CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background of the Study
Learning environment is an integral component of the learning process. An environment where teaching and learning takes place is an important educational factor that needs to be considered by the stakeholder (Aregbeyen, 2011). The environment needs adequate attention in the area of infrastructural facilities and made conducive for learning purposes in order to achieve the set goals. Teachers’ efficiency important if the objectives of education is to be achieved, it is a measure that determine the performance of students. It can be measured in increase performance of the teachers. Teachers’ efficiency is linear function of the operating environment, such as computerized environment, adequacy of instructional material, teacher-students ratio in the class, learning policies and teachers’ welfare. Computerized environment is required modern environment as it simplifies the teaching processes. It involves the use of modern information and communication facilities that substitute the traditional chalk-board methods.
Adequacy of instructional material such as books is required in increasing teachers’ efficiency. Teacher-students ratio refers to the number of students per teacher in the class. Teachers’ welfare serves as a motivational factor to teachers. It includes adequate payment of teachers’ salary and other fringe benefits.
Government at all levels has the functions of providing adequate learning environment that will motivate teaching and learning. The learning environment has been identified as potent factors to qualitative education and the realization of education policies. Adequate learning environment facilitates the teaching process, enhance teaching efficiency and simplify transfer of knowledge from the teacher to the learners (Yara & Otiero 2010). Conceptually learning environment comprises internal and external factors that affect the learning and the teaching process in an educational setting. It refers to internal facilities that are available to facilitate students learning outcome, this include books, audio-visual or computer learning environment, size of classroom, teachers student ratio, sitting position and arrangement and other instructional materials (Franrant, 1991 and Farombi, 1998) and the external environment such as teachers welfare, education policies, and other motivational strategies for teachers.
Teachers efficiency can be affected by three levels of stimulant within the teaching environment, these are motivation considers to be teachers factor, the external and the internal environment. Teachers stand-out as key to realizing the high standard that are increasing emphasized in schools and school system across countries (Rice, 2003). There is a general agreement about the importance of teacher’s efficiency and the teaching process among scholars, practioners and policy makers. Teachers’ efficiency matters a lot because teachers’ knowledge and skills are the most vital in school factors influencing childrens learning (Heigh and Mead, 2005). The importance of providing adequate learning environment cannot be over emphasized. Availability and adequacy of learning resources promotes the effectiveness of school as these are basic things that can trigger good academic performance in the students (Orie, 1992). Oni (1992) opined that learning environment constitute a strategic factor in teaching process. This is because the environment determines to a very large extent the smooth functioning of the education system and influence efficiency and high productivity (Idialu, 2014).
Theoretically, various models have been formulated to examine factor that motivate efficiency, for instance, the Mashow Herachy of needs theory, the Expectancy Theory, the Equity Theory, Goal Setting Theory, Reinforcement Theory and the Hygienic Theory. While these theories are appealing and interesting, it does not provide significant results once their empirical prediction are applied in real life event especially in the developing countries like Nigeria. For instance empirical evidence has shown that monetary reward does not motivate for greater efficiency. Evidence has also shown that learning environment in the developing countries like Nigeria is characterised with demotivating factors that can affect negatively the teachers efficiency, for instance most secondary schools lack adequate instructional materials and the state of the art learning environment. This implies that adequate learning environment may not lead to teachers’ efficiency.
Statement of the Problem
An examination of the learning environment in the developing counties like Nigeria revealed that the environment is demotivating to teachers’ efficiency than motivating. For instance significant proportion of the public secondary schools has poor infrastructural facilities. There is inadequate supply of teaching aids such as books and other instructional materials while the existing onces are obsecelence. Teachers – Students’ ratio is very high. The application of modern facilities such as computer is lacking and the teaching profession is relegated to the lowest as teachers are poorly paid compared with other professions. Less than 10% of the annual budget is allocated to the education sector at all level of government. The consequences of inefficiencies of teachers are the poor performance of students in external examinations such as West African Examination Council (WAEC), National Examinations Council (NECO) and others. The continuous existence of the above problems cast doubt on the achievement of government education policies and education master plans in Rivers State.
Despite the numerous literatures on the factors the motivate teachers performance, the relationship between the various components of the learning environment and teachers efficiency is lacking. Similar studies such as Farombi, (1998), Owoeye & Yata, (2011) examined teachers’ motivations and students’ performance. This study does not capture other environmental factors that can influence teachers’ performance. Therefore, this study will contribute to knowledge in the following ways: first, it will reveal how motivation affect teachers efficiency, second, it will reveal how internal environmental factors such as books, instructional materials and other infrastructural facilities impact on teachers efficiency, third the external environments such as education polices affect teachers efficiency and fourth it will contribute to the existing body of knowledge.
Purpose of the Study
The general purpose of this study is to examine learning environment and teachers’ efficiency in secondary schools in Obio/Akpor while the specific objectives are:
1. To examine the relationship between computerized learning environment and teachers’ efficiency in secondary schools in Obio/Akpor Local Government of Rivers State.
2. To determine the extent to which adequacy of instructional materials affect teachers’ efficiency in secondary schools in Obio/Akpor Local Government of Rivers State.
3. To examine the effect of Teacher-students’ ratio on Teachers’ efficiency in secondary schools in Obio/Akpor Local Government of Rivers State.
5. To examine the impact of teachers’ welfare on the efficiency of teachers in secondary s1fchools in Obio/Akpor Local Government of Rivers State.