School Infrastructure and Students’ Academic Performance in Public Day Secondary Schools in Ngororero District, Rwanda

The main objective of this study was to investigate the effect of school infrastructure on students’ academic performance in public day secondary schools in Ngororero district, Rwanda. This study was guided by three specific objectives; to assess the school infrastructures needed in day public secondary schools for better students’ academic performance, to examine the level of students’ academic performance within the school infrastructure in public day secondary schools, and to identify the relationship between school infrastructures and students’ academic performance in public day secondary schools in Ngororero District, Rwanda. This study was supported by two theories such as theory of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs and the input-output theory. The study used the descriptive survey design in which the quantitative and qualitative methods were applied. The target population consisted of 676 individuals, with 26 headteachers, 130 teachers, and 520 students from Ngororero District schools. The sample size of 251 respondents was determined using the Yamane formula. The researcher employed simple random sampling for choosing students and head teachers, and purposive sampling for selecting teachers for the study. The questionnaire and interview guide were used for data collection. The study employed a Cronbach Alpha coefficient to assess the study instruments' reliability and validity. Data analysis was analyzed using the statistical package for social science (SPSS) software version 26.0 for numerical data, and thematic analysis for data from interviewees. Data was analyzed, the 37.8% rated the classrooms as "Adequate" (A), while 35.2% considered them "Very Adequate" (VA). Together, this accounts for 73% of respondents feeling positively about the condition of classrooms. A significant portion, 36.3%, rated the science laboratories as "Inadequate" (I), and 17.1% felt they were "Very Inadequate" (VI). In contrast, only 14% rated them as "Very Adequate" (VA), with 22.3% finding them adequate. Finding’s objective two revealed that a substantial 37.3% of participants rated the performance as "very poor," while an additional 32.6% described it as "poor." Together, these categories represent a striking 70.0% of the respondents, highlighting a prevalent perception of inadequate academic achievement within the student body. Findings of objective three revealed that the correlation data presented in Table 4.11 illustrates a strong relationship between school infrastructure and students' academic performance. The Pearson correlation coefficient of .891 indicates a positive correlation, suggesting that as the quality of school infrastructure improves the students' academic performance. The study concluded that schools with well-maintained and adequately resourced facilities enable students to focus on their studies, engage in active learning, and achieve better outcomes. It was recommended that schools should create a maintenance plan to regularly inspect and repair classrooms, libraries, and laboratories to enhance the student’s academic performance. Schools should encourage students and staff to take care of school property and promote a culture of responsibility toward infrastructure. Ministry of Education should provide technical support and training to school leaders on facility management and infrastructure planning.