Learning environment as fuel for students' engagement in learning in technical secondary schools of the English speaking sub-system of education in Cameroon

Educational systems world-wide and in the developing world in particular have their focus on learners’ academic achievement and how well stated Educational objectives are attained. This generally provides the basis for measuring the efficiency of the school system. On the way of this aspiration lies an inherent hurdle of learning environment which is more often than not overlooked. As the nature and character of every man depends on his environment, so too does engagement in learning, and globally, academic achievement depend on the learning environment. Technical education in Cameroon today is expected to contribute significantly in the development of the country by instilling learners with the necessary competencies required for them to become functional and productive members of the community. The question of learning environment becomes even more critical when we recall that the educational system is the only industry that produces skilled manpower for itself and every other sector of the economy. There are however growing concerns regarding the ability of our technical schools to train and produce the required skilled manpower for Cameroon’s economy.  Whether this happens or not depends on the daily experiences in the school environments of these learners that systematically evolve to meet the demands of modern society. This paper focused on how the Learning Environment, specifically class size and gender influence students’ Engagement in learning in Technical Secondary Schools of the English-Speaking Sub-system of Education in Cameroon. The explanatory sequential mixed method research design was used, and data collected using the questionnaire and interview guide. The study targeted all form 7 students of Industrial specialty in Technical Secondary Schools of the English-Speaking Sub-system of Education in Cameroon. The sample consisted of 360 respondents selected using the simple random sampling techniques. Recommendations made by the study suggested that government should expand the spaces in classrooms and workshops and respect the UNESCO recommendation of 25 students per class especially in technical education. Girls should also be encouraged to enroll in technical schools and in the industrial sciences in particular.