IMPACT OF EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES ON STUDENTS' ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE: A SURVEY OF PUBLIC SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN KANIFING MUNICIPALITY, THE GAMBIA

Abstract

This study examined the influence of science laboratories, core subject textbooks, and classroom furniture on students' academic performance in English Language, Mathematics, and Civic Education among public senior secondary school students in Kanifing Municipality, The Gambia. A quantitative survey design was adopted. Using simple random sampling, 396 students were selected from six public senior secondary schools. Data were collected with the School Facilities and Students' Academic Performance Questionnaire (SFAPQ), which demonstrated excellent overall reliability (Cronbach's α = 0.92). Descriptive statistics, Pearson product-moment correlations, and multiple regression were used. Science laboratories were the most deficient facility (M = 14.2/30), followed by textbooks (M = 9.4/18) and classroom furniture (M = 22.6/40). The overall mean academic performance was 54.8%, while 42.7% of students scored below the 40% pass mark. All three facilities had significant positive correlations with academic performance, with textbooks showing the strongest association (r = 0.52, p < .01). In the regression model, furniture adequacy was the strongest predictor (β = 0.31, p < .001), followed by textbooks (β = 0.28, p < .001) and laboratories (β = 0.18, p = .002). The study recommends targeted investment in furniture, textbooks, and functional laboratories.