RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT AND ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF BIOLOGY STUDENTS IN SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN OWERRI MUNICIPAL COUNCIL, IMO STATE.

This study examined the influence of the learning environment on the academic performance of senior secondary school students in Biology in Owerri Municipal Council of Imo State. The study was motivated by the recognition that students' academic achievement is influenced not only by their intellectual abilities and teachers' instructional methods but also by environmental factors within and outside the school. Specifically, the study investigated the influence of school location, security of the school environment, students' home background, and cleanliness of the school environment on their academic performance in Biology. A sample size of six hundred and thirty-five (635) students, representing 10% of the study population, was selected from five public secondary schools out of the ten public secondary schools in the study area. Data collected were analysed to determine the influence of the identified environmental factors on students' academic performance. The findings revealed that school location, security of the school environment, students' home background, and school cleanliness significantly influenced the academic performance of Biology students in Owerri Municipal Council. Based on these findings, the study recommended that government, school administrators, teachers, parents, and other stakeholders in Biology education should strengthen school-home partnerships and provide a safe, clean, and conducive learning environment to enhance students' academic performance in Biology.