objectives

To find out the extent to which school environment influence students’ academic Performance in the Faculty of Education, University of Buea.

1.6 Specific Objectives

1. To investigate how school infrastructure influence students’ academic Performance in the Faculty of Education, University of Buea.
2. To investigate how instructional materials influence students’ academic Performance in the Faculty of Education, University of Buea.
3. To find out how teachers influence students’ academic Performance in the Faculty of Education, University of Buea.

1.7 Research Questions        

General Research Question

To what extend does school environment influences students’ academic Performance in the Faculty of Education, University of Buea.

1.8 Specific Research Questions

1. How does school infrastructure influence students’ academic Performance in the Faculty of Education, University of Buea?
2. How does the use of instructional material influence students’ academic Performance in the Faculty of Education, University of Buea?
3. How does teachers influence students’ academic Performance in the Faculty of Education, University of Buea?

1.9 Research Hypothesis

General Hypothesis

Ho: There is no significant relationship between school environment and students’ academic Performance in the Faculty of Education, University of Buea.

Ha: There is a significant relationship between school environment and students’ academic Performance in the Faculty of Education, University of Buea.