MANAGING STUDENTS OFF-TASK BEHAVIOUR FOR IMPROVED STUDENTS ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN PUBLIC SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN RIVERS STATE

This paper investigated managing students’ off-task behaviour for improved students’ academic performance in public senior secondary schools in Rivers State. The study adopted a descriptive research design. The population of the study comprised of 3,072 male teachers and 3,102 female teachers, totaling 6,174 teachers, from 23 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Rivers State. A sample size of 617 about 10% was drawn from the total population of 6,174 teachers. The sampling technique employed is stratified random sampling, ensuring equitable representation of the targeted sample for the study. Data was collected through a self-designed questionnaire titled “Managing Students Off-Task Behaviour for Improved Student Academic Performance Questionnaire (MSOBISAPQ). The reliability of the instrument was determined through a test of internal consistency using Cronbach Alpha method. Their responses were analyzed using the Cronbach Alpha Statistics. Reliability coefficients of 0.88, 0.87, 0.81 and 0.83 were obtained for the various clusters of the instrument. In analysing the data for the study, mean and standard deviation was used to answer the research questions, while the t-test statistics was used to test the hypotheses at a 0.05 level of significance. The study found to a high extent the use of electronic devices for non-academic purposes as students off-task behaviour improved academic performance in public senior secondary schools in Rivers State. The study concluded that managing student's off-task behavior for improved academic performance in public senior secondary schools in Rivers State highlights the critical importance of effective leadership in addressing this issue. By implementing strategies that promote discipline, motivation, and engagement, school leaders can significantly impact students' behavior and academic outcomes. The study therefore recommended that Educational institutions and school administrators should implement and enforce clear policies regarding the use of electronic devices. Teachers should communicate and uphold these policies, while parents should support them by monitoring device usage at home and Teachers should develop and implement effective classroom management strategies to address noise-making, daydreaming, and excessive socialization. School administrators should support teachers in implementing these strategies.