ABSTRACT
Educational services
refer to the services available for teachers to improve their quality and
promote teacher effectiveness in the school system, while teacher quality is a
degree of excellence especially as it relates to high level of competency and
worth of teachers. Specifically, the study examined the extent to which
provision and utilization of educational services relate to teacher quality and
students’ academic performance.
Correlational survey
design was adopted and it was conducted ex-post facto. Simple
random sampling technique was used to select 3,360 participants out of 8,800
target population, (3080 teachers and 280 principals). The respondents were
selected from 280 (35%) Schools out of the 800 Public Senior Secondary Schools
in the North Central Zone, of Nigeria as at the time of this study. Three
researcher-designed instruments, namely, Availability of Educational Services
Questionnaire (AESQ), Teacher Quality Assessment Questionnaire (TQAQ), and
Students’ Academic Performance Proforma (SAPP), were used to collect relevant
data for the study. The instruments were validated by six experts in
Educational Management, Science Education, Measurement and Evaluation and
Statistics. The coefficients of reliability of AESQ and TQAQ after a three week
test-retest were found to be 0.75 and 0.78 respectively. Six research questions
and nine hypotheses were formulated and tested. Means and Percentage were used
to answer the research questions raised. Multiple regression analysis was used
to test the main hypothesis. In addition, Pearson Product Moment Correlation
Statistical Methods were used to test the operational hypotheses, all at 0.05
significance level.
The findings revealed
that provision of library service, computer services and education resource
centers services were found to be grossly inadequate (22%, 37% and 38%) as
indicated by the teacher responses. The average success rate of students in
West African Senior Schools Certificate Examinations (WASSCE) from 2004 to 2008
was 12.0%. The Fitted Multiple Regression Model was significant at α = 0.05,
indicating that there was significant relationship among educational services,
teacher quality and students’ academic performance (p-value < 0.05, R2 =
0.51). The hypotheses tested indicated that there was significant and positive
relationship among the provision of library services, supervision of
instruction, teachers’ in-service training and students academic performance
(r=0.54, p < 0.05 and r=0.52, p < 0.05 and r = 0.70, p < 0.05)
respectively. The results further showed that there was a significant, positive
and strong relationship among the use of computer aided instruction, education
resource centre services, teacher academic qualification and students’ academic
performance (r = 0.54; p < 0.05; r = 0.80, p < 0.05 and r = 0.53, p <
0.05) respectively. The result further indicated that there was a significant,
positive and strong relationship among teachers’ professional qualifications,
teachers’ experience and students’ academic performance (r = 0.71, p < 0.05
and r = 0.73, p < 0.05) respectively.
The implication of these
findings was that students’ academic performance cannot be determined with a
single factor of teacher quality alone but may be determined by the extent to
which a combination of educational services are concurrently provided for them.
Based on the findings of this study, it was recommended, among others, that old
students’ association, philanthropists and well meaning individuals in the
society should assist in the provision of essential educational services like libraries
and computer laboratories for effective teaching and learning. Also the
acquisition of computer skills should be the basis for promotion for secondary school teachers. Periodic review of remuneration
of teachers should be given top priority but it must be based on teachers’ and
students’ performance.
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TABLE
OF CONTENTS |
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CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION |
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1.1 |
Background
to the Study |
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1.2 |
Statement
of the Problem |
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1.3 |
Purpose
of the Study |
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1.4 |
Significance
of the Study |
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1.5 |
Scope
and Limitation of the Study |
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1.6 |
Definition
of Major Variables and Terms |
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CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE |
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2.1 |
Concept
of Teacher Quality |
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2.2 |
Teacher
Quality and Internal Efficiency |
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1. Teachers’ Qualification and Students’ Academic
Performance
in Secondary Schools |
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1. Teaching Experience and Students’ Academic
Performance
in Secondary Schools |
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1. Teachers’ Attitude to Teaching Profession and
Students’
Academic
Performance in the Secondary Schools |
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2.6 Concept of Educational Services |
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1. Library Services for Promoting Students’
Academic
Performance in Schools |
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1. Distance Education as a means of Enhancing
Teacher
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Quality |
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2.9 |
Information
Technology and Distance Education |
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2.10 |
Concept
of Educational Supervision |
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2.11 |
Theoretical
Framework on Educational Services, |
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Teacher
Quality and Students’ Academic Performance |
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2.12 |
Appraisal
of Literature Review |
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CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHOD
3.1 |
Research
Design |
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3.2 |
Research
Questions |
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3.3 |
Research
Hypotheses |
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3.4 |
Sample
and Sampling Techniques |
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3.5 |
Research
Instruments |
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3.6 |
Validity
and Reliability of Instruments |
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3.7 |
Procedure
for Data Collection |
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3.8 |
Method
of Data Analysis |
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CHAPTER FOUR:
PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS OF
DATA AND DISCUSSION
4.1 |
Descriptive
Statistics |
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4.2 |
Hypotheses
Testing |
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CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY,
CONCLUSION AND
RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1 |
Summary |
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5.2 |
Conclusion |
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5.3 |
Recommendations |
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References |
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Appendix I (Questionnaire for the Teachers) |
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Appendix II (Questionnaire for the Principals) |
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Appendix III (Analysis of WASSCE Result) |
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Appendix IV (Sampled Public Senior Secondary Schools) |
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LIST
OF TABLES |
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Table 1 |
Large
Distance System |
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Table 2 |
Schools
Sample Size |
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Table 3 |
Teachers
Sample Size |
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Table 4 |
Teachers’
Academic Qualifications |
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Table 5 |
Teachers’
Academic Qualifications State Cross |
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Tabulation |
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Table 6 |
Percentages
of Respondents by Professional |
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Qualifications |
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Table 7 |
Teaching
Experience of the Principals sampled |
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Table 8 |
Percentage
of Respondents who are Computer Literate |
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Table 9 |
Library
Services |
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Table 10 |
In-service
Training of Teachers |
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Table 11 |
Provision
of ICT Laboratory for Teachers |
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Table 12 |
Provision
of Internal Supervision of Instruction |
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Table 13 |
Provision
of Education Resource Centre (ERC) Services |
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Table 14 |
Students’
Academic Performance in WAEC 2004-2008 |
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Table 15 |
Correlation
Coefficient Matrix Table |
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Table 16 |
Regression
analysis on the relationship among |
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educational
services, teachers’ quality and students’ |
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academic
performance |
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Table 17 |
Relationship
between provision of functional libraries for |
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teachers
and students’ academic performance |
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Table 18 |
Relationship
between supervision of instruction and |
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Students’
academic performance |
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Table 19 |
Relationship
between teachers’ in-service training |
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and
students’ academic performance |
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Table 20 |
Relationship
between Computer-aided instructional |
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strategy
by teachers and students’ academic |
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performance
in the North Central zone public senior |
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secondary
schools, Nigeria |
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Table 21 |
Relationship
between the provision of Education |
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Resource
Centre services for teachers and students’ |
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academic
performance |
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Table 22 |
Relationship
between teachers’ academic |
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qualification
and students’ academic performance |
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Table 23 |
Relationship
between teachers’ professional qualification |
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and
students’ academic performance |
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Table 24 |
Relationship
between teachers’ experience and students’ |
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academic
performance |
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LIST
OF FIGURES |
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Figure 1 |
Adoption
of IT in teacher education programme in |
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Nigeria |
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Figure 2 |
Conceptual
Model on Educational Services, Teacher |
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Quality
and Students’ Academic Performance |
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Figure 3 |
Graphical
Representation of Teachers Qualification |
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Figure 4 |
Graphical
Representation of Computer Literacy |
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CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1. Background to the Study
Education is
globally-accepted as the most viable tool for sustainable human development. It
is equally an indispensable tool for enhancing economic growth and national
development. Education is seen as the cornerstone of every development forming
the basis for literacy, skill acquisition, technological advancement as well as
the ability to harness the natural resources of the state.
Participants in the
World Conference on “Education for All” in Jomtien (2006) pointed out that
education is a fundamental right of all people, women and men of all ages
throughout the world. It helps to ensure a safer, healthier, more prosperous
and environmentally-sound world. It is an indispensable key for personal and
social improvement. UNESCO (1990) has however pointed out that the current
provision of education is seriously deficient and that it must be made more
relevant, qualitatively improved and universally available. In recognition of
the inestimable value of education, the Nigerian Government has adopted
education as an instrument par excellence for effecting national development.
Thus, education is viewed as an instrument for building a free and democratic
society, a just and egalitarian society, a united strong and self-reliant
nation and a great and dynamic economy (Federal Republic of Nigeria, 2004).
In order to attain these
national aspirations, secondary schools are expected to provide quality
instructions that will be oriented towards inculcating values of respect for
the worth and dignity of individuals; ability to make rational decisions; moral
and spiritual values in interpersonal relationship and shared responsibility
for the common good of society, among others (FRN, 2004). The quality of
education of any nation, to a very large extent, determines the development
status of that particular nation. Education can be regarded as the heartbeat of
any nation. As a man nourishes his heart to be alive, a nation must also cater
for her educational system to keep it ‘alive’ technologically, economically,
politically, socially and to ensure quality products.
The issue of quality in
the educational system has been receiving a great deal of attention in the
society in recent times. Parents as well as the entire society have been
clamoring for quality (Nwogbo, 2007). The demand for quality in education is
not out of place considering the huge sum of money that goes into the system.
Madumere-Obike (2003) was of the view that education consumes a lot of public
revenue. Therefore, it is important to note that those who manage schools
should be accountable to the stakeholders. The quality of the products of
education is part of that accountability.
Education imparted
through quality instruction is not only for good grades alone but also for the
acquisition of the right values, skills and competences to make an individual a
useful member of the society. For education to achieve this objective, it must
be of high quality, which, as Nwangwu (2000) opined, “should not only consist
of passing examinations (which is usually the first priority) but also include
the acquisition of skills (in the cognitive, affective and psychomotor domains)
through improved schools’ ability to facilitate and support the work of
teachers and students”. Secondary education is a very critical level of any
educational system. This is because it is the bedrock on which higher education
is built as the foundation of whatever a child wants to become in life
academically is laid here.
It is sad to note that
the academic performance of students at this level is very poor in the northern
part of this country (Northern Education Research Project, 2000). In the North
Central Zone, for instance, the quality of secondary school leavers has
continued to deteriorate. In Kwara state specifically, students look for
crooked means of passing their examinations. This is as a result of the fact
that success in examination serves as a good motivator to students, teachers,
administrators and employers of labour. On the other hand, failure to perform
successfully in examination demoralizes all and sundry, especially students. It
is the craving to succeed and avoid the frustration and embarrassment associated
with failure that makes students engage in examination malpractices which has
threatened the very foundation of our educational system (Ijaiya, 2004). Among
the causes of examination malpractices are poor condition of service for
teachers and inadequate teaching and learning facilities. These have an adverse
effect on the quality of teachers as well as the quality of instruction because
no educational system can rise above the quality of its teachers (FRN, 2004).
The quality of education
of any nation determines the development status of that particular nation. The
teacher is the pivot of the education process. The teacher is the key in the
entire education programme and he can make or mar the best educational
programme in the world. Education therefore is what teachers make of it. Thus,
competent, devoted and professionally-qualified teachers are an essential
foundation for a good education system. In other words, the attainment of
national objectives for the adequate preparation of students for their examinations
and achievement of educational objectives depend largely on teachers.
Obemeata (1996) reported Pope Pius XII (1942) as
having stated that: Good schools are the fruits not only of good regulations
but primarily of good teachers excellently trained in their respective subjects
which they are to teach and possessing the intellectual and moral qualities
which their important offices require (p. 56).
The implication of the
above comment is that if teachers are to perform the role expected of them satisfactorily,
they should be of the right calibre as well as be adequately-trained in order
to be competent in the subjects which they are expected to teach.
In view of the above,
and in order to improve teacher quality, efforts should be made to provide adequate
and functional educational services for teachers. These services include the
provision of library services, distance learning programmes, in-service
training, teachers’ resource centres services, and the promotion of information
and communication technology. These services tend to facilitate the
implementation of the educational policy, the attainment of policy goals and
the promotion of effectiveness of the educational system (FRN, 2004).
Taking a critical look
at our secondary schools in the North Central Zone, the non-availability of
these services have adversely affected the quality of teachers in the schools.
The researcher observed that majority of the teachers are not computer-literate
and they are not even in the habit of accessing the internet for new ideas
about the subject they teach but rather they continue to use and repeat the
same note for their students, year in, year
out. The researcher
observed that many are unable to develop themselves academically but continue
to quote outdated principles of teaching and use archaic or obsolete
methodologies for their poor and frustrated students. The staffing position in
many secondary schools has been of great concern to many researchers. The
teaching personnel in Nigeria’s secondary schools are not only inadequate but
also professionally-unqualified (Adebayo, 2007). Teachers should be able to
apply and use different methods in teaching strategies, matching methods with
current situation and circumstances, thinking ahead, projecting and forecasting
for improved teaching and learning.
Evidence abounds to show
that many school leavers are without jobs and those employed are inefficient.
These are pointers to problems in quality and this raises the question of
whether quality instruction is given to students. Also, one wonders if the
stakeholders in education are doing what is expected of them (Nwogbo, 2007).
There is the need therefore to examine the various ways by which our secondary
school teachers can be kept abreast of time and thus improve their quality. It
is against this background that this study examined the relationship among the
provisions of educational services,teacher quality and students’ academic
performance in public secondary schools, North Central Zone, Nigeria.
1. Statement of the Problem
Research studies have
shown that many secondary school products in Nigeria are poor in reading,
writing, computational and vocational skills. Many of them also perform
woefully in various examinations (Foster, 1999; Uzoka, 2000). Two parameters
that are commonly used to determine school effectiveness are students’ results,
especially in standardized tests, and their behaviour or performance after
school (Ijaiya, 2008). In the recently-released 2009 WAEC’s Senior Secondary
School Examination results, only 25.99%, that is, 356,981 out of 1,427,924, had
five credits including Mathematics and English Language. For the National
Examinations Council which was released in 2009, only 10% or 126,500 of the
1,200,765 candidates had five credits that could qualify them for admission
into higher institutions (Unilorin Bulletin, Nov. 2009). If only 10% of the
total candidates are qualified to proceed to higher institution, then the
remaining 90% or 1,080,000 candidates would drop out and majority of them would
become political thugs, hooligans and fraudsters who terrorise the population.
Since one of the
purposes of education is acquisition of knowledge and skills, students’
performance after graduation can be seen as a reflection of their performance
in school. This also borders on the quality of human and material resources
which are available during their schooling. For many years, educators and
researchers have debated on which school variables influence students’
achievement. As policy-makers become more involved in school reform, greater
attention is given to the role teacher quality plays in students’ achievement.
The government has stated that no education system can rise above the quality
of its teachers (Federal Republic of Nigeria, 2004).
There has also been persistent
outcry from educational unions, parents and concerned individuals about poor
provision of facilities that provide essential services for teaching and
learning as well as their utilization. The genuineness of this outcry is
depicted by the progressive poor performance of students in examination as
earlier mentioned.
Although several
attempts have been made at improving teacher quality and teaching facilities,
these efforts have not been proportionately reflected in students’ overall
performance. Rather, such attempts have only sustained the highly bookish
curriculum inherited from the colonial masters
and made the educational system consumptive rather than productive
(Jimoh, 2008). Therefore, there is the need for teachers to acquire enough
skills to make them relevant technologically. Also, the relevance and adequacy
of educational services and their effective utilization to students’ academic
performance cannot be overemphasized. Thus, the specific problem of this study
centres around investigating the extent to which provision, utilization and
maintenance of educational services can influence teacher quality and in turn
influence students’ academic performance in North Central public senior
secondary schools in Nigeria.
1. Purpose of the Study
Educational services
facilitate the implementation of educational policy, the attainment of policy
goals and the promotion of effectiveness in the educational system (FRN, 2004).
The main purpose of this study is investigating the relationship among
educational services, teacher quality and students’ academic performance in
public senior secondary schools, North Central Zone, Nigeria.
Specifically, the purpose of the study is to:
1. determine the influence of educational services
on teacher quality and on students’ academic performance;
1. determine the extent to which the provision of
library services enhances teaching and learning;
1. determine the influence of teacher quality on
students’ academic performance;
1. determine the extent to which supervision of
instruction influences teaching and learning;
1. find out the level of students academic
performance in public senior secondary schools, North Central zone, Nigeria.
1. Significance of the Study
The problem of poor
academic performance among public senior secondary school students is a serious
issue that requires continuous and systematic investigation. A growing body of
research shows that students’ academic performance is more influenced by teacher
quality than by standard, race, class, academic record or the school a student
attends (Sanders, 1997). There have been several research studies carried out
on improving teacher quality for quality instruction but very little has been
done in the area of provision of services that can enhance teaching and
learning.
This study may hopefully
provide some insight for educational planners and policy-makers by highlighting
some basic but apparently neglected educational services such as education
resource centre services, library services, in-service training, computer
services and internal supervision of instructions.
The suggestion of this
study may positively assist teachers and school administrators to re-examine
the educational services that are available to them and identify the services
which are essential for quality teaching and learning.
The findings of this
study may also hopefully contribute to existing literature by extending the
stock of knowledge on the influence of educational services on teacher quality
in the secondary schools of the North Central zone. It will also provide some
useful reference materials for future researchers who might be interested in
conducting similar studies elsewhere. Furthermore, the study places much
emphasis on the fact that teachers should be
academically, physically and intellectually sound to be able to produce quality
students which the nation needs in this millennium.
Finally the study is
expected to guide educational planners on the provision of educational services
that may improve the quality of secondary school teachers.
1. Scope and Limitation of the Study
This study was concerned
with the relationship among educational services, teacher quality and students’
academic performance in public senior secondary schools, North Central zone,
Nigeria. There were six states in the North Central geo-political zone. These
were Kwara, Kogi, Niger, Benue, Nasarawa and Plateau States as at the time of
study. The study covered four out of the six states (representing 66% of the
population) to keep the volume of work within manageable proportion. In each of
the sampled states, 35% of the Local Government Areas were involved in this
study. This study concerned only public secondary schools. Private secondary
schools were not included in this study because they were not directly under
the control of the state governments.
The following indicators
were established for teachers and students to improve the quality of education
in Nigeria:
·
Provision of teachers
resource centres where teachers would meet for discussion, workshop and
conferences.
·
Establishment of
education resource centres which shall provide for the need of special
education and serve as foci for educational innovation.
·
Provision of Library
service. The virtual library which acts as a platform for sharing knowledge
should improve the quality of teaching through the provision of current books,
journals and other library services. Functional libraries must be provided in
all schools.
·
Radio and television
educational broadcasting that forms a feature of the educational support
service system.
·
Provision of in-service
education courses for the upgrading of teachers. Distance learning
opportunities should also be provided for teachers who cannot afford to attend
full-time schooling.
·
Provision of career
officers and school counselors in adequate number in our schools to guide
students in their choice of careers.
·
Provision of information
and communication technology: a network of educational services centres in
Nigeria (NESCN) is set up to provide a forum for exchange of ideas on the
development and use of innovative materials for the improvement of education.
·
Provision of effective
supervision of teaching and learning.
Out of these indicators,
only five which directly enhanced quality teaching were included in this study.
They were:
1. Provision of library services;
1. Provision of internal supervision of
instruction;
1. Provision of information and communication
technology;
1. Provision of in-service training for teachers;
1. Provision of education resource centre services.
School inspection was
left out in this study because inspection came up occasionally in schools and
it was not a regular exercise like supervision. The provision of radio and
television services and availability of career officers and school counselors
in schools were also left out because they were more relevant to students than
teachers.
The indicators of
teacher quality included:
·
Teachers’ qualification.
(Academic qualification and professional qualification).
·
Teaching experience.
This is the length of time one has put into teaching after graduation.
1. Definition of major variables and terms
The following variables
and terms are defined operationally as they are used in this study:
Dependent
variable: The dependent variable
for this study is students’ academic performance.
Independent
variables: The independent
variables are educational services and teacher quality.
Educational
services: These are the services
available for teachers to improve their quality and promote teachers’
effectiveness in the school system. In this study, educational services are
library services, in-service training, education resource services, information
and communication technology (ICT) and educational supervision.
Teacher quality: This means a degree of excellence, especially a
high degree of goodness and worth of the teachers. In this study, teacher
quality refers to teachers’ academic qualification, professional qualification
and years of experience.
Library services: This term refers to the provision of functional
libraries in the school with current and relevant books and journals.
In-service
training: In this study in-service
training means on-the-job training such as correspondence courses, sandwich
programmes, distance learning programme, etc. Also, seminars, workshops and
conferences constitute in-service training.
Academic
performance: Examination result at
the end of an academic programme in the school. In this study, the West African
Senior School Certificate examination result is used.
Department | Education |
Project ID Code | EDU0012 |
Chapters | 5 Chapters |
No of Pages | 200 pages |
Methodology | Null |
Reference | YES |
Format | Microsoft Word |
Price | ₦6000, $ |
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Contact Us On | +2349067372103 |
Contact Us On | +2349094562208 |
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