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This study investigated the effect of metacognitive scaffolding teaching strategy on secondary school physics students’ achievement and retention in thermal energy in Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, Nigeria.  The study answered two research questions and tested two null hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. Quasi experimental research design involving non randomized control pretest-posttest design was utilized.  The study population consisted of 2699 Senior Secondary II (SSII) physics students from 54 public SSII physics students in FCT, Abuja.  Multistage random sampling technique was used to select 75 SSII physics students from two SS as sample for the study.   The instrument used for data collection is Thermal Energy Achievement Test (TEAT).  The data collected from the instrument were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS). The research questions were answered using mean and standard

deviation while the null hypotheses were tested using Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA). Findings from the analyzed data showed that students taught using metacognitive scaffolding teaching strategy performed better in their achievement scores than those students taught using conventional teaching method. Also, physics students taught using metacognitive scaffolding teaching strategy performed better in their retention scores than their counterpart in the control group.  Based on these findings, it was recommended among others that physics teachers should be encouraged to teach using metacognitive scaffolding teaching strategy.  Government and educational agencies, curriculum planners and developers should encourage the training of physics teachers on metacognitive scaffolding teaching during seminars, workshops and conferences.