EMOTIONAL INTELIGENCE AS CORRELATE OF ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT OF SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN EDO CENTRAL SENATORIAL DISTRICT, EDO STATE

The study examined emotional intelligence as correlate of academic achievement of senior secondary school students in central senatorial district of Edo State, Nigeria. The study adopted the correlation research design. The population of the study was 5,935 senior secondary school one (SSS one) students in the 69 public secondary schools in Edo Central senatorial District. The proportionate sampling technique was employed in the study while a sample of 594 SSS one students was used. Ten percent (10%) of the students in each local Government was drawn as sample from the district. Two instruments were used for the study. The first was a questionnaire titled Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire (EMIQ) while the second was a student academic achievement proforma. The test-retest reliability alpha yielded a value of 0.75 which was considered reliable for use in the study. The result showed that there is a positive relationship between emotional intelligence and academic achievement of senior secondary school students in central senatorial district of Edo State. It was recommended that school guidance counselors with the support of other professional counselors should employ guidance services such as information, orientation and counseling service in secondary schools to inform, orient and counsel students indentified with some emotional challenges in order to develop their emotional skills and thus facilitate their academic achievement.