ShodhPatra: International Journal of Science and Humanities

Impact of School Type and Locality on English Proficiency of Secondary School Students

In multilingual regions like Manipur, English proficiency plays a vital role in students’ academic performance, particularly at the secondary school level, where English is the medium of instruction. This study aimed to examine the impact of school type (private vs. government) and locality (urban vs. rural) on the English language proficiency of Class X students in Thoubal District, Manipur. The objectives included comparing proficiency levels by school type and locality and assessing the overall proficiency distribution. Using a correlational research design, a stratified random sample of 366 students was selected from BSEM-affiliated schools. The English Language Proficiency Test (ELPT) was administered, and data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and independent-samples t-tests. Results revealed that private school students outperformed government school students, and urban students outperformed rural students, with both differences statistically significant (p < 0.05). Proficiency levels varied widely, with 42.35% of students rated average, while others ranged from extremely low to extremely proficient. The findings highlight the influence of educational context and geographic location on language learning. The study concludes that targeted interventions, such as teacher training, increased exposure to English, and equitable resource allocation, are essential to bridge the proficiency gap and promote inclusive academic success across school settings.