NON-COGNITIVE SKILLS AS UNDERLYING FACTORS IN STUDENTS' ACADEMIC SUCCESS: PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS' PERCEPTIONS

The role of non-cognitive skills in influencing the academic success of students has recently gained students importance as a research topic. This study used a descriptive survey design to investigate the perceptions of public secondary school students on the role of non-cognitive skills as underlying factors in their academic in Owerri Education Zone 1 of Imo State. The sample consisted of 2,484 students (1,178 males and 1,306 females) drawn from a population with 9,886 SS3 students. Guided by five research questions and five hypotheses tested at a 0.05 significance level, data were collected using a researcher-developed questionnaire with a reliability coefficient of 0.86 (Cronbach's alpha). Data analysis involved the use of mean scores to address the research questions. Simultaneously, inferential statistics (Chi-Square test) were employed to test the null hypotheses at a 0.05 level of significance. Findings indicated that non-cognitive skills contribute to academic success by stimulating positive learning behavior and enhancing the ability of students to overcome challenges. Based on the findings, it was recommended, among others, that schools should provide opportunities such as seminars, debates, field trips, internships, and other social and academic activities that may help students to improve their non-cognitive skills relevant to the 21st century. The findings of this study have profound implications for education. Schools can develop targeted interventions to support students' emotional and social development alongside their academic learning by recognizing the critical role of non-cognitive skills