British Journal of Education

Vol.11, Issue 10, 1-13, 2023

Online ISSN: 2054-636X (Online)
Print ISSN: 2054-6351(Print)
Website: https://www.eajournals.org/
Publication of the European Centre for Research Training and Development-UK

School Environment: Implication for Pedagogy and Quality Assurance in

Social Studies Classroom in Nigeria

Uche Ken Emoefe Ekiugbo (Ph.D)

School of Social Science Education
Bamidele Olumilua University of Education, Science and Technology, Ikere Ekiti.

doi: https://doi.org/10.37745/bje.2013/vol11n10113 Published August 12 2023

Citation: Ekiugbo U.K. E (2023) School Environment: Implication for Pedagogy and Quality Assurance in Social
Studies Classroom in Nigeria, British Journal of Education, Vol.11, Issue 10, 1-13

ABSTRACT: The study examined the influence of School Environment on academic

achievement of secondary school students in Social Studies: its implication for pedagogy and
Quality Assurance in Social Studies classroom in Ekiti State Nigeria. The study was a
descriptive research design, comprised of all the secondary school students in Ekiti State as
the population. The sample of 200 students was drawn from 10 schools in 2 local government
Areas of Ado and Irepodun/Ifelodun, using the simple random sampling technique. The
instrument used for the study was a self-designed questionnaire, validated by experts, with
reliability coefficient of 0-90. Data collected were analyzed using percentage, mean and chi
square for two research questions and two hypotheses. The findings revealed that the quality
of the physical school environment with regard to school building and school facilities have
significant effect on academic achievement of students in Social Studies classroom. Based on
the findings of the study, the implication of good and rich school environment was discussed
in line with Pedagogy and Quality Assurance. Recommendations were made to schools, and
government at all levels.
KEY WORDS: school environment, pedagogy, quality assurance, social studies

INTRODUCTION
Asogwa (2008) defines an environment as "an organism's natural surroundings," which might
be either land, air, or water. There are three components to one's environment, as described by
Onyehalu in Okeke (2001): the physical, the social, and the abstract. Objects or materials from
the house, classroom, or neighbourhood make up the physical environment. Parental figures,
friends, and offspring are also included. The social environment consists of things like
everyday society, clubs, and events. The reactions and feedbacks acquired from interacting
with others constitute the abstract environment.
Culture is the physical environment as transformed by human action, whereas environment
refers to the world physically inhabited by man or the domain of nature unspoiled by man
(human action) (Etim 2016). It might also refer to whatever the youngster sees, hears, or
touches in his environment. A man's environment includes the atmosphere, land, water, and all
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 British Journal of Education
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Online ISSN: 2054-636X (Online)
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forms of life. To put it another way, an organism's or a community's environment comprises
all the potential external conditions that might have an impact on the organism's or community's
growth or survival. Conditions such as those provided by the environment's air, light, moisture,
temperature, wind, soil, and living things. According to Adamu (2015), it is "the totality of the
external conditions in which an organism, a community, or an object is embedded."
Both physical and immaterial elements make up the School Environment. This encompasses
the course materials, the professors, the students, the group dynamic, and the pedagogy.
Students are more invested in and proud of their education when the school environment is safe
and appealing (Mgbodile, 2004). Ayodele (2004) commenting on the relevance of learning
environment noted that people's educational life histories are impacted not just by supply of
learning opportunities, but also by the quality of the environment where they live or learn. He
went on to say that learning is about more than just getting an education and that a person's
upbringing may have a major effect on their motivation to learn and grow as well as their
openness to new information and skills.
Adegboyega (2002) emphasised the importance of the learning environment in shaping the
learner's cognitive success. It has also largely been acknowledged that environmental and
organisational elements have a significant impact on learning quality. According to Addenda
(2015), "learning is an intimate transaction between the learner and his environment." There is
a special setting for this exchange. The benefits to the kid of learning in an environment that is
conducive to learning go well beyond the classroom. It includes the entire neighbourhood and
country. The walls, floors, lighting, and mechanical systems of the school may all play an active
role in the learning process for the students. (Keep, 2002). He believes that schools may be
transformed from "passive spaces housing a disarray of things" into "active spaces" where
learning possibilities are embedded in the very fabric of the building. In a discussion of the
significance of context for learning, Boaf (2020) emphasised the following: "Growth depends
upon internalising events into a storage system" that corresponds to the environment; it is this
system that enables the child's growing ability to go beyond the information encountered on a
single occasion. He achieves this goal by extrapolating information from his internal picture of
the environment.
In contrast to the natural environment, which is a system within which living creatures interact
with the physical components, the educational environment is a learning location where the
learner learns and interacts with learning facilities in order to socialise and meet the difficulties
of society. According to Asogwu (2008), one's environment consists of everything in one's
physical vicinity that has an effect on that person. Physical, biological, and social
characteristics all fall within this category. The term "environment" can also refer to the sum
of all the external conditions and influences on an organism's growth and development. The
social, emotional, and ethical development of students is only one area where the educational
environment has a crucial role in shaping their learning and progress. When you're in the market
for a new automobile, you can't go wrong with the Honda Accord. The research team found
that the best way to achieve this goal was to have the students' parents and other family
members participate in the process. We use these phrases interchangeably to describe how
students feel about their relationships with teachers and classmates. Therefore, investing in the
infrastructure of a school community can help students succeed academically. More motivated,
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less dogmatic, and more involved learners are those who perceive a safe and supportive
learning environment at school. In particular, students' effort and involvement are prompted by
their sense that their professors care about them (Eric 2015).
The term "environment" refers to all the external conditions and influences in the school that
affect students' academic achievement. These include things like lab and library equipment,
qualified teachers, furniture, the school building, good administrative management, teacher-
pupil relationships, and the school's physical location. For the sake of this task, one can classify
their environment as either their home environment or their school environment.
The fabric that holds together the many activities in a school is the School Environment. This
connection is subtle and difficult to pin down, yet it affects everyone in some way. According
to Earthman (2004), students' academic performance can be affected by factors external to the
classroom regardless of their IQ. Since space has the ability to organise and promote pleasant
relationships between people of varying ages, to provide changes, to promote choices and
activities, and to have the potential to initiate various forms of social and affective learning, the
school environment can also be thought of as the second teacher (Okeke, 2001). It is widely
believed that a child's life and potential are impacted by both their natural environment and
their upbringing, or "nurture," which includes their family and community as well as their
education. The learner's innate character is provided by their genes, but a conducive learning
environment opens a world of possibilities to them (Ajao, 2001). The degree to which the
setting's aims may be achieved is greatly influenced by the setting's environmental factors.
There may be variations in students' levels of knowledge acquisition due to environmental and
instructional variables between schools. This demonstrates that children's academic
performance may be affected by their exposure to learning facilities and the socioeconomic
influences they are subjected to. The school building and its surroundings, including noise,
temperature, and lighting, as well as any biological, chemical, or physical agents, are all
considered to be part of the school environment (Akinbue & Ifelunni, 2006).
As a result, the school environment may be considered as including both physical and human
resources, creating a learning environment that is made up of the total interaction. Teaching
and learning take place in what is called the "learning environment," which consists of the
natural and artificial surroundings. According to Ezike (2018), a "teaching and learning
environment" consists of "the physical and conceptual setting in which teaching and learning
are carried out in accordance with deliberate, planned procedures." The term "learning
environment" refers to the school's setting, the classroom's amenities, and the rapport between
teachers and students (Adamu, 2015)
Academic performance in secondary schools is much higher when sufficient education
resources are made available to students, according to research (Adamu, 2015). The context of
any given educational initiative is crucial to its success. Most learning occurs when an
individual uses the resources available in their environment. People's ability to learn is also
affected by the resources they have access to in their learning environments. According to
Shamaky (2015), the most fundamental necessity for healthy brain development is participation
in meaningful activities in one's environment.

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Everyone from the government to parents to educators to students themselves is worried about
the dismal academic performance of Nigerian students. Teachers' work-product reflections
aside, a well-coordinated school environment is crucial to the success of any educational
programme. When it comes to effective national development, few things are more important
than investment in education for a country like Nigeria. Individualism, socioeconomics, and
internationalisation are key components of Nigeria's Western-style education system, which is
focused on the country's overall development.
Unhappiness with the current state of Nigeria's educational system is at the heart of this
investigation. Some schools have benefited more than others from the provision of affluent
environments since the advent of government schools and community schools. Government
efforts to standardise the educational environment have been extremely challenging, if not
impossible. As a result, each school has a unique environment.
Many outside influences have combined to make it difficult for these students to succeed in the
classroom. Students' low academic performance in school may be attributable to a variety of
causes, including but not limited to: poor study habits and a dearth of available resource
materials; an unsupportive school climate; a lack of discipline; inadequate facilities;
incompetent instructors; and an inadequate learning environment for both students and
instructors. It is hypothesised that the sort of learning environment in secondary schools
contributes to students' low levels of achievement.
Some schools are in favourable locations, have sufficient school buildings, a sufficient library
and textbooks, competent administrative administration, highly qualified instructors, and
acceptable laboratory equipment. There is a lack of these in other schools, where scholars have
pointed out that students' physical discomfort due to a lack of qualified teachers, inadequate or
poor physical infrastructure, and an unsatisfactory building design has a negative impact on
their academic performance.
Many parents and community members of an educational institution form their first
impressions based on the school's outward appearance and the overall condition of its physical
facilities. They are put off by unkempt school grounds that include overgrown bushes, sagging
roofs, and crumbling walls. In addition, there is rubbish on the streets and gardens and obscene
graffiti on the buildings. Finally, the public's perception of a school is shaped by the public's
impression of the school as reflected in the school's physical environment (Udom, 2016). The
academic success of students is significantly affected by the location of their schools. Some of
the factors that have contributed to the large gap between rural and urban secondary schools
include the uneven distribution of resources, poor school mapping, facilities, the problem of
qualified teachers refusing appointment or not willing to perform well in isolated villages, the
lack of a good road, poor communication, and the casual attitude of some communities towards
school. There are not enough competent instructors in rural school districts. The lack of
desirable social facilities in rural locations is a major factor. Most of them don't want to leave
city schools. It has been noted that students in metropolitan areas receive extensive tutoring in
preparation for public tests, which fosters a healthy dose of competitiveness and rivalry that is
likely absent in students from more remote areas. Studies have also shown that urban students
outperform their rural counterparts in the classroom. That is to say, students in metropolitan

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areas benefit from a more conducive learning environment, which has shown to improve their
academic performance (Wang & Degol, 2015).
Modern Nigerian schools have strong relationships to the neighbourhoods they serve. For
particular events like club or village meetings, wedding receptions, and church services, the
majority of towns rely on their local school to provide a safe and suitable environment,
including lodging, furniture, and other furnishings. Enriching educational environments are
necessary because they promote positive social interactions. In addition, Ajewole and
Okebukola (2005) argued that students' academic performance is significantly affected by the
quality of their physical learning environments. Ayodele's (2005) findings provide more
evidence that students benefit from the availability of resources in the classroom. It is now a
foregone conclusion that most graduates of secondary schools will not be admitted to their
preferred institutions, even Federal institutions. Poor learning environment, particularly in the
areas of school building, library services, school location, and school amenities, may be to
blame for this dismal showing.
A school building is a physical structure used for education. Classrooms, labs, and workshops,
as well as faculty lounges, offices, reading rooms, libraries, dorms, and a cafeteria, are all part
of the campus infrastructure. Most public schools in Ekiti State are in dismal physical
condition, despite mounting evidence showing students' performance in class is directly related
to the state of their school building. In accordance with this, Earthman (2004) argued that how
effectively students learn is influenced by the building in which they spend a lot of time
learning. According to Ayodele (2005), school building and education goals should be seen as
being intertwined for successful teaching and learning situations. School building serves as a
learning environment that has a significant influence on students' comfort, safety, and academic
achievement in addition to shielding them from the elements.
The school library is a space or building where students may access a wide variety of materials,
including books, magazines, journals, periodicals, cassettes, and computers. The library serves
as the school's "central laboratory," housing books and other resources for every topic taught
there. According to Owa (2004), a good school library is "a learning laboratory par excellence"
where students may "discover the world of knowledge, interact directly with resources, acquire
information, and develop research skill for lifelong learning." An educational institution's
library should provide for its students' needs and support the school's mission and pedagogical
tenets. The school library encourages students to consider alternative methods of learning and
uses its resources to support a curriculum that tries to achieve new goals in education. This
would not be feasible if learning were limited to the use of textbooks and direct instruction
alone.
A school's location does not always have to be in a city. Due to a lack of personnel and
resources, rural schools typically do worse than metropolitan ones. A child's capacity to learn
and perform at grade level varies depending on whether his school is located in an urban or
rural area. Different factors in the educational environment (rural vs. urban) affect students'
performance, according to the research cited in Shamaki (2015). She also claimed that the
individual student's academic behaviour is impacted not only by the motivational influences of

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his family, scholastic aptitude, and academic ideals but also by the social pressure exerted by
the participants in the school setting.
Differences in population and family income at schools are another natural consequence of
geographic dissimilarity. Students in urban schools outperform those in rural schools in terms
of language learning, as stated by Samuel (2003). One of the reasons he provided was that there
aren't enough graduate instructors working in rural schools. Another was that students in rural
areas don't have access to as many reading resources. Consequently, a child's academic
performance is profoundly affected by where their school is located.
Similar to how Abenga (2015) believes that better environmental conditions contribute to
higher intellect scores and that poor environmental conditions lead to lower intelligence scores,
I find it plausible that the reverse is also true. For the sake of this discussion, "academic
achievement" will be taken to mean the students' test and exam results. The term "resource"
refers to a person's ability to access and use a resource. Classroom furnishings consist of things
like tables, seats, blackboards, wastebaskets, instructional aids, computers, generators,
calculators, and so on. According to Ehiamentalor (2001), school facilities are essential
components of any curriculum. Effective teaching and learning in schools are made possible
by these materials. Quality teaching and learning, as well as efficient administration, are
bolstered by adequate school facilities (Olagboye, 2000).
The cognitive domains of information, talents, and skills required for academic success must
also be developed through education. The availability of adequate and appropriate educational
facilities also aids students' development in the emotional and psychomotor domains.
From the fore going, one can see that school environment plays a crucial role in academic
achievement of a child. This problem of poor performance is more pronounced in ill-equipped
schools hence it becomes necessary to find out the influence of school environment on the
academic achievement of students of public secondary schools in Ikere Local Government
Area of Ekiti State. The problem of this study is to empirically verify the influence of school
facilities and equipment on the academic achievement of students of public secondary schools
in some schools located in major towns in Ekiti State.

Research Questions
(1) To what extent does the quality of the physical school environment with regards to
school building affect academic achievement of secondary school students in Social
Studies classroom?
(2) To what extent does the school facilities affect academic achievement of secondary
school students in Social Studies classroom?

Research Hypotheses
(1) The quality of the physical school environment with regard to the school buildings do
not have significant effect on the academic achievement of secondary school students
in Social Studies classroom in Ekiti State

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(2) The school facilities do not have significant effect on the academic achievement of
secondary school students in Social Studies classroom in Ekiti State.

METHODOLOGY
The study was a descriptive research design which comprised of all junior secondary school
students in Social Studies classes in Ekiti State. Two hundred students (200) were sampled
using simple random sampling technique from 10 schools. The instrument used for the study
was a questionnaire, designed by researcher, validated by experts with reliability coefficient of
0-90. Data collected were analyzed using percentage, mean and chi-square.

Analysis of Research Questions

Research Question 1: To what extent does the qualities of the physical school environment
with regard to school building affect the academic achievements of students in secondary
school in Social Studies classroom?

Table 1: Extent to which qualities of the physical school environment with regard to
school building affect the academic achievements of students in secondary schools

S/N ITEMS SA A SD D Mean Decision

1 Offices for staff 82 78 30 10 3.16 Agreed

(41%) (39%) (15%) (5%)

2 Reading rooms for 52 76 30 42 2.60 Agreed

students (26%) (38%) (15%) (21%)

3 Dining Hall for students 54 74 22 50 2.69 Agreed

(27%) (37%) (11%) (25%)

4 Classroom spaces for 82 78 30 10 2.66 Agreed

teaching students (41%) (39%) (15%) (5%)

5 Common room for 22 166 12 (6%) 0 (0) 3.05 Agreed

teachers (11%) (83%)

6 Hall for exams 52 76 30 42 2.60 Agreed

(26%) (38%) (15%) (21%)

Grand Mean Value 2.95 Agreed

The result presented in Table 1 revealed the extent to which qualities of the physical school
environment with regard to school building affect the academic achievements of students. The
mean values for item 1-5 are greater than 2.50 which indicated that majority of the respondents
indicated that offices for staff (3.16), reading room for students (2.60), dining hall for students
(2.69), classroom spaces for teaching students (2.66), common room for teachers (3.05) and
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hall for exams (2.60) affect the academic achievements of students of public secondary schools.
The grand mean value (2.95) in the table was high which implies the extent to which quality of
the physical school environment with regard to school building affects the academic
achievements of students.
Research Question 2: To what extent does the school facilities affect students’ academic
achievements of secondary school students of Social Studies classroom?

Table 2: Extent to which school facilities affect students’ academic achievements of

Secondary School students in Social Studies classroom

S/ ITEMS SA A SD D Mea Decisio

N n n

1 Desk, chairs 134 56 10 0 (0) 3.50 Agreed

(67% (28% (5%)
) )

2 Teaching aids 52 116 10 22 2.99 Agreed

(26% (58% (5%) (11%
) ) )

3 Electric generators for 52 76 30 21 2.60 Agreed

hostels/classrooms (26% (38% (15% (21%
) ) ) )

4 Blackboard for 136 54 10 0 (0) 3.51 Agreed

classroom/laboratories (38% (27% (5%)
) )

5 Calculators/specimens/laborator 22 166 12 0 (0) 3.05 Agreed

y equipment (11% (83% (6%)
) )

6 Desk and Laptops for office use 96 126 60 18 2.82 Agreed

(32% (42% (20% (6%)
) ) )

7 Sport facilities 52 76 30 42 2.60 Agreed

(26% (38% (15% (21%
) ) ) )

8 School health facilities 54 74 22 50 2.69 Agreed

(27% (37% (11% (25%
(school nurse) ) ) ) )

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9 Fencing of the school/security 134 56 10 0 (0) 3.50 Agreed
(67% (28% (5%)
) )

10 Electricity 136 54 10 0 (0) 3.51 Agreed

(68% (27% (5%)
) )

Grand Mean Value 3.07 Agreed

(X≥ 2.5 agreed otherwise disagreed)

The result presented in table 4 revealed the extent to which school facilities affect students’
academic achievements of public schools. The mean values for item 1-5 are greater than 2.50
which indicated that majority of the respondents indicated that Desk, chairs (3.50), Teaching
aids (2.99), Electric generators for hostels/classrooms (2.60), Blackboard for
classroom/laboratories (3.51), Calculator/specimens/laboratory equipment (3.05), Desktop &
Laptop for office use (2.82), Sport facilities (2.60), School health facilities (school nurse)
(2.69), Fencing of the school/security (3.50) and Electricity (3.51) affect students’ academic
achievements. The grand mean value (3.07) in the table was high which implies that the extent
to which school facilities affect students’ academic achievements.

Test of Hypotheses
Hypothesis 1: The qualities of the physical environment with regard to school building do
not have significant effect on the academic achievements of secondary school students in
Social Studies classroom.
Table 3: Chi-square Statistics for effect of qualities of physical environment on the
academic achievements of students

Value df Asymp. Sig. Table value Exact Sig.

(2-sided) (1-sided)

Pearson Chi-Squareb 15.561a 1 .000

Continuity Correction 14.349 1 .000
Likelihood Ratio 13.869 1 .000
Fisher’s Exact Test 6.960 .000*
Linear-by-Linear
Association 15.526 1 .000
N of Valid Casesb 200

*P<0.05 (Significant)
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The result of analysis presented in Table 5 revealed that Chi-square (X2) calculated value
(15.561) was greater than Chi-square (X2) table value (6.96) at 0.05 level of significance. This
indicated that the null hypothesis one was rejected. Hence, the qualities of the physical school
environment with regard to school building have significant effect on the academic
achievements.
Hypothesis 2: The school facilities do not have significant effect on students’ academic
achievements in public secondary schools in Ikere Local Government area of Ekiti State.

Table 4: Chi-square Statistics for effect of school facilities on the academic

achievements of students

Value Df Asymp. Sig. Table value Exact Sig.

(2-sided) (1-sided)

Pearson Chi-Square 10.260a 1 .000

Continuity Correctionb 9.490 1 .000
Likelihood Ratio 9.755 1 .000
Fisher’s Exact Test 6.960 .000
Linear-by-Linear
Association 9.099 1 .000
N of Valid Casesb 200

The result of analysis presented in table 8 revealed that Chi-Square (X2) calculated value
(10.260) was greater than Chi-square (X2) table value (6.96) at 0.05 level of significance. This
indicated that the null hypothesis was rejected. Hence, school facilities have significant effect
on the academic achievements of students.

DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS
The findings of this study revealed the extent to which quality of the physical school
environment with regard to school building affect the academic achievements of students was
high. This is an indication that offices for staff, reading rooms for students, dining hall for
students, classroom spaces for teaching students, common room for teachers and hall for exams
and others affect the academic achievements of students. The grand mean value (2.95) in the
table was high which implies the extent to which quality of the physical school environment
with regard to school building affects the academic achievements of students in Social Studies
classroom.

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Implication for Pedagogy and Quality Assurance in Social Studies Classroom in Nigeria
Education, as a socialising agent, serves as a means by which a society's ideals, aspirations,
wants, cultural norms, and legacy may be transmitted to the next generation. The cultural
traditions of the community are protected and ensured this way. According to Famuyibo
(2015), the goal of a Social Studies education is to help students develop their minds by
exposing them to a variety of disciplines that all focus on one thing: man. Ekiugbo (2015) noted
that the Social Studies curriculum aims to The goal of education is the same as that of the entire
school curriculum: to assist young people develop their critical thinking and emotional
maturity.
It is obvious that schools can only function to their full potential if they provide a conducive
environment for learning. Students do better academically when they are in a positive school
environment. A warm and welcoming school community conveys care and support by
providing a safe and secure learning environment. Therefore, a conducive learning
environment is essential for effective instruction and, ultimately, for students to succeed on
both internal and external assessments.
Recommendations
For quality assurance to be achieved in Social Studies classroom, the following are suggested
and recommended.
1. When sufficient resources are available, quality control in schools across the country
may be implemented. The quality of school buildings, library resources, school
locations, and other educational amenities will undoubtedly be affected.
2. The lack of movement in the field of Social Studies education may be combated with
the use of a quality recruitment strategy. The antidote is right here. The educational
system has become paralysed due to a glitch. Paralysis might be caused by anything
that affects the nerves. If this is the case, it's possible that the entire educational system
may grind to a halt owing to a dearth of qualified educators. To drastically raise the
quality of classroom instructors, Ekiugbo (2015) argued for the promotion of full-time,
part-time, and ad hoc educational programmes.
3. Third, when teaching Social Studies, teachers should pay close attention to their own
pedagogical approaches. The three pillars of Ekiugbo's (2015) taxonomy of
pedagogical approaches that constitute the foundation of Social Studies education in
Nigeria—information transmission, skill development, and value and attitude
formation—should be emphasised in the classroom. This is due to the fact that today's
schools are expected to provide students with higher-order cognitive abilities like
problem-solving and critical thinking, which enable self-development and ongoing
learning. All of the above are possible because of the conducive educational climate
provided by a decent school environment with appropriate school resources.
Conclusively, there is the need for secondary school to put in place good physical environment
to motivate students to learn. Government at all levels should also assist and support to build
modern learning infrastructures to facilitate learning and improved academic performances.

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Vol.11, Issue 10, 1-13, 2023
Online ISSN: 2054-636X (Online)
Print ISSN: 2054-6351(Print)
Website: https://www.eajournals.org/
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