Abstract
The study examined the relationship between self-concept, self-efficacy, school environment, and skill acquisition among Senior Secondary School II students in Plateau State, Nigeria. A descriptive correlational survey design was adopted, and the population comprised 63,718 SS2 students, from which 382 respondents were selected using stratified random sampling to ensure proportional representation across schools. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire designed to measure self-concept, self-efficacy, perception of school environment, and skill acquisition, and the instrument was validated and confirmed reliable before administration. Data were analysed using Pearson Product Moment Correlation at 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed that self-concept had a moderate positive relationship with skill acquisition (r = 0.562, p < 0.05), indicating that students with more positive self-perceptions tend to engage more in skill-related activities; selfefficacy showed a strong positive relationship with skill acquisition (r = 0.648, p < 0.05), suggesting that students’ belief in their abilities significantly enhances their skill development; while school environment showed a very weak and statistically insignificant relationship with skill acquisition (r = 0.082, p = 0.110), indicating limited direct influence. Overall, the results indicate that psychological factors, particularly self-efficacy and self-concept, are stronger determinants of skill acquisition than school environmental conditions. The study concludes that self-efficacy is the most influential variable among those examined, in line with Social Cognitive Theory, which emphasizes the role of perceived capability in learning behaviour, and recommends that schools strengthen counselling services, mentorship programmes, and instructional strategies that enhance students’ confidence, self-belief, and positive self-concept to improve skill acquisition and future readiness.