SCHOOL LOCATION AND STUDENTS' ATTITUDE ON ACHIEVEMENT IN BUSINESS STUDIES IN JUNIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN PORT HARCOURT CITY, RIVERS STATE

This study investigated school location and students' attitudes on achievement in
business studies in junior secondary schools in Port Harcourt City, Rivers State,
Nigeria. The study adopted the descriptive research design. The study population
included 688 teachers and 16,663 students in the 20 public Junior Secondary Schools
in Port Harcourt City Local Government Area. A sample of 224 respondents (56
Business studies teachers and 168 JSC III students) was selected using multistage
sampling in 20 public Junior Secondary Schools. A 20-item non-cognitive instrument
titled “School Location and Students' Attitude on Achievement in Business Studies
Questionnaire” (SLSAABSQ), and a 40-item cognitive instrument “Business Studies
Achievement Test” (BSAT), with reliability coefficients of 0.869 and 0.852, were
used for data collection. Data collected was analyzed using Pearson Product
Moment Corelation (PPMC) to answer research questions 1 and 2, while Multiple
Regression Analysis was used to answer question 3. The study revealed Pearson
Correlation Coefficients (r) of 0.830, and 0.842, as well as same p-value of 0.000,
which indicated a positive, very strong and significant contribution of school
location, and students’ attitude, respectively to students’ achievement in Business
studies in Junior Secondary schools in Port Harcourt City Local Government Area,
Rivers State. The study recommended, among others, that the government should
ensure that policymakers and planners focus on effectively addressing
environmental and infrastructural disparities, as well as integrate interventions to
improve student attitudes and teachers' enthusiasm, which can have a direct and
measurable impact on student achievement in Business Studies, irrespective of their
school location.