Classroom Management Strategies and Students’ Academic Engagement in Junior Secondary Schools in Rivers State

This study examines classroom management strategies adopted by teachers and their effects on students' academic engagement in junior secondary schools in Rivers State, South South Nigeria. Poor classroom management has been identified as a contributing factor to disruptive behaviour and low academic participation in Nigerian schools. The study uses a descriptive survey design and draws its sample from 300 Junior Secondary School teachers and students across Port Harcourt and two other local government areas. Instruments include a classroom management strategies questionnaire and an academic engagement observation form, both validated through pilot testing. The study explores preventive, supportive, and corrective management strategies, assessing how each dimension relates to on-task behaviour, participation, and time-on-learning. Jacob Kounin's classroom management theory provides the conceptual underpinning. Findings are expected to show that teachers who apply proactive management strategies foster higher levels of student engagement compared to those who rely on reactive disciplinary measures. The influence of class size and teacher experience on strategy selection will also be examined. The study recommends targeted professional development programmes for teachers in Rivers State and advocates for the inclusion of classroom management as a core component in teacher preparation curricula. The findings will add practical value to teacher education programmes in the South South geopolitical zone and offer a reference point for school administrators designing conducive learning environments. Keywords: classroom management, academic engagement, junior secondary schools, Rivers State, student participation