Influence of Learning Environment on Students’ Academic Performance in Public Senior Secondary Schools, Gokana Local Government Area

The learning environment remains an important aspect in school administration. Educational quality depends largely on effective coordination of the school environment. This study investigated the influence of Learning Environment on Students’ Academic Performance in Public Senior Secondary Schools, Gokana Local Government Area, Rivers State, Nigeria. Three objectives with corresponding research questions and hypothesis were formulated to guide the study. The study adopted a correlational research design. The population of the study was 265 teachers from 14 public secondary schools in Gokana Local Government. A sample size of 53 teachers, which is 20% of the total population, was used through a stratified random sampling technique. Data was collected with a self-designed questionnaire titled “Learning Environment and Students’ Academic Performance Questionnaire (LESAPQ) which was designed to elicit responses in line with the study variables. In analyzing the data for the study, mean and standard deviation was used to answer the research questions, while the regression technique will be used to test the hypotheses at a 0.05 level of significance, with the aid of SPSS version 23.0. The results and findings of the study showed that the male and female teachers agreed to a high extent that classroom design, teaching methods and the school library influences students’ academic performance in public secondary schools in Gokana Local Government Area. Also, a weak, but positive relationship exists between the dimensions under consideration. The study recommended among others that investments should be made for wellventilated, adequately lit, and spacious classrooms and ergonomic furniture that accommodates the diverse needs of students to improve concentration and learning outcomes, and teachers should undergo regular training programs to stay updated on modern teaching methodologies.