Student Lateness and Academic Performance: Unraveling the Behavioral Impact on Learning

Abstract

This study examines the influence of student unpunctuality on academic performance among Year 5 students at a public school in Segamat, Johor, Malaysia. Unpunctuality has become a gradually regarding behavioral problem in many schools, as it not only disturbs classroom learning but also reproduces wider trials associated with student discipline, time management, and emotional well-presence. The study implements a quantitative descriptive design using a cross-sectional survey disseminated to 40 students nominated through convenience sampling. Data were composed via a self-administered questionnaire involving 25 structured items intended to discover the reasons, occurrence, and consequences of unpunctuality on students’ academic engagement. The results show that both behavioral features, such as poor time management, late sleep, and absence of motivation, and logistical limitations, such as transport problems and traffic crowding, donate significantly to tardiness. Additionally, tardiness was created to undesirably impact academic performance by reducing classroom involvement, attentiveness, and preservation of learning materials. Students who regularly reached late also informed of higher levels of pressure, embarrassment, and disengagement from classroom activities. Teachers and parents were identified as critical participants in justifying this problem through effective supervising, care, and positive support. The research highpoints the necessity for an all-inclusive and cooperative method to address student lateness that takes part in behavioral interferences, parental participation, and structural improvements in transportation and school strategy. Eventually, encouraging timekeeping not only improves academic achievement but also nurtures important lifespan skills such as accountability, self-control, and respect for time. Recommendations are made for coming study to observe the long-term effects of unpunctuality and assess the efficiency of intervention approaches within similar educational settings.