Public School Students Research Articles

School-Based Violence amongst Students in Private and Public Boarding Secondary Schools in Bayelsa State

The study compared school-based violence amongst students in private and public boarding secondary schools in Bayelsa State. A descriptive survey design was adopted for the study. Two research questions and corresponding hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. The population of the study was all students in the 21 boarding secondary schools (10 public and 11 private) in Bayelsa state. The instrument for data collection was a “School-based Violence in Boarding Schools Questionnaire” (SVBSQ) which was developed by the researchers and validated by experts. The reliability of the instrument was established using Cronbach Alpha formula and a coefficient of 0.75 was obtained which was considered appropriate for the study. The research questions were answered using mean and standard deviation while the hypotheses were tested using Z-test statistic at 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed that bullying, verbal abuse, corporal punishment, forceful collection of property, sexual violence, general beating and washing of toilets, sweeping the hostel are major forms of school-based violence displayed by students while killing and sexual violence are minor forms of school-based violence displaced by students in private and public boarding secondary schools and that there is no significant difference in the mean responses of students in private and public boarding schools in Bayelsa state . It was recommended amongst others that the school system should employ the services of matrons/warders/boarding house officers, to reduce violence and school management should be encouraged to implement the strategies for controlling students’ aggression in secondary schools in Bayelsa state.

Students’ Perceived Academic Self-Efficacy by Gender and Subject Domain

The aim of this study is to test for possible gender variations in student perceived self-efficacy across six subject areas. More specifically, it examines whether students would rate their perceived self-efficacy in stereotypically male-dominated and female-dominated academic subject domains with respect to the gender variable. A self-designed questionnaire was employed to collect data from 367 high school students in different Moroccan public high schools. The data were then analyzed using Principal component analysis to identify the factors that contribute to the variance. T-tests were used to account for possible gender differences in students’ perceived academic self-efficacy. The results revealed that male students displayed higher self-efficacy scores in mathematics and sciences while female students showed higher self-efficacy scores in languages. This might reinforce the stereotypical belief that males and females are better in masculine and feminine subjects, respectively. Unexpectedly, female students exhibited higher scores than males in philosophy and in the perceived overall academic self-efficacy. Recommendations for educational practice are discussed.

Contribution of Motivating Factors on Academic Performance of Senior Secondary School Students in South- West Nigeria

The paper examined the contribution of motivating factors such as school climate, school physical facilities, school principal’s leadership style, teachers’ influence, school curriculum implementation, instructional materials, classroom environment, peer group influence, and parental support on the academic performance of students. The study adopted descriptive survey type. The population comprises all the senior secondary schools in South West Nigeria. Three states, Osun, Ondo and Ekiti were sampled based on simple random sample and multi-stage random sampling technique. A questionnaire title Motivation and Academic Performance of Students (MAPS) was designed and administered on respondents on factors that could motivate students towards academic performance. 0.85 reliability co-efficient was obtained. Frequency counts, percentage scores, standard deviation and Multi-Regression were used to analyse the data. The hypothesis formulated were tested at 0.05 level of significance. It was revealed that motivation contributed greatly to the academic performance of students. The level of motivation of students was moderate during the period under review. The result further revealed that a combination of motivating factors such as school climate, school physical facilities, school principals leadership style, teachers’ influence, school curriculum implementation, instructional materials, classroom environment, peer group influence, and parental support were significantly related to the academic performance of senior secondary school students. The use of multiple regression indicates that classroom environment is the highest predictor of the academic performance of students while school climate is the least predictor. Based on the findings of this study, it was recommended that students in public secondary schools should be adequately motivated through an enabling school climate, adequate physical facilities, good principal leadership styles, positive teaches’ influence and cordial interaction with students, proper implementation of the school curriculum, good classroom environment, positive peer group influence and adequate parental support.

Teaching of English at Secondary Level: A Comparative Study of Public Schools and Madaris of District Mianwali

The study was designed to compare Public Schools and Madarisof District Mianwali regarding teaching of English as a subject and to find out satisfaction of students with English teachers. Multi-stage sampling method was used to draw sample. At first stage 6 public schools were selected through simple random sampling method and all 6 Madaris where English was taught were selected. At second stage, 120 students of 8th and 9th class were selected from each school and Madrisa by giving equal representation. At third stage, 12 English teachers of 8th and 9th class were selected through simple random sampling from public schools and 12 teachers from Madaris were selected. Results of the study showed that reading and writing were given some attention by the English teachers of both Public Schools and Madaris while listening and speaking skills were not given attention by teachers. Teachers of English of both types of institutions were using simple method of grammar translation but students of Public Schools were able to understand easy English without translation in Urdu as compared to students of Madaris who were not able to do that. Moreover, students were satisfied with their teachers. It is recommended that professional training of teachers should be arranged in order to update them about English language

Utilization of School Library and Students’ Academic Achievement in Abuja Federal Capita Territory

This study was conducted to determine the influence of school library utilization on the performance of secondary school student in Abuja FCT. Two research questions and one hypothesis were formulated to guide the study. Descriptive survey research design was used for the study. The population of the study was all 16362 students in public secondary schools in Abuja Metropolis. A sample of 579 students was selected to take part in the study using simple random sampling technique. An instrument entitled “Utilization of School Library and Students’ Academic Achievement Questionnaire (USLSAAQ)” was used in collecting data for the study. The instrument was validated by three experts and test re-test reliability was conducted for the instrument. A reliability coefficient of .81 was obtained for the instrument using Pearson Product Moment Correlation. Data collected for the study were analysed using mean and standard deviation to answer the research questions and independent t-test to test the hypothesis. The findings of the study indicated that there is a significant influence of library utilization on academic achievement of students in Abuja Metropolis. It was recommended among others that government should provide all secondary schools in Abuja metropolis with modern and functional libraries.

RETRACTED ARTICLE: Predictors of depression among school adolescents in Northwest, Ethiopia, 2022: institutional based cross-sectional

BackgroundAdolescent depression is a serious mental disorder that makes family problems, learning challenges, drug addiction, and increases absenteeism from school. It also has a major impact on a person’s ability to manage his or her daily tasks. In the end, the condition may result in self-destruction. Research is scarce among high schools in the study setting. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the prevalence and its associated factors of depression among high school adolescent students in Bahirdar City, Northwest Ethiopia in 2022.MethodsAn institutional-based cross-sectional study was done from June 18 to July 16, 2022, among public and private high school adolescent students in Bahir Dar City, Amhara region, Ethiopia. A two-stage sampling technique was utilized. First, stratification by school type was made and schools were selected 30–40% by using a simple random sampling technique. Finally, an updated sampling frame was taken from each school director to select a sample of 584 study participants after proportional allocation by simple random sampling from six high schools. Patient Health Questionnaires were used to assess depression in high school students. The independent variables, like substance-related factors, were assessed by yes-or-no questions, and the academic stressor by academic stress in secondary education, was assessed by structured questionnaires. Binary and multivariate logistic regressions were used to identify factors associated with depression. Statistical significance was declared at a 95% confidence interval when the value of p was less than or equal to 0.05.ResultsThe response rate of the participants was 96.9%. The overall magnitude of adolescent depression was found to be 22.1% (95%CI 18.7, 25.7%). Being female (AOR: 3.43; 95%CI 2.11, 5.56), small family size (AOR: 3.01; 95%CI 1.47, 6.15); ever alcohol use (AOR: 2.40; 95%CI 1.51, 3.81); attending a public school (AOR: 3.01; 95%CI 1.68, 5.40), and having a history of abuse (AOR: 1.92; 95%CI 2.2, 3.08) were associated with depression.ConclusionIn this study, the magnitude of depression among high school students in Bahir Dar City was higher than the national threshold. There was a significant association between sex, family size of parents, ever alcohol use, public schools, and having a history of abuse with depression among adolescents. Hence, it is better for schools to screen and provide intervention for depression in public high school students and offer therapies, especially in females and those with a history of abuse, small family size, or alcohol use.

Associations for subgroups of E-cigarette, cigarette, and cannabis use with asthma in a population sample of California adolescents

Knowledge about the respiratory health consequences of adolescents’ use of tobacco products with cannabis remains limited. We studied whether e-cigarettes, combustible cigarettes, and cannabis were independently associated with asthma in a population-based sample of 150,634 public high school students (10th and 12th graders), drawn in a two-stage design to be representative of the state of California in 2019–2020. Measures were obtained for use of e–cigarettes, combustible cigarettes, and cannabis; motives for use (three substances); method of use (for cannabis); ever being diagnosed with asthma; and having an asthma attack in past 12 months. Cross-classification indicated Nonuse for 64% of the sample; 15% Dual E–cigarette/Cannabis Use; 10% Exclusive Cannabis Use; 5% Exclusive E-cigarette Use; and 5% Triple Use. Multinomial logistic regression with a three-level criterion variable, controlling for age, sex, parental education, race/ethnicity, and three types of household use showed that compared with Nonuse, odds of Lifetime Asthma (vs. Never Had) was elevated for Triple Use (AOR = 1.14, CI 1.06–1.24), Dual E-cigarette/Cannabis Use (1.17, 1.12–1.23), Exclusive Cannabis Use (1.17, 1.11–1.23), and Exclusive E-cigarette Use (1.10, 1.02–1.18). Similar results were noted for Recent Asthma. Among persons who had used cannabis, 88% of the Triple group and 74% of the Dual E-cigarette/Cannabis group reported both smoking and vaping cannabis.Thus, co-occurrence of e-cigarette and cannabis use was a common pattern among adolescents in this study, and subgroups of cannabis and e-cigarette use showed similar associations with asthma. Preventive approaches should highlight the health implications of exclusive or combined e–cigarette and cannabis use.

Effects of Inquiry and Discussion Methods on Secondary School Biology Students’ Achievement and Attitudes in Delta Central Senatorial District

This study investigated the effects of inquiry and discussion methods on secondary school Biology students’ achievement and attitudes in Delta Central Senatorial District. The study adopted pre-test post-test control group quasi-experimental design. The population of the study consisted of 17,790 senior secondary school one (SS1) Biology students in public secondary schools in Delta Central Senatorial District. A sample size of 418 SS1 Biology students in 9 public mixed secondary schools was used for the study. The instruments used for collection of data were: Biology Achievement Test (BAT) and Biology Student Attitude Scale (BSAS). The reliability of BAT and BSAS were established using Kuder-Richardson Formula 21 and Cronbach Alpha which yielded 0.77 and 0.78 reliability coefficient respectively. The data collected using BAT and BSAS were analyzed using mean, standard deviation, t-test and analysis of variance (ANOVA). The results showed that there was significant difference in the mean achievement scores of secondary school Biology students taught with inquiry and discussion methods, in favour of discussion method; there was no significant difference in the mean attitude scores of secondary school Biology students taught with inquiry and discussion methods. It was concluded that inquiry, discussion and lecture method of teaching enhance secondary Biology students’ achievement but at varying degree; and inquiry and discussion methods of teaching improve secondary school Biology students’ attitudes more than lecture method of teaching. However, discussion method of teaching has more effect compared to inquiry and lecture method of teaching. Based on these findings, recommendations were made.

Public vs. Private Education and the Labor Market Disparities in Nepal: Evidence From the Blinder-Oaxaca Decomposition

ABSTRACT: The debate between private and public education is a widely discussed issue in personal and policy forums globally. In Nepal, private schools have grown significantly due to the perceived advantages associated with them. This paper tests if there are significant differences in labor-market outcomes for individuals educated in private schools compared to those educated in public schools. Research Methodology and Data: We employ nationally representative household survey data from the Nepal Living Standards Survey (NLSS III), conducted by the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) Nepal in 2010/11, utilizing the Living Standards Measurement Survey (LMSS) methodology developed by the World Bank. We apply the Blinder-Oaxaca decomposition method to examine the relationship between educational attainment and four distinct measures of labor-market outcomes: labor force participation, employment status, job security, and wage income. Initially, we estimate these outcomes separately for individuals in private education and those in public education. Subsequently, we calculate and analyze whether the disparities in estimated values can be attributed to differences in education. Our findings reveal significant labor-market disparities between individuals participating in private education and those in public education. Those with private education display lower rates of labor force participation and reduced employment rates, suggesting fewer working hours. However, those employed within this group enjoy more secure salaried positions. Furthermore, private education is linked to higher wage incomes, primarily attributable to longer educational periods. The Blinder-Oaxaca decomposition demonstrates that most of these disparities are associated with variations in educational backgrounds. Consequently, the results highlight the role of segregated education in contributing to labor-market inequality, emphasizing the impact of private schools in exacerbating economic disparities in Nepal. The findings underscore the significance of educational attainment in ameliorating disparities between individuals educated in public and private schools. To address these issues, policymakers should concentrate on strategies aimed at increasing the duration of education for public school students, such as providing free, quality higher education. By narrowing the educational gap between private and public institutions, the nation can work towards diminishing wage and job security disparities, fostering a more equitable society. These findings also have relevance for countries grappling with similar socio-economic challenges, initiating essential policy discussions.

Mobile Phone Dependence among Junior High School Students in Public Schools in the Philippines

The study focused on Mobile Phone Dependence among Junior High School Students in Public Schools in the Philippines. The study utilized a quantitative method and employed a descriptive research design. This study aims to describe mobile phone dependence among junior high students. The respondents of the study are the Grade 10 students of San Jose National High School in San Jose, Talibon, Bohol, and Philippines. A random sampling technique was applied in selecting the respondents. In this study, a standardized questionnaire by Mukhdoomiet.al (2020) was used to measure the mobile dependence of the respondents. Moreover, the finding revealed that students find it easy to utilize a mobile phone for academic purposes, which increases their perceived usefulness. Since we live in the 21st century, teaching and learning can be done digitally. It is recommended that Students should use mobile-friendly educational tools. Mobile-friendly instructional resources also enable interactive and self-guided learning, motivating students. Likewise, teachers must also inform students of the dangers of overusing mobile phones.

Brave to Green: Are There Environmental Literacy Problems in Rural Areas Public Elementary Schools?

This study aims to describe the actual condition of environmental literacy of public elementary schools students in rural areas. The research design uses a quantitative survey method. The research participants were 39 teachers in 15 public elementary schools in Sukabumi, West Java. The questionnaire used as an instrument to collect data. The results indicate that there are environmental literacy problems for public elementary schools students in rural areas. The results of this study found that there were factors causing low environmental literacy among students in public elementary schools in rural areas. Based on the data obtained, there are six causal factors regarding clean and healthy living, limited learning resources for students, lack of teacher approaches and strategies in introducing environmental education, low student concern for the environment, community involvement in protecting the environment, and the impact of natural disasters that occurred in the rural area.

The Students' Caring Attitude Toward Marine Environment through Integrated Natural Science Learning in SMP Negeri Tanjungpinang

Various marine environment damages were caused by a lack of marine environmental care attitude. This attitude must be instilled from an early age. This study aimed to find out how marine environmental care attitude of students of public junior high schools in Tanjungpinang City through integrated science learning. This research was a quantitative descriptive research in the form of a survey. This research involved 572 public secondary school students in Tanjungpinang City out of a total of 7,974 stundents who were determined using stratified random sampling. Data collection was carried out using a questionnaire. Questions on the questionnaire were based on 4 main indicators which were based on 7 ocean literacy principles and literature review on environtmental care attitude. Data were analyzed descriptively quantitatively using a Likert Scale. The results showed that students' knowledge of the sea was in the good category. Students' attitudes in preserving marine environment and preventing marine environmental damages were in the good category and the contribution of integrated science learning in shaping these attitudes was also in the good category. The students’ attitudes in repairing marine environment damages was in the bad category and the contribution of integrated science learning to this attitude was in the very bad category. This did not indicate the low quality of integrated science learning. During the COVID-19 Pandemic, it was impossible for integrated science learning to be carried out in the marine environment by involving students in activities to repair marine environment damages because of physical interaction restrictions.

Dinamika Kebijakan Sistem Zonasi Pendidikan di Indonesia

The education zoning policy in Indonesia is a new breakthrough by the government for equal distribution of the quality of education in all regions in Indonesia. The existence of an educational dichotomy marked by the labeling of favorite schools causes an imbalance in the distribution of quality and students in Indonesia. The education zoning policy has been in effect since 2017 and has undergone several technical changes in its implementation. This study uses a qualitative method, by applying a literature study model. The data collection is taken by data reduction model, data display, verification, and drawing conclusions. Even though the zoning policy has been in effect since 2017, issues regarding the quality of education and students are still an important area of ​​discussion in the field of education in Indonesia. This is indicated by the imbalance in the number of new students in private schools and public schools as well as changes in the model of implementation of learning programs that have occurred since the zoning policy came into force. Therefore, the Indonesian government needs to improve the existing zoning policy system, so that the main objectives of the educational zoning policy can be properly realized.

The Implementation of Contextual Teaching and Learning (CTL) to Improve Student Learning Outcomes and Activities on Social Studies Subjects in Class IV SDN Gambarsari II

By Applying the CTL learning model, classroom action research offers benefits that allow students to produce content according to their understanding so that they can relate it to everyday life. The low student learning outcomes in the social studies class in class IV SD Negeri Gambarsari II are the first problem articulation, and the lack of student involvement in the IPS class in class IV SD Negeri Gambarsari II is the second. The research method used is classroom action research with a qualitative approach, which presents research data descriptively in the form of a presentation of the data studied. The results showed that 64.28% of students had acquired knowledge during the first cycle and 89.28% in cycle II. In other words, the CTL learning paradigm improves the ability of fourth-grade students in public elementary schools in the Gambarsari II social studies subject.

Problems Facing Public School Students Due to Bullying from Educational Counselors' Point of View; A Case Study at Bethlehem Governorate Schools for the Academic Year 2022/2023

This study aims to identify the most important problems facing public school students due to bullying from an educational counselor's point of view, a case study at Bethlehem governorate schools for the academic year 2022/2023. To collect data, the study used the qualitative approach by using in-depth interviews from the field of study by constructing a special guide for the interview. The study also was applied to the study population, which consisted of all (84) educational counselors working at public schools in Bethlehem governorate by using the intentional sample, which amounted to (42), which represent (50%) of the total study population. The results of the study revealed that bullying is an aggressive behavior that is manifested directly and indirectly. In addition, the most important problems of bullying are family problems, economic situation, and lack of self-confidence bullying is prevalent among both males and females and is widespread in all schools, whether primary or secondary. Finally, the most important solutions to limit bullying are family awareness, follow-up, educational workshops to be held at schools, and the involvement of students in voluntary work.

Knowledge about tooth avulsion and replantation among students from public schools

Research on knowledge regarding tooth avulsion and replantation among children and adolescents is still scarce. Objective: This cross-sectional study aimed to evaluate the knowledge about tooth avulsion and replantation and their association with independent variables among 7th-grade students in public schools. Material and methods: Data collection on the knowledge regarding tooth avulsion and replantation (nine questions) and sociodemographic profile was performed through semi-structured and self-administered questionnaires. The presence of trauma in permanent incisors of students (n=251) was obtained in a clinical examination performed by a calibrated examiner in Sertaozinho, Sao Paulo, Brazil. After a descriptive data analysis, association and multiple logistic regression tests were applied at a significance level of 5%. Results: Most of the students were female (61.4%), were residents in suburban areas (89.6%) and did not present dental trauma (87.7%). Students answered correct 42.2% of the questions. The variable “last visit to the dentist” was the only one that showed a statistically significant association with knowledge about tooth avulsion and replantation in the bivariate analysis (p = 0.007) and the logistic regression (p = 0.031). Conclusion: The level of knowledge was low, and the students whose last visit to the dentist was two years or longer showed a greater chance of having less knowledge about tooth avulsion and replantation. Clinical Significance: During routine dental visits, the dental team should educate patients about the procedures to manage different situations of dental trauma.

Factors influencing students' attitudes toward bullying: A multilevel analysis from Mainland China, Hong Kong, and Taipei

AbstractThe present study investigated how students' attitudes toward bullying were influenced simultaneously by personal and contextual factors in Mainland China, Hong Kong, and Taipei. Participants included 25,338 students (15‐year‐olds, from grade 7 to 12) and 663 schools from Mainland China, Hong Kong, and Taipei drawn from the Program for International Student Assessment 2018. Multilevel structural equation modeling with Bayesian estimation was conducted for data analysis. The results showed that, for personal factors, girls had stronger anti‐bullying attitudes than boys in each sample. Resilience and self‐efficacy predicted students' anti‐bullying attitudes positively and significantly in all three regions. For family contextual factors, parents' emotional support had positive effects on students' attitudes toward bullying in three regions. For school contextual factors, there was no consistent result among the three regions. School location and school belonging were positive predictors of students' anti‐bullying attitudes in Mainland China. By contrast, class size and student behavior hindering learning negatively correlated with students' anti‐bullying attitudes in Hong Kong. In Taipei, students in public schools were more likely to form anti‐bullying attitudes, and a positive association was found between the student–teacher ratio and students' attitudes toward bullying. Distinguishing the commonalities and differences in the factors influencing students' attitudes toward bullying in Mainland China, Hong Kong, and Taipei provides empirical evidence to understand school bullying prevention and control mechanism.

E-cigarette use by Ontario public elementary school and secondary school students: Has the use among sociodemographic groups changed from 2017 to 2019?

This project examined e-cigarette use among Elementary School (ES) (grades 7 and 8) and Secondary School (SS) (grades 9–12) students in Ontario, Canada, for 2017 and 2019 and relationships with sociodemographic variables and traditional cigarette use. The data came from the Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey OSDUHS (2017, 2019). Socio-demographics included grade, school performance, sex, race, years in Canada, living arrangements and language spoken at home. E-cigarette use and cigarette smoking were any past year use. For 2017, there are a greater percentage of ES males than females who used e-cigarettes, older students, those living in more than one home and those smoking cigarettes. For SS students a greater percentage for those of older age, higher grades, living in Canada all their lives, using only English language at home, self-identified as white, with lower school performance, those with multiple household living arrangements and who reported smoking traditional cigarettes reported using e-cigarettes. Use was lower among females in 2017 (OR = 0.63, 95% CI = 0.46, 0.86, p = 0.002), but by 2019 use was higher among females, which resulted in a non-significant difference between males and females (OR = 0.91, 95% CI = 0.77, 1.09). Greater use of e-cigarettes was found among students who smoked traditional cigarettes compared to those who did not smoke in both years. Monitoring the trends, patterns and trajectories of use and variables related to use needs to be continued which may help inform the development of further legislative and educational measures.

Informal Reasoning Profile of State Senior High School Students in Brebes Regency

This study aims to look at the Informal Reasoning profiles of public high school students in the Brebes Regency. Informal Reasoning is a type of thinking used by students in considering socio-scientific issues, which involves considering causation, pros and cons, and alternatives. The research was conducted at 11 public high schools in Brebes Regency using the Proportionate Stratified Random Sampling method. The research data was obtained through tests in the form of multiple-choice questions and essays that tested students' mastery of Informal Reasoning regarding issues such as HIV-AIDS, GMOs, and cloning. The results showed that 79.64% of students had good Informal Reasoning skills, 18.26% of students had very good abilities, and 2.10% of students had moderate abilities. These results indicate that most high school students in Brebes District have good Informal Reasoning skills in addressing socio-scientific issues. Comparing some of the results of students' Informal Reasoning between schools forms a pattern of possible causal factors, such as teachers' habits in teaching and giving questions, environment, region (rural and urban areas), as well as the availability of facilities and infrastructure.

Relationship between Parenting Style, Family Relationship and Emotional Behavioral Problems among Elementary-School Children

Emotional-behavioral problems in children can manifest as negative behaviors and self-concepts. Parenting patterns and family relationships have an essential role in preventing emotional-behavioral problems in children, and both can prevent their occurrence. An essential role in emotional-behavioral problems in children, and both can prevent their occurrence. and SDN 10) in Penjaringan Subdistrict, North Jakarta. A cross-sectional study was conducted from August to December 2019, involving 231 parents of public elementary school students in the Penjaringan Subdistrict who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Data were analyzed by univariate and bivariate analysis using SPSS 22.0. Elementary school students are in grades 4, 5, and 6, aged 10–14 years; 53.2% are male, and 11.7% of children have emotional behavior problems. This study shows that 18.7% of students with exposure parenting have emotional-behavioral problems, and 10.8% of children with extreme family relationships have emotional-behavioral problems. The bivariate analysis test (chi-square test) showed a significant relationship (p = 0.000) between emotional-behavioral problems and family relationships. Therefore, parents need to evaluate and increase awareness of the critical role of parents in the physical, psychological, and social development of children, especially in maintaining the quality of family relationships.