Climate Change Threat and Secondary School Students’ Performance in Rivers and Bayelsa States: Implications for Educational Development

Abstract

The study investigated climate change threat and secondary school students’ performance in Rivers and Bayelsa States: Implications for educational development. Three research questions and three hypotheses guided the study. The population of the study was 91566 (Rivers=72344 and Bayelsa=19222) public senior secondary school students from Rivers and Bayelsa states respectively. The sample size of 546 (Rivers=400 and Bayelsa=146) respondents was determined using multi stage sampling technique. The instruments used were climate change questionnaire (CCQ) and students’ performance questionnaire (SPQ). The instruments were validated by two experts in Measurement and Evaluation from Rivers State University and Cronbach Alpha was used to ascertain the reliability. Out of the 546 copies of questionnaire administered only 508 were properly filled and retrieved. The data collected for the study were analyzed using Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient (PPMC) formula while t-transformation was used to test hypotheses using statistical package of social science (SPSS). The findings revealed that there is high and positive relationship between flooding and high temperature and secondary school students’ performance in Rivers and Bayelsa States. Also, revealed was a low and positive relationship between high rainfall and secondary school students’ performance in Rivers and Bayelsa States. The hypotheses revealed significant relationship between all the variables tested and secondary school students’ performance in Rivers and Bayelsa States. Based on these findings, it was recommended among others that, the States’ Government should train the schools’ administrators and teachers on how to promptly respond in the case of flash flood emergency, Government of both states should install facilities that reduces exposure to heat such as heating, ventilating and air conditioning systems, room ventilation, fans, shade provision through tree planting and building.