Aggressive behaviour among primary school learners has become a growing concern because of its adverse effects on classroom instruction, learner engagement, and school discipline. Teachers’ perceptions of such behaviours may influence the management practices they adopt in addressing aggressive learners. This study examined teachers’ perceptions of learners’ aggressive behaviour and management practices in public primary schools in Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District. Specifically, the study determined the influence of teachers’ perceptions of the causes, forms, and effects of learners’ aggressive behaviour on management practices. A descriptive survey research design was adopted. The population comprised 946 public primary school teachers, while a sample of 282 teachers was selected using the Taro Yamane formula and simple random sampling technique. Data were collected using a researcher-developed instrument titled Teachers’ Perceptions of Learners’ Aggressive Behaviour and Management Practices Questionnaire (TPLABMPQ). The instrument was validated by three experts and yielded a Cronbach’s Alpha reliability coefficient of 0.82. Mean and standard deviation were used to answer the research questions, while multiple regression analysis was used to test the hypotheses at the 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed that teachers’ perceptions of the causes, forms, and effects of learners’ aggressive behaviour significantly influenced management practices in public primary schools in Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District. The study concluded that teachers’ perceptions are significant determinants of the management practices adopted in addressing learners’ aggressive behaviour. It was recommended, among others, that educational authorities should organize regular professional development programmes to enhance teachers’ understanding of aggressive learner behaviour and strengthen effective behaviour management practices in public primary schools.

Keywords: Teachers’ perceptions, aggressive behaviour, management practices, public primary schools, Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District.