The Influence Of The Physical School Environment On The Academic Performance Of Secondary School Students
[A CASE STUDY OF ILORIN WEST LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, KWARA STATE.]

The problems of poor academic performance have grave implications for the country as a whole, for the school, the family and students. Besides the social, economic and political implications of students’ mass academic failure for the country (Nigeria), such failure could compromise the integrity of the country among other African nations. As schools characterized by chronic mass failure become stigmatized by students, parents and teachers, both students and staff of such schools have low feeling of self-esteem and such feelings could generate further failures.
For parents of children who fail, the failure constitutes not only an economic and social loss, but a psychological one as well. Hence, the wastage of funds involved, the failure becomes a social stigma for parents who also feel unfulfilled because the future aspirations for the children are not realized. On the part of the students, academic failure is a psychological crushing experience that produces a feeling or concept of self-damage which leads to other negative consequences such as suicide.
Physical Environment of Educational Institutions:
The physical school environment encompasses the school building and all its contents including physical structures, infrastructure, furniture, and the use and presence of chemicals and biological agents; the site on which a school is located; and the surrounding environment including the air, water, and materials with which children may come into contact, as well as nearby land uses, roadways and other hazards.
The physical environment of school buildings and school grounds is a key factor in the overall health and safety of students, staff, and visitors. School buildings and grounds must be designed and maintained to be free of health and safety hazards, and to promote learning. Studies have shown that student’s performance or achievements can be affected either positively or negatively by the school environment. Policies and protocols must be in place to ensure food protection, sanitation, safe water supply, healthy air quality, good lighting, safe playgrounds, violence prevention, and emergency response, among other issues that relate to the physical environment of schools.
Secondary Education in Ilorin West Local Government Area:
The Nigerian education system provides for Secondary School as an integral part of the educational programme for students to serve as a buffer between the primary and tertiary educational structure in the country. The secondary school system has over time equipped students with requisite knowledge and skills to be able to stand on their own and contribute to national growth. With a national educational policy in place, every State of the Federation has its own secondary school structure in place which is expected to be in harmony with the national programme.
Kwara States is one of the thirty-six (36) States of the federation in Nigeria with sixteen (16) Local Government Areas (L.G.As). Of the country’s 923.768km2 total land mass, Kwara State has a land mass of 36,825 km² and a human population of 2,371,089based on the last national population census conducted in year 2006.