The Impact of Self-Awareness on Students’ Academic Success in Nyamagana Public Secondary Schools
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.61227/tdjfmj80Keywords:
self-awareness, academic success , public secondary schoolsAbstract
The purpose of this research was to investigate how self-awareness could influence secondary school students' academic success in Nyamagana District, Mwanza in Tanzania. This study was anchored by emotional intelligence theory, and utilized a mixed research design that engaged both quantitative and qualitative research approaches. But also, the study employed explanatory sequential design. Data were obtained from a total of 166 participants: students, teachers, and education officers, using questionnaires and semi-structured interviews as data generation tools. Findings revealed that self-awareness is an important contributory factor in students' academic achievement suggesting that it enables students to identify their own strengths and weaknesses, formulate achievable goals, and select effective approaches for learning. Self-aware students had a better academic performance, good time management, and made intentional and well-thought-out academic decisions. Teachers also believed that self-awareness informed reflection, accountability and engagement with students. In general, this study demonstrates that self-awareness is an important predictor of academic success, and therefore schools are urged to implement self-awareness and emotional intelligence programs into teaching and learning to enhance the educational experience
References
Abdullah, A., Sahid, A., & Ismael, M. (2024). Self-awareness: Its effectiveness to control school performances of STEM 11 students in Mindanao State University-Sulu. ICCEPH.
Abdullah, A., Sahid, A., & Ismael, M. (2024). Self-awareness: Its effectiveness to control school performances of STEM 11 students in Mindanao State University-Sulu. ICCEPH.
Carracedo, M., Robinson, S., Alaei, B., Clausen, M., Hicks, R., Belfield, G., ... & Williams, J. M. (2023). 3D vascularised proximal tubules-on-a-multiplexed chip model for enhanced cell phenotypes. Lab on a Chip, 23(14), 3226-3237.
Creswell, J. W. (2023). Research design: Qualitative and quantitative and mixed method approaches (4th ed.). California, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc.
Derla, H. M. C., & Baguio, J. B. (2024). Self-awareness learning in relation to educational development of students in public elementary schools. Asian Journal of Education and Social Studies, 50(11), 146–154.
Eurich, T. (2018). What self-awareness really is (and how to cultivate it). Harvard Business Review, 4(4), 1–9.
Ferreira, S. B., & Ferreira, R. J. (2023). Fostering awareness of self in the education of social work students by means of critical reflectivity. Social Work/Maatskaplike Werk, 55(2), 1-15.
Flavian, H. (2016). Towards teaching and beyond: Strengthening education by understanding students' self-awareness development. Power and Education, 8(1).
Khan, M., & Ali, S. (2023). The role of self-awareness and reflection in academic achievement: A psychological and Bayesian perspective. Pedagogical Research.
Khan, M., & Ali, S. (2023). The role of self-awareness and reflection in academic achievement: A psychological and Bayesian perspective. Pedagogical Research.
Kimanzi, L. M., Muiru, A., & Thinguri, R. (2023). Influence of students’ self-awareness on academic dishonesty in public secondary schools in Makueni County, Kenya. Journal of Research Innovation and Implications in Education, 7(3), 371-382.
Mugenda, A. G., & Mugenda, O. M. (2010). Research methods: Qualitative and quantitative. Acts Press.
Mussa, A. (2023). Validation of the academic self-concept scale among secondary school students in Tanzania. MUST Repository.
Mussa, A. (2023). Validation of the academic self-concept scale among secondary school students in Tanzania. MUST Repository.
Rodríguez-Jiménez, R. M., Carmona, M., García-Merino, S., Díaz-Ureña, G., & Lara Bercial, P. J. (2022). Embodied learning for well-being, self-awareness, and stress regulation: a randomized trial with engineering students using a mixed-method approach. Education Sciences, 12(2), 111.
Rubab, U. E., Parveen, N., Jafari, S. M., & Yousuf, M. I. (2024). Social and emotional self- awareness skills among students: A case study. Qlantic Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities, 5(1), 336-343.
Serwanga, E., & Atuheire, G. (2021). Understanding self-awareness in the Tanzanian context: An ethnographic study. A Report for the Assessment of Life Skills and Values in East Africa (ALiVE) Project, RELI.
Shengyao, Y., Xuefen, L., Jenatabadi, H. S., Samsudin, N., Chunchun, K., & Ishak, Z. (2024). Emotional intelligence impact on academic achievement and psychological well-being among university students: the mediating role of positive psychological characteristics. BMC Psychology, 12(1), 389.
Sohail, A., & Akram, H. (2025). The role of self-awareness and reflection in academic achievement: A psychological and Bayesian analysis. Pedagogical Research, 10(1), Em0233.
Yuzarion, A., Diponegoro, A. M., Prasetya, A. F., & Taufikurrahman, A. (2024). The contribution of self-regulated learning, self-awareness, and spiritual intelligence to academic achievement. Psikologika: Jurnal Pemikiran dan Penelitian Psikologi, 29(1), 91-106.
Additional Files
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 authors
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
