ASSESSMENT OF INFLUENCE OF ATTITUDE ON PRACTICE TOWARDS HEALTHFUL SCHOOL LIVING AMONG SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN NORTHERN STATES, NIGERIA.
1Aliyu, M.,2 Biu, A.A., 3Bello, A.U.,and 4Suleiman ,M.A.
1,2,3&4Department Human Kinetics and Health Education,
Ahmadu Bello University. Zaria.
Email: draliyukutigi@yahoo.com
Corresponding Author: Aliyu Mohammed
ABSTRACT: The study assessed the influence of Attitude on practice towards Healthful School Living among Senior Secondary School Students in Northern States, Nigeria. The study used ex-post facto design, which is a non-experimental design. 2,482 respondents were randomly sampled for the study, 2480 copies of questionnaire were returned, using multistage sampling techniques. A modified four (4) point Likert measuring scale format was used to collect data. Pilot study was carried out to test for validity and reliability of the instrument to be administered. Descriptive statistics of frequency count, percentages, mean and standard deviation were used to answer the research question, while inferential statistics of Pearson’s Product Moment correlation coefficient was used to test for influence of attitude on practice toward healthful school living among senior secondary students in Northern state Nigeria. The analysis was conducted with decision criterion of 0.05 alpha level of significance. Results of study revealed that, attitude have significant influence on practice towards healthful school living among senior secondary school students in Northern states. In conclusion; Students were with the belief that, school playground safety was very important for health school living. The attitude of senior secondary school students towards healthful school in Northern State, Nigeria had positive and proportional influence on their health practices. The higher the attitudinal change the more the health practice among students, which means that there is a direct relationship between attitude and practices toward healthful school living among senior secondary school students in Northern States, Nigeria and vice versa. Based on the conclusion, the following recommendations were made; Health promotion and education programme should be emphasized on by the government at all level especially in the senior secondary school students in Northern states, Nigeria, teaching of health education in senior secondary schools in Northern states, Nigeria should be improved and school authorities must ensure that, adequate space and conducive environment is provided for students to enable teaching and learning.
Key words; Attitude, practice, healthful school living and Nigeria
