School Climate and Students’ Performance in Computer Science: The Role of Secondary School Principals in Bayelsa State, Nigeria

Abstract

The increasing significance of Computer Science in equipping students for engagement in a digital society has raised worries about uneven academic results in Nigerian secondary schools, especially in Bayelsa State. While the impact of school climate and leadership practices on academic results is well acknowledged, there is a lack of substantial empirical evidence concerning their particular effect on Computer Science success. This research investigated the impact of school environment and principals’ leadership styles on students’ academic outcomes in Computer Science in public senior secondary schools within Bayelsa State, Nigeria. A descriptive-correlational approach was utilized. Using multistage sampling, 398 students, 364 teachers of Computer Science, and 134 school principals were chosen. Data were gathered through structured questionnaires regarding school climate and principals’ leadership styles, in addition to students’ Computer Science exam scores. Descriptive statistics, Pearson Product-Moment Correlation, and multiple regression analyses were performed at the 0.05 significance threshold. Results showed a favorable school environment (M = 3.01, SD = 0.38) and moderately high levels of student achievement (M = 76.60%, SD = 8.32). There was a strong, notable positive correlation between academic performance and school climate (r = 0.695, p < 0.001). The leadership practices of principals and school climate, both factors significantly predicted students' performance, together accounting for 64.9% of the variance (R² = 0.649, p < 0.001). The research indicates that enhancing school climate and implementing effective leadership strategies are crucial for boosting Computer Science performance and informing policy and school enhancement efforts.