STUDENTS' PERCEPTION OF SCHOOL GOVERNANCE SYSTEM AS CORRELATE OF ETHICAL VALUES AND ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE AMONG CATHOLIC SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN IJEBU-ODE, OGUN STATE

Abstract The study investigated students’ perception of school governance system as a correlate of ethical values and academic performance among Catholic senior secondary schools in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State. The study adopted a correlational research design. A sample of 200 students was selected through stratified random sampling technique. Data were collected using three instruments: Students’ Perception of School Governance Questionnaire (SPSGQ), Students’ Ethical Value Scale (SEVS), and Academic Performance Questionnaire (APQ). Findings revealed that students demonstrated high levels of academic performance (=3.13) and ethical values (=3.20). A significant relationship was found between students’ perception of school governance and their ethical values (r = .683, p< 0.01), while a moderate significant relationship was found between governance perception and academic performance (r = .440, p< 0.01). The study concluded that school governance is a powerful pedagogical and moral force in student development, and that Catholic schools with positively perceived governance systems are better positioned to achieve their dual mandate of academic excellence and moral formation. It was recommended that schools implement structured opportunities for ethical decision-making, expand academic recognition programmes, and conduct regular student perception surveys to monitor and improve governance practices. Keywords School governanceethical valuesacademic excellenceCatholic schoolsCharacter education