THE DIMENSIONS OF TRANSPORTATION IN INFLUENCING STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT IN STATE OWNED COLLEGES OF EDUCATION IN NORTH CENTRAL, NIGERIA

This study examined the role of transportation in influencing students’ academic achievement in state-owned Colleges of Education in North Central Nigeria. A descriptive survey research design was adopted, and data were collected from 624 students using a structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics (frequencies, percentages, means, and standard deviations) and Chi-square tests were employed for data analysis at a 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed that a substantial proportion of students depend on public transportation and experience challenges such as high transportation costs, traffic congestion, and extended commuting time. While the frequency of transport challenges did not show a statistically significant relationship with academic achievement, travel time demonstrated a significant association, indicating that prolonged commuting duration negatively influences academic performance. Students further expressed preference for multi-dimensional improvement strategies, including cost reduction, improved scheduling, enhanced infrastructure, and better communication systems. The study concludes that commuting time is a critical determinant of academic engagement and recommends integrated transportation reforms to enhance educational outcomes in state-owned Colleges of Education in North Central Nigeria.