Towards Enhancing Post-Primary School Students' Learning Experience: The Case for the Nigerian School Landscape Environment

Abstract

Landscape elements have significant importance in school designs due to the contributions they can make to students' learning experience and well-being. Learning in an aesthetically pleasing environment has been established to add value to the learners’ experience as well as enhance their sense of well-being. In Nigeria, several public secondary schools mostly lack adequate landscape elements, which has caused a major strain on students' learning experiences and staff's productivity. This research explored the landscape environments of selected public secondary schools in Nigeria with a view to bringing to light the potential and value that landscape can add to the learning experience and wellbeing of the students. To investigate the precise roles of landscape components in enhancing student learning experiences, public secondary schools in Ilorin, Nigeria, were randomly selected for the study. Primary data was collected through questionnaires, case studies, and observation schedules. Findings reveal poor design quality in nature, with the result showing that the majority of public secondary schools were poorly landscaped. The study concludes that most students attending public schools in Nigeria are deprived of learning environments connected with nature's aesthetics and qualities. It recommends a holistic approach to public school management that goes beyond establishing schools and providing needed buildings but should give importance to good school landscaping to enhance not just the students’ learning experience but also the learners’ health and well-being, as well as nurture their ability to appreciate the beauty of nature right from school age.