Chapter I

Problem and Its Scope

Rationale of the Study

Education for any nation is believed to be veritable machinery for the

development of a country. This is obvious because of the roles played by educated

people in the development of science, social- economic and political structure to

improve the individual, families and making the society a better place to live. In the light

of these values, education today must prepare the child to function effective as an adult

to be, and these cannot be achieved without adequate school facilities. Education,

either formal or traditional exists in every society. However, the history of school

facilities could be traced to the era of formal system of education. It equally changes

with the system of education, even though, such other facilities like money and human

resources are required. Over the years, enrolment into the secondary education has

been on the increase, following series of educational programs being introduced. One

of such is the Universal Basic Education (UBE) scheme. Also, successive governments

have and are still allocating an appreciable percentage of their annual budgets to the

provision and maintenance of school facilities meant to improve the sector. An effective

school facility is responsive to the changing programs of educational delivery, and at a

minimum should provide a physical environment that is comfortable, safe, secure,

accessible, well illuminated, well ventilated, and aesthetically pleasing. The school

facility consists of not only the physical structure and the variety of building systems,

such as mechanical, plumbing, electrical and power, telecommunications, security, and

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fire suppression systems. The facility also includes furnishings, materials and supplies,

equipment and information technology, as well as various aspects of the building

grounds, namely, athletic fields, playgrounds, areas for outdoor learning, and vehicular

access and parking. The subject of school facilities had received great attention from

the public as well as educators in recent times. According to Building Educational

Success Together (BEST, 2005), it was reported that the responsibility of every

administrator is to ensure that every child had access to quality education in school

facilities that provide an educational setting that was suited for teaching and learning.

Also, implementing educational policies that resulted in high quality, high performance,

and well designed and maintained school facilities had a direct and indirect impact on

the teaching and learning process (BEST, 2005). Effective facilities management

therefore contributes to the success of every student in any school. In a study carried

out by Hale (2002) reveals that students in class rooms with large windows, natural

lighting and well-designed skylights were found to perform well from 19 to 25% better

than their peers in classroom without these features. Not only environmental conditions

in schools affect the students but also the staff as observed by (Hunter, 2006) which

include the inoperative heating system, inadequate ventilation and poor lighting system.

The overall building condition, the age of the building, and the windows as well as the

instructional areas were positively related to students achievement in learning (Bullock,

2007). It is evident in their contributions (Broome, 2005; Hughes, 2005; Lyons, 2001)

that students ‘achievement depends upon the physical school facility, its age, the design

and the condition of the school. School facilities played a significant role in directing the

task of teaching and that of shaping students learning process in and out of school. No
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doubt, school building as a tool for instituting an effective teaching and learning process

constituted sizeable investment of public funds over its development and maintenance

by the administrators.

The purpose of our study is to make us students to feel more convenient

everytime we go to school. Another thing is to feel more safe of our surroundings

because an inappropriate buildings can lead to accidents.

Theoretical Background

This study will be related to three theories the researchers have found, The

System Theory and Education Production Function Theory.

According to Ovwigbo, 1991, a system is a sum total of parts working

independently interdependently to achieve required results or outcomes based on

needs. This implies that a collection of people, resources, concepts and procedures

intended to perform some identifiable function or to achieve a goal. A system is made

up of input, transformation process, and output; meanwhile, these are surrounded by an

environment. The environment of the system is made up of several elements that is

outside the system. In essence they are not input output processes, but have influence

on the goals and thus the operation of the system, which makes the System Theory.

Air quality and temperature is where the overwhelming weight of evidence

supports a relation between the thermal environment and academic achievement and

student behaviour. Temperatures in excess of 25 0C have detrimental physiological

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effects which, in turn, decrease mental efficiency, work outputs and performance. Above

this temperature, and with poor humidification, respiration rates are increased, physical

efforts become more demanding, attention spans decrease and students report more

discomfort. There is also increased absenteeism and conditions favorable to disease

and infection spread amongst students. Student achievement is further reduced by poor

ventilation, lack of air movement and poor humidity control. Much of the research on this

was done before standardized testing was available as a measuring tool. However,

students in appropriately controlled environments were observed to make significantly

fewer errors on tasks and required less time on tasks than students in uncontrolled

environments. In Australia, environmentally sustainable design (ESD) approaches are

increasingly being used for thermal control by the Royal Australian Institute of Architects

which publishes guidelines for building planners and designers.

UNESCO's Educational Building and Furniture program has been engaged for

many years in extensive empirical project based work in developing countries.

UNESCO reports that uncomfortable and unsuitable furniture causes problems

including backache, poor concentration spans and writing difficulties, thus reducing

learning opportunities. There is a general body of work on ergonomics that support

these conclusions. These fundamental principles are clearly also applicable to the

developed world, although it appears that no specific research studies have attempted

to measure the impact.

. A study by Stephen & Eileen 1990 creates the Education Production Function

Theory. Education function represents mathematically the process of which a school

transforms inputs (Stephen & Eileen, 1990). An education production function is an

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application of the economic concept of a production function to the field of education. It

relates various inputs affecting a student’s learning like pupil-teacher ratio, instructional

materials, physical facilities that affect the quality of education. It measure outputs

including subsequent labor market success, school enrollment, graduation rates, and

most frequently, standardized test scores.

A large number of successive studies, increasingly involving economists,

produced inconsistent results about the impact of school resources on student

performance, leading to considerable controversy in policy discussions. Additionally,

policy discussions about class size reduction heightened academic study of the

relationship of class size and achievement.

To date no relationship has been established between school size and student

achievement that can be generalized or correlated. However studies do indicate an

effect on behavior. The research seems to indicate that large school sizes may benefit

more affluent students but can have an adverse effect on more impoverished students,

and vice versa. Some studies show that the negative effect of larger sized schools on

the learning outcomes of impoverished students is much stronger than the positive

effects of equivalent schools on affluent students. Schools limited to 300—600 students

may be as effective in improving student learning as special programs do although there

is some difference in findings across regions.

Although no quantitative measures have been identified in the published

research, color is believed to influence student attitudes, behaviors and learning,

particularly student attention span and sense of time. It is also believed that carefully

planned color schemes can influence absenteeism, promote positive feelings about the
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school and, if students like the colors, can also influence muscular tension and motor

control.

These theories, principles and concepts on the influence of school infrastructure

are useful in the formulation of the statement of the problem and the conceptual

framework of the study.

Conceptual Framework

The paradigm below is an illustration of the theoretical framework, where in the

first box contains the respondent's profile. The second box contains the two theories

with its respectable variables. The third box contains the implications of the study.
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Input Process Output

Respondent’s System Theory
Profile
 Temperature I
 Age  Air quality M
 Gender  Class size
 Status  Furniture P
 Strand  Noise L
 Grade level
I
Education production C
theory
A
 Physical
T
facilities
I

Figure 1.1 Conceptual Framework of the Study

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Statement of the Problem

This study aims to determine the Influence of School Infrastructure on Senior

High School students in Consolacion Community College in terms of academic

performance. Specially, it aims to answer the following questions.

1. What is the profile of respondents in terms of?

1.1 Age

1.2 Gender

1.3 Status

1 4. Parent’s monthly income

1.5 Strand

2.What are the elements of school infrastructure that affects the students in terms

academic performance?

2.1 Temperature

2.2 Air quality

2.3 Furniture

2.4 School Size

2.5 Color

3. Is there a significant relationship between the gender and the influence of classroom

environment pertaining to furniture?

4. What implication can be derived from this study?

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HYPOTHESIS OF THE STUDY

Null Hypothesis

Ho1: there is no significant relationship between the gender and the

influence of classroom environment pertraining to furniture.

Alternative Hypothesis

Ha1: there is a significant relationship between the gender and the

influence of classroom environment pertraining to furniture.

Significance of the Study

The significance of this study is not only useful to students but practically

contributes to some institutions and aspects of our society as a beneficiary study for all.

The following are the individuals or the group of individuals who can benefits from this

study:

Students : the student would gladly to go to school because of its complete

facilities.

Teacher : the convenience of the teachers in school would result to increase

performance of their students.

School institutions: Other schools will recognize this particular institution as a

potential academic workplace since results have shown on their academic excellence

done by students and trustworthy teaching strategies by the faculty.

Parents : the parents will be happy because there are possibilities that their child

have the courage to go to school and get some higher grades.

Future researchers: They will use this study as their reference.

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Definition of Terms

These are the keywords being used in this study which implies relevance for

better understanding in order to derive with the same meaning with the study. These are

divided into three columns. First column represents the term being used. The second

column represents the conceptual definition of the term while the third column

represents the operational definition being used that fits the study.

Terms Conceptually Operationally

Academic performance. or Is the extent to which a The academic
"academic achievement student, teacher or performance and the
institution has attained achievements in senior
their short or long-term high school students in
educational goals. Consolacion Community
Completion of educational College
benchmarks such as
secondary school diplomas
and bachelor's degrees
represent academic
achievement.(Merriam-
Webster Dictionary)
Age The length of time that a This is the first variable
person has lived or a thing that intervene students
has existed. (Merriam- attendance and the age
Webster Dictionary) bracket that needed for
research in senior high
school students in
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Consolacion Community
College.
Gender Either of the two sexes Senior high school
(male and female), students in Consolacion
especially when Community College
considered with reference second variable that
to social and cultural intervene students
differences rather than attendance.
biological ones. The term
is also used more broadly
to denote a range of
identities that do not
correspond to established
ideas of male and female.
(Merriam-Webster
Dictionary)
Infrastructure The basic physical and The underlying foundation
organizational structures or basic framework that are
and facilities (e.g. needed. Just for example
buildings, roads, power the needs of building
supplies) needed for the classrooms for senior high
operation of a society or school students in
enterprise.(Merriam- Consolacion Community
Webster Dictionary) College.
Achievements A thing done successfully, The achievements of
typically by effort, courage, senior high school students
or skill.(Merriam-Webster of Consolacion Community
Dictionary College that has been
done or achieved through
effort; and a result hard
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work.
Facility A place, amenity, or piece It is something that is built
of equipment provided for for a specific purpose for
a particular purpose.
Senior high school
(Merriam-Webster
students in Consolacion
Dictionary)
Community College.
Temperature A measurement that The degree of hotness or
indicates how hot or cold coldness measured in
something is: a Consolacion Community
measurement n degrees College.
showing them heat of
something such as air or
water
Class room size efers to the number of The various size on a
students in a given course exact place or a classroom
or classroom, specifically were senior high school
either (1) the number of students are studying on
students being taught by Consolacion community
individual teachers in a college.
course or classroom or (2)
the average number of
students being taught by
teachers in a school,
district, or education
system.