School insecurity and its effect on mathematics outcomes for secondary school students

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Abstract
This study investigates the impact of school insecurity on the mathematics performance of secondary school students in the Nsukka Education Zone, Enugu State, Nigeria. A descriptive survey design was employed with a population of 9,651 students from 61 public secondary schools. A sample of 423 students (215 males and 208 females) was selected through simple random sampling. Data were collected using the impact of school insecurity questionnaire (ISIQ) which had a reliability index of 0.84 through Cronbach’s alpha. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 28 with mean and standard deviation addressing research questions and t-tests testing hypotheses at a 0.05 significance level. The results indicate that school insecurity significantly hampers students’ mathematics performance. However, no significant gender-based differences were found in its impact. The study concludes that fostering secure school environments and implementing anti-insecurity policies are crucial for improving students’ mathematics achievement. The findings highlight the need for school administrators, policymakers, and communities to collaborate in addressing insecurity issues to enhance educational outcomes and equity in Nigeria’s secondary school system.

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