Proceedings of the 1st International Technology, Education and Environment Conference (c) African Society for Scientific Research (ASSR) Co-Published By: Human Resource Management Academic Research Society 920 INTERACTION BETWEEN SELF-CONCEPT, AND MATHEMATICS, ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND GENERAL ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT OF SENIOR SECONDARY STUDENTS IN PORT HARCOURT ISAAC ESEZI OBILOR Department of Banking and Finance,Rivers State College of Arts and Science, Port Harcourt, Nigeria Email: esezirukanimgboh@yahoo.com ABSTRACT This study explored the extent to which the self-concept of students in Port Harcourt influences to their Mathematics, English Language and General Academic Achievements. The population consisted of 6,478 senior secondary 3 (SS3) students from 13 state financed senior secondary schools in Port Harcourt. Stratified random sampling was conducted to select 3 schools (one school each from 2 mixed schools, 5 boys’ schools and six girls’ schools). The sample for study was 300 SS3 students from the 3 randomly selected schools. The instrument used for data collection was the Self-Description Questionnaire 111 (SDQ 111) developed by Marsh (1992) which contains 13 self-concept facets out of which 3 facets (Mathematics, Verbal and General Academic) where adopted for this study. The subjects were tested in Mathematics and English Language and scores obtained. The general average scores of the students on their promotion examination from SS2 to SS3 were extracted from their school records. The Multiple Regression analysis was used to 3 hypotheses formulated for this study. The results of the tests indicated that Mathematics Self-concept significantly positively predicted Mathematics Achievement, but did not predict English Language and General Academic Achievement; Verbal Self-concept significantly positively predicted English Language and General Academic Achievement, but significantly negatively predicted Mathematics Achievement; and General Academic Self-concept significantly positively predicted English Language and General Academic Achievement, but did not predict Mathematics Achievement. The main implication of the findings of this study is that self-concept and Mathematics, English Language and General Academic achievement of students are so strongly related that a change in self-concept facilitates a change in achievement. It was therefore, recommended that educational programme designers and developers, teachers, parents and students should make self-concept development of students an educational aim as important as academic achievement. Keywords: Self-concept, Mathematics Achievement, English Language Achievement, General Academic Achievement. INTRODUCTION LEADERSHIP (2011) reported that the West African Examination Council, (WAEC), on 10th August, 2011, released results of the May/June 2011 West African Senior School Certificate Examination, (WASSCE) with an abysmal 30 per cent of the candidates making credits in both English and Mathematics. According to Mr. Iyi Uwadiae, Head of National Office (HNO) of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), this was an improvement on last year’s record of 25 per cent. He stated that the results had fluctuated from 23 per cent pass in 2008; 21 per cent in 2009; 25 per cent in 2010 and 30 per cent in 2011. Education watchers contend that the results portend danger for Nigeria’s future (Leadership, 2011).