In the psychological literature, there has been a lot of discussion on elementary school pupils who are disengaged

at school. The student's perception of his or her academic ability is key at the primary school level. This study

aimed at establishing a relationship between academic self-concept and school disengagement among primary

schools pupils in Liberia. Correlational design was used in the study. A simple random sampling technique was

used to select the sample, which included 246 pupils from five primary schools in Liberia. A modified version

of the Academic Self-concept Scale (ASCS) was used as a tool to measure students' perceptions of their own

academic abilities. The information was gathered, put into an analytical format, and significance tests were run

using the Statistical Software for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25. The gathered information was analysed

and given a personality using descriptive and inferential statistics. The study found a significant but positive

Growing student engagement is a method for fostering positive academic outcomes and reducing negative

behaviors. Adolescents' active participation in school enhances the essential skills, competencies, and values for

academic success and facilitates their successful maturation. In contrast, disengagement is associated with

negative outcomes, including increased problem behaviors, delinquency, and substance abuse. It is crucial to

reiterate that indicators of school disengagement can be identified as early as the first grade (Alexander et al.,

2001). In the elementary grades, apathy toward school and eventual abandonment rates have become evident.

Absenteeism, subpar behavior, and low socioeconomic status have been identified as reoccurring themes

(Dembo et al., 2007).

Disengagement from classroom learning is associated with threats to perceptions of competence, self-

2009; Wigfield et al., 2015). According to the UNESCO Institute of Statistics, 132 million of the 259 million

adolescents worldwide who fell out of school in 2020 were males. Thirty to forty percent of primary school-

aged pupils in Mali, Niger, and Senegal are academically disengaged. In addition, the United Nations Institute

of Statistics reported that, despite recent improvements in girls' education, the rate of female school abandonment

increased in approximately 80 countries worldwide. Many of these nations experienced armed conflict and

political unrest. In comparison to the global average, none of these nations has as many school-aged children,

and several have substantially more females than males who have disengaged school (UIS, 2021).

Liberia, which was embroiled in armed conflict from 1989 to 2003, is not granted an exemption. In addition, the

Ebola virus disease (EVD) pandemic, which originated in Liberia in 2014 and spread to Sierra Leone and Guinea,

increased the rate of student disengagement at the elementary school. The pandemic of the virus necessitated the

(UIS-UNICEF, 2021).

Diehl (2022) noted that low academic achievement and school disengagement have significant societal

repercussions. Fifty-nine percent of incarcerated individuals and the majority of those with low socioeconomic

status did not complete high school. Also, he indicated that many marginalized groups' perpetual poverty,

adolescent pregnancy, and early marriages are a result of school disengagement. Sperling et al. (2016) reported

that low-achieving students and early school dropouts may have negative economic consequences.

As a result, few programmes addressed the issue of school disengagement comprehensively, particularly among

males. The vast majority of policies are implemented in prosperous nations. Almost no country with low or

middle incomes has implemented programmes to encourage male enrolment and graduation from primary and

secondary schools. Only a handful of initiatives addressed the issue of student disengagement (UNESCO, 2019).

be no political will to address their lack of school interest (Ridge et al., 2017).

Considering the surge of school disengagement among primary schoolers, Liberia's government approved

legislation in 2001 which made public primary schools free and compulsory for every school going age child in

the country. After a decade, the government amended the education law to make elementary and secondary

school free for all children (Education Reform Act, 2011). Despite all the measures, low enrolment and dropout

rates remain a challenge for the country's education sector (Waydon et al., 2016).

Several factors may contribute to school disengagement, but some research indicate that dropouts have typically

undergone a process of disengagement. Guo et al. (2022) examined key contributors to school disengagement

and found that a negative academic self-concept is a catalyst for it. The term academic self-concept refers to the

belief that one has the capacity to study. Subject-specific variations and prior academic success are both factors.

outcomes.

Importantly, contextual factors such as family background, school climate, and academic performance influence

both self-concept and engagement. Supportive family structures and nurturing school environments foster

confidence and belonging, while harsh or unstable contexts can diminish academic motivation. These variables

must therefore be considered when interpreting relationships between academic self-concept and disengagement.

Furthermore, while the present study focused on grade five pupils, their ages ranged from 10 to 22 years. This

large age variability reflects Liberia’s post-war educational challenges, including late school entry, repetition,

and re-enrollment of over-age learners after interruptions caused by conflict and poverty. Clarifying this

variability provides a realistic picture of primary schooling in rural Liberian settings.

Thus, it is essential to investigate how primary school students perceive their academic abilities and how this

perception relates to their school engagement. The current study could be significant for understanding the

academic self-concept of elementary school students and its relationship with school disengagement, as it will

correlation between academic self-concept and school disengagement has also been investigated. According to

psychological literature, there are a variety of perspectives regarding the relationship between academic self-

concept and school disengagement. Studies have indicated that a student's academic self-concept affects their

level of school engagement.

Academic self-concept is a significant factor in both academic success and school disengagement (Marsh et al.,

2005; Green et al., 2006; Valentine et al., 2004). However, Jen and Chien (2008) argued that academic

accomplishment has a direct effect on an individual's academic self-concept. They argued that academic self-

concept does not affect academic achievement, but past performance influences how it develops. Also, Liu

(2009) noted that students with lower academic achievement would eventually develop a negative academic self-

concept and lack of confidence, which would result in a less positive academic self-concept. Moreover, a low

has been studied extensively outside of Liberia. This research is also necessary in the context of Liberia. In light

of these empirical pieces of evidence and justifications, the researchers sought to determine the correlation

between academic self-concept and school disengagement.

Bong County, Liberia. Only grade five pupils were selected as participants of the study. Participants were 115

males and 131 female pupils, who were ranged in age from 10 to 22 years. The sample was obtained through

simple random sampling. The schools were proportionately selected from all the public primary schools in

Fuamah District, Bong County.

respectively. A high score on this questionnaire reveals a positive self-concept, whilst a low score reveals a

contact with the principals and explained the goal of the study to them. The researcher proceeded to the

appropriate class and made sure that pupils were seated properly after getting the principal's approval. The

researcher occasionally explained if the pupils could ask any questions. The questionnaires took 30 to 45 minutes

to complete. The researchers collected the questionnaires that had been completed and thanked the participants.

This section discusses the findings in light of the objective of the study. Before correlation analysis and

hypothesis testing were applied to the collected data, descriptive analysis was performed on the scores for

academic self-concept and school disengagement. Bivariate product moment correlation (r) was calculated using

IBM SPSS 25 to compare means and determine relationships between variables.

Relationship between Academic Self-concept and School Disengagement

The bivariate correlation coefficient was employed and measured at the .01 level of significance to determine

the relationship between primary pupils’ academic self-concept and school disengagement. The results are

presented in Tables 1 and 2.

findings provide support for the hypothesis that academic self-concept and school disengagement are related.

Roberts and Fall (2011) examined the Education Longitudinal Survey data from 2002-2004. In order to examine

the relationship between academic self-concept, academic achievement, and school disengagement, a sample of

School counselors or authorities should construct encouraging programmes that boost children's academic ability

in order to nurture the development of high academic self-concept and emotional intelligence skills.

16. Jen, T.H., & Chien, C.C. (2008). The Influence of the academic self-concept on academic achievement: