ABSTRACT
The purpose of the study is to investigate
the influence of teacher’s professional training on the student academic
achievement in some selected primary schools in Ilorin, Kwara State. The
population of the study comprised of 100 teachers randomly selected from the
five primary schools.The study used the questionnaire
as a means of data collection. Description statistics was used to analyze the
data.Findings revealed that teachers professional trainings of students academic
achievement teachers educational level, affect the academic achievement of
students at primary school level.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 Introduction 1
1.1 Background of
the Study 1
1.2 Statement of
the Problem 5
1.3 Purpose of
the Study 6
1.4 Research
Questions 6
1.5 Research
Hypothesis 7
1.6 Significance
of the Study 7
1.7 Scope of the
Study 8
1.8 Definition of
Terms 8
CHAPTER TWO:
Literature Review
2.0 Introduction 9
2.1 Definition of
the concept 9
2.1.1 Formal
Education 11
2.1.2 In-Field
Preparation 11
2.1.3 Pedagogy
Studies 12
2.1.4 Duration of
Pre-Service Education 13
2.1.5 Certification/Licensing 13
2.1.6 Years of
Experience 14
2.1.7 Professional
training 15
2.2 Categories of
Teacher Qualifications 18
2.3 The place of Qualified Teachers as
factors in Effective Teaching 19
2.4 Influence of lack of Qualified Teachers
in our Primary school 21
2.5 Impact of Professional Teachers in our
Educational System 23
2.6 The Effect of Inadequate Teaching
Facilities on the
Academic achievement of Students 27
CHAPTER THREE:
Research Methodology
3.1 Introduction 29
3.2 Research
Design 29
3.3 Population of
the Study 29
3.4 Sample and
Sampling Techniques 30
3.5 Research
Instrument 30
3.6 Method of
Data Collection 30
3.7 Method of
Data Analysis 31
CHAPTER FOUR: Data
Analysis and Discussion of Findings
4.0 Introduction 32
4.1 Demographical
Information of Schools Studies 32
4.2 Descriptive
Analyses 33
4.3 Empirical
Analysis 36
CHAPTER FIVE
5.0 Summary of
Findings 38
5.1 Introduction 38
5.2 Conclusion 38
5.3 Recommendation 39
References 40
Questionnaire 42
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 primary 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 professional
training on theacademic achievement of
students in science subjects in Kano State. The researcher found no significant
relationship between teacher’s professional training and students’ performance.
While Abe and Adu (2013) found out that teacher’s professional training
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 achievement. 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 achievement
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 primary 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 achievement on teachers’
qualifications becomes necessary in order to know if formal teaching methods have any significant effect/influence on
students’ academic achievement of aprimary
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 primary schools. Therefore, this study, therefore, sought to determine the influence
of teacher’s professional training on primary school students’ academc
performance.
1.3 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
The broad purpose
of this study is to investigate the influence of teachers’ professional
trainingon the student academic achievement in some selected primary schools in Ilorin, Kwara
State.
Therefore, the
specific purposes are:
i.
To examine if there are any correlations between teacher’s professional training and
the academic achievements students of primary school.
ii.
To really check how deep teacher’s professional
training affect the student performance
iii.
To investigate the influence of teacher’s
professional training on the academic achievement of primary 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 professional training has any
relationship with the academic achievement of students in schools?
2.
Do teacher’s professional training really affect
the academic achievement of the students?
3.
What effect do teacher’s professional trainings pose on the academic achievement of students of
primary schools?
4.
To what extent do
teacher’s professional trainings affect the academic achievement of students
1.5 RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS
i.
There are
statistical differences between teachers professional training and students academic
achievement
ii.
There are
no statistical differences between teachers professional training and students academic
achievement
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 professional
trainings and the academic achievement 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 primary 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 primary schools in Ilorin Area of Kwara State. It is
limited to the influence of teacher professional trainingsand the academic
achievement of students.
1.8 DEFINITION OF TERMS
Teachers professional training: This is one of a number of academic
and professional degrees that enables a person to become a registered teacher
in primary or primary school.
Academic achievement: academic achievement or academic achievement
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).
