Appraising the Physical Environment of Secondary Schools in Calabar, Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Environmental challenges and opportunities vary among schools around the world, across countries and within communities. World Health Organization had reported that the biggest threats to child health and in fact accounting for more than five million deaths each year in children less than 15 years of age are linked to the environment in which they live, learn and play -their homes, schools and their communities. This study assessed the quality of the physical environment of all the secondary schools in Calabar, Cross River State. Methods: All existing 42 secondary schools in Calabar South local government council and Calabar Municipality; stratified by proprietorship, were rated using pretested quantitative school's physical environment instrument with 4 dimensions; site, structure, classroom and amenities; and various indicators with assigned scores. Data were analysed using various parametric tests. Results: Overcrowding was observed in 52.4% of schools. Mean scores of all dimensions was 42.7 ± 11.4 from a possible maximum of 73. Mission schools with mean of 49.9 ± 9.8 fared better than private (48.8 ± 19.8) and government 35.5 ± 11 respectively. Government owned schools showed consistently lower scores in all study dimensions and the classrooms where students spend most of their time while in school had the worst ratings. The variation between various proprietorship statuses was highest between private and government schools. Conclusion: Deficiencies observed in the physical environment of the schools, reflects the poor implementation of relevant standards by the supervising authorities and thus, leaving the attaining of a healthy physical environment in schools to the prerogative of the various proprietors.