PRIMARY SCHOOLS

Background: School health services are essential for promoting pupils’ health, reducing preventable diseases, and supporting effective learning outcomes. However, their effectiveness is dependent on teachers’ awareness and engagement, as well as the availability of functional infrastructure. In many settings, these components remain weak, contributing to sustained transmission of communicable diseases such as malaria, diarrhoea, and respiratory infections among school children. Objective: This study assessed teachers’ knowledge and attitude, availability of school health facilities, and the burden of communicable diseases among pupils in Egor LGA to guide improvements in school health services. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted between March 2025 and May 2026 among 254 teachers and 245 pupils in primary schools in Egor LGA, Benin City, Edo State recruited via a multistage sampling technique. Data collected using a structured self-administered questionnaire was analysed with IBM SPSS 27.0 using descriptive and inferential statistics. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. Results: The mean age of teachers was 39.3 ± 9.4 years, while pupils had a mean age of 10.1 ± 2.0 years. Most teachers were female, 438 (73.0%), married, 460 (76.6%), and possessed a B.Ed/B.Sc degree, 147 (57.9%). Good knowledge of school health services was observed in 92 (54.1%) respondents and was significantly associated with years of teaching experience (p = 0.031) and school type (p < 0.01). Most teachers, 185 (72.8%), demonstrated a positive attitude towards school health services. School health infrastructure and preventive services were limited, with only 98 (38.6%) schools keeping pupils’ health records. Among pupils, 93 (38.0%) reported illness within the preceding three months, with malaria being the most common condition, 38 (40.9%). Most pupils had good hygiene indicators and normal nutritional status. Primary caregiver type significantly predicted child ill health (p = 0.001). Major barriers to implementation included shortage of trained personnel, 110 (44.0%), lack of health education programmes, 131 (52.6%), and low parental awareness of school health services. Conclusion: Most respondents had good knowledge and a positive attitude towards school health services. However, school health facilities were inadequate and communicable diseases were common among pupils, especially in public schools. Strengthening teacher training, improving infrastructure, and ensuring adequate funding and supervision are needed to improve implementation and reduce disease burden.

The study evaluates the Edo Basic Education Sector Transformation (EdoBEST) programme-pillars in primary schools in Benin metropolis using the CIPP evaluation model. Specifically, the study evaluated the system strengthening and organisational development, teacher professional development and quality assurance, curriculum implementation and learning outcomes, community engagement and participation as well as school infrastructure and facilities as the programme- pillars. To carry out this study, fifteen research questions were raised, research question fifteen was hypothesized and tested at 0.05 alpha level. This study adopted a survey research design. The study’s population was 2,079 teachers and 10,285 learners. A sample size of 335 teachers and 385 primary five pupils were selected using random sampling techniques and the proportionate by size method. Teachers Questionnaire, a checklist, an observational schedule and a primary five Mathematics achievement test were the instrument used for data collection. The questionnaire, checklist and the observational schedule were subjected to content and face validity while the Mathematics achievement test is a standardized test from UBEC which was presumed to have undergone all the processes of validation. The reliability of the teacher’s questionnaire was established using the Cronbach alpha method to obtain a reliability coefficient of 0.81 while the reliability of Mathematics achievement test was reestablished using test-retest method to obtain a coefficient of 0.84. The values showed that the instruments were reliable. The data collected were analyzed using frequency counts, percentage, mean and standard deviation to answer research questions 1-14 while the independence sample t- test was used to test the hypothesis at 0.05 level of significance

This study examined the impact of child neglect on the academic performance of pupils in primary schools in Egor Local Government Area of Edo State. It aimed to identify the common types of neglect, how neglect affects pupils’ learning behaviour and performance, and the role of social workers in addressing the issue. A survey research design was adopted, and data were collected from 400 pupils in two primary schools using structured questionnaires. The data were analyzed using frequency tables and percentages with the aid of SPSS.Findings revealed that child neglect, caused by factors such as poverty, broken homes, and poor parental supervision, negatively affects pupils’ concentration, attendance, and overall academic achievement.The study also found that while social workers contribute to identifying and assisting neglected pupils, their presence in schools remains inadequate. The study concluded that child neglect has a significant negative impact on pupils’ education and recommended increased parental awareness, employment of more social workers in schools, teacher training on child protection, and stronger government intervention to ensure the well-being of all children