IMPACT OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE AND RETENTION AMONG SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN BORNO STATE

This study investigated the impact of social media on the academic performance and retention among senior secondary school students in Borno State, Nigeria. The research adopted a descriptive survey design , utilizing a questionnaire to collect data from a sample of 100 students. The instrument's reliability was established with a Cronbach’s Alpha of α=0.82. The findings confirm the high prevalence of social media among the students, with WhatsApp (95%) and YouTube (88%) being the most popular platforms. A significant portion of students are heavy users, with 45% spending 1-3 hours daily and another 30% spending 4-6 hours daily. However, usage is overwhelmingly non-academic: 55% use social media primarily for "chatting with friends", and only 5% use it for "learning/education".The results indicate a strong negative correlation with academic outcomes. A compelling 80% of students reported that social media "Always" or "Sometimes" distracts them from their studies. This distraction leads to tangible academic neglect, as 30% of the students admitted to missing schoolwork due to social media use. Furthermore, a majority of students reported negative effects on cognitive engagement: 60% stated that social media reduces their motivation to learn , and 65% said it does not help them in retaining knowledge. The study concludes that, due to the predominantly non- academic focus and heavy usage patterns, social media acts as a significant impediment to academic performance and is an indirect threat to student retention in Borno State. The study recommends implementing structured interventions, including a digital literacy curriculum and the strategic integration of social media into learning to maximize its benefits while minimizing its negative effects.