CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
The issue of
professionalism in teaching has been on course for quite some decades ago.
Scholars argued the necessity of skilled teachers for effective learning.
Nigeria in Fajonyomi (2007) emphasized that the success or failure of any
educational programme rests majorly on the adequate availability of qualified
(professional), competent and dedicated teachers. Seweje and Jagade (2005)
noted that the ability of a teacher to teach is not derived only from one’s
academic background but it is based upon outstanding pedagogical skill
acquired. The realization of the national growth in technology as highlighted
in the Nigerianational policy on education hinges amongothers. This view is
supported by Nkwodimah’s (2003) submission that the teacher’s quality will
inevitably be seen in the citizens tomorrow. Okebukola in Ngada (2008), while
remarking on teachers’ quality, observed that over 80% of respondents in a
survey researcher were of the view that teachers are carriers of weaknesses.
These weaknesses include, among others, inadequate exposure to teaching
practice, poor classroom management and control, shallow subject-matter and
lack of professionalism. From Ajayi’s (2009) point of view. The professional
qualities of a teacher have to do with the following:
·
Mastery of the subject matter
·
Sense of organization
·
Ability to clarify ideas
·
Ability to motivate students
·
Good imagination
·
Ability to involve the students in meaningful
activities throughout the period of teaching
·
Management of the details of learning
·
Frequent monitoring of students’ progress
through tests, formal and informal, written and oral quizzes.
The availability
of professional teachers in our schools is low (Ngada, 2008). The reasons may
not be farfetched. Teaching is seen as a dumping ground for any unemployed
school leavers, irrespective of their area of specialization. This group of
able-bodied young men and women thus handle the job as a bye-pass venture to
their desired ends. Consequently, their input on the job would be very low
since it lacks the dedication demanded by the job. The few ones that seem to
show little dedication lack the technical know-how
of teaching since they were never trained on the job. The resultant effect on
the students’ performanceis catastrophic. The major evil done by this is half-baked and shallow-knowledge students who
often perform poorly in their examinations.
The quality of
education of a nation could be determined by the
quality of her teachers. The most important factor in improving
students’ performance is by employing seasoned qualified teachers in all
schools (Abe and Adu, 2013),Seweje and Jegede (2005) found that policy investment in thequality of teachers is related to improvement
in students’ performance. Specifically, the measurement of teacher’s
preparation and certification are correlates of student’s performance. It is further reported that teacher’s characteristics such as certification status and adegree in area of specialization are very
significant and positively correlated with students learning outcomes. This
report was in line with the findings of Salman (2009).
Abe and Adu (2013)
and Wiki (2013) opined that a teaching
qualification or teacher qualification is one of a number of academic and
professional degree that enables a person to become a registeredteacher in
primary or secondary school. Such qualifications include: but are not limited
to. The Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGDE), The Professional Diploma
in Education (PDE), Bachelor of Education (B.Ed) and Nigeria Certificate in
Education (NCE). In Ekiti State, ateacher
who are academically qualified and those that are professionally qualified are
engaged to carry out instructional process (Ahiazu and Prince Will, 2011).
Academically
qualified teachers refer to those who have academic training as a result of
enrolment into aneducational institution
and obtained qualifications such as HND, B.Sc, B.A and M.A. and so on. On the
other hand, there are studies that have found no significant relationship
between teacher educational qualification and students’ academic achievement.
For instance, Igwe (1990) investigated the influence of teacher’s qualification
on theacademic performance of students in
science subjects in Kano State. The researcher found no significant
relationship between teacher’s qualification and students’ performance. While
Abe and Adu (2013) found out that teacher’s qualification contributed minimally
to the variance with students’ cognitive achievement and Ajayi (2009) and
Salman (2009) found that teacher’s experience was highly significant on
students’ academic performance. Okebukola in Ngada (2008), opined that students
do not understand easily when they were taught by an ineffective teacher. Izumi
and Evess (2002) buttressed this by saying that teacher quality is the most
important among other critical factors like quality curricula, funding, small
class size and learning situation. George (2004) attributed thepoor academic performance of students to
teacher qualification, theinadequacy of
materials as well as administrative factors.
For instance, in
teaching some subject such as Mathematics, Izumi,
and Evess (2002) opined that with an exception of holders of aminimum of B.Sc. in Mathematics, many other
teachers would be confronted with theproblem
of teaching secondary school mathematics syllabus effectively. Hence, George
(2004) argued that no one gives what he/she does not possess. He further said
that no matter how good a course curriculum is, if we do not have well trained,
qualified and motivatedteachers, we may not achieve the desired goals. In view
of this, a teacher is someone who has been exposed to ag measure of training in a teaching subject area as well as in
professional education: such professionally qualified teachers may according to
the Federal Ministry of Education (2004) fall into a number of academic
categories. Salman (2009), regarded the trained institution or in a planned
programme of training. Among such areas of training may include principles and
practice of education as well as being exposed to an observed period of
internship either after or as part of the period of raining. People who fall into this category should under normal
circumstances be able to fulfill the various functions expected of teachers
within and outside the four walls of the classroom. Ajayi (2009) perceived a
professional teacher as one who possesses
professionally based knowledge in the theory and practice of education as well
as finds job satisfaction in the belief
that he/she is making an important contribution to the social, cultural and
economic development of his/her country. Such a teacher should equally, be able
to understand students’ abilities to exploit educational benefits of the social
context within which he/she lives. He/she should be able to assist students to
reach their full intellectual and social potentials. According to Seweje andJegede
(2005), non-qualified and
non-professional teachers in theteaching
profession are killing the profession because they are not really teachers. He
regarded them as “bird” of passage that rate unnecessary vacuum whenever they
see greener pastures and ‘better prospect in the profession they are originally
trained for. The comparison of students’ academic performance on teachers’
qualifications becomes necessary in order to know if formal teaching methods have any significant effect/influence on
students’ academic performance of asecondary
school or not.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
Teaching and
learning depend to a large extent on
teacher’s own knowledge of the content and ability to adequately deliver the instruction to the students. However a lot
of variables may inhibit or hinder theeffective
dissemination of knowledge to the understanding of the content by the students,
such variables may be lack of qualified teachers, teachers’ qualification,
experience, inadequate use of instructional materials among others. No wonder
(Ajayi 2004, Adebayo 2008) hence, calls for attention. The consequence of this
might result from unqualified teachers handling thesubject in the secondary schools. Therefore, this study, therefore, sought to determine the
effect of teacher’s qualification on secondary school students’ academc
performance.
1.3 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
The broad purpose
of this study is to investigate the effect of teachers’ qualification on the
student academic performance in some selected secondary school in OdedaLocal
Government Area of Ogun State.
Therefore, the
specific purposes are:
i.
To examine if there are any correlations between teacher’s qualification and the
academic performances students of secondary school.
ii.
To really check how deep teacher’s qualification
affect the student performance
iii.
To investigate the effect of teacher’s
qualification on the academic performance of secondary school students
iv.
To check if there is difference between the student’s performance taught by professional
and non-professional teachers
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
The following
assumptions stand as the research questions of the study:
1.
Do teachers qualification has any relationship
with the academic performance of students in schools?
2.
Do teacher’s qualification really affect the
academic performance of the students?
3.
What is
the effect do teacher’s qualificationsposted
on the academic performance of students of secondary schools?
4.
To what extent do
teacher’s qualifications affect the academic performance of students
1.5 RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS
i.
There are
statistical differences between teachers qualification and students academic
performance
ii.
There are
no statistical differences between teachers qualification and students academic
performance
1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE
STUDY
This study is not
just a mere academic exercise. It holds immense benefits. The significance may vary for the fact that the result is going to
provide necessary information to the state and thefederal government of Nigeria, teachers, stakeholders in the
educational sectors, policy makers etc. on the effects of teachers
qualifications and the academic performance of students. This study will also
contribute its quota to enlighten the
public on the assumption that teaching is seen as a dumping ground for any
unemployed school leavers, irrespective of their area of specialization.
The study will
provide the general public with information on the importance f training people
who are capable of offering the best to the students in our various schools.
And why it is good to employ only the professional e.g. (NCE) national Certificate
on Education and Degree holder to our secondary schools.
Finally, the
project will provide the public and mostly the teachers on the best way to take
in order to avoid half backed teacher
1.7 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
The study is
centered on some selected secondary schools in Odeda Local Government Area of
Ogun State. It is limited to the effect of teacher qualifications and the
academic performance of students.
1.8 DEFINITION OF TERMS
Teachers Qualification: a teaching qualification or teacher qualification
is one of a number of academic and professional degrees that enables a person
to become a registered teacher in primary or secondary school.
Academic Performance: academic achievement or academic performance
is the outcome of education – the extent to which a student, teacher or
institution has achieved their educational goals.
Teaching: the occupation, profession, or work of a teacher
Qualified Teachers: qualified teachers are those who got
professional training that gave them professional knowledge, skills,
techniques, aptitudes as different from the general education (Edu and Kalu,
2012).