School Variables and Students' Academic Performance Among Christian Religious Studies Students in Secondary Schools in Uyo Local Government Area

ABSTRACT
This study investigated the influence of school variables and students’ academic performance among Christian Religious studies Students in Senior Secondary School One (SS1) in Uyo Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State. The specific objectives of the study were to examine the influence of school location, school facilities and school type on students' academic performance in Christian Religious studies in Secondary Schools in Uyo Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State. This study adopted an ex-post facto research design. The population of the study was 59380, and 200 students were randomly selected to represent the population. Data were collected through questionnaires, "School Variables Questionnaire (SVQ) and Performance Test on Christian Religious studies (PTS)" administered to senior secondary one students in selected 4 secondary schools in Uyo Local Government Area. The reliability coefficients of .87 and .74 for SVQ and PTS were obtained respectively. The data collected were analyzed using mean, standard deviation, independent t-test and Pearson product-moment correlation (PPMC) to answer research questions and test the null hypotheses. The findings revealed that there is a significant influence of school location on Students' academic performance in Christian Religious studies, there is a significant relationship between instructional resources and Students' academic performance in Christian Religious studies, and there is no significant influence of school type on Students' academic performance in Christian Religious studies. This study concluded that learning does not occur in isolation but through interaction with certain factors, one of which is the school variables. The findings revealed a positive correlation between these variables and academic achievement. This study recommended among others that Governments and educational authorities should prioritize investments in school infrastructure, including modern classrooms, libraries, and technology, to create a conducive learning environment and school location should be strategically planned to ensure access to resources, safety, and environmental stimulation, which can enhance students' learning experiences.