CHAPTER ONE

                                     INTRODUCTION

1.1      Background to the Study

The main impact of education in the society is the provision of knowledge that will integrate individuals and make them to be more meaningful individuals in the society who are capable of solving their problems. Qualified teachers have been seen as an effective instrument towards achieving this effective teaching. It is pertinent to mention here that ineffective and poor teaching in schools in Kaduna State and in Nigeria as a whole has continued to cause some havoc by shattering the hope and aspiration of some students, especially the ambitious ones. According to the National Policy on Education (2004), it demands that, the minimum acceptable qualification for teaching should be the National Certificate of Education (NCE). Up from the previous minimum of teachers certificate (Grade II), University graduates in disciplines other than education intending to make career out of teaching are required to obtain a Post-graduate Diploma in Education (PGDE).

Many teachers in sub- Saharan Africa, including Nigeria, are not able to apply modern information technologies in teaching due to computer illiteracy hence they mostly rely on lecture method of teaching (Eboutou et al., 1998; Haambokoma, 2002). Failure to expose learners to hands- on experiences has resulted in their low academic performance especially in the subjects like Mathematics, Basic Science, English, Basic Technology and Agriculture. A study by Adeogun (2001) found that the quality of any education system depends on the quality of teachers. Review of related literature indicates that the most important school based determining factor of students’ achievement is the teacher quality (Rivkin et al., 2005; Aaronson et al., 2007; Harris and Sass, 2008). Therefore, there is need to assess the characteristics of the primary school teachers in terms of qualification, experience and teaching methodology in order to ensure quality of education given to the pupils. The teachers should be in-serviced where gaps are identified to enable them to cope with the requirements of the dynamic school curriculum (Murunga et al., 2013).

Ebietomiye (2009) noted that the success of any human endeavour especially in the field of teaching is closely related to the quality of personnel who perform the tasks in the organization. Hence, the need to recruit and utilize professionally qualified teachers in enhancing good performance in primary School education is essential. Effective teaching is enhanced by well-trained and qualified teachers. The word “teacher” crudely connotes undifferentiated meaning to the extent that any individual that transmits ideas of whatever nature that cause a change or influence the behavioural pattern of the recipient is called a “teacher”. In a strict professional sense, Orstein (2005) sees a teacher as someone that must be professionally trained in a teachers’ training institution or faculty of education in the university, at the end of which he/she is certified to teach and is actually engaged in teaching. Ebietomiye (2009) corroborated this fact on who a professional teacher is. The implication is that, for a qualitative learning and improved academic performance to be ascertained, a qualitative teacher is imperative.

Government, guardians, educators, parents and society at large have been found to be constantly interested in the academic performance of their pupils (Lydiah and Nasongo, 2009). According to Adeyemi (2010), teachers play an important role in determining the pupils’ academic performance. There has never been a consensus by researchers on the particular teacher’s factors that influence students’ academic achievement (Rivkin et al., 2005). Study by Njeru and Orodho, (2003) revealed that teachers’ experience and educational qualifications have a significant influence on students’ academic achievement. When conducting research on factors contributing to under achievement of Zambian female students in OLevel Physics examinations, Maguswi (2011) found that lack of qualified teachers of Physics had a significant contribution. Moreover, a study done by Adaramola and Obomanu (2011) in Nigeria found that availability of unqualified teachers led to consistent poor performance of students in most science related subjects.

Orstein (2005) noted that to be a teacher, one must be vested with the objective and skill of teaching acquired through teachers’ institutions and through years of on the- job experience. It is therefore imperative that for any success to be recorded in the academic performance of primary school pupils, the issue of teachers’ professionalism and qualification must not be handled with levity hand. The purpose of this study therefore is to investigate effect of unqualified teachers on academic performance of students in primary schools in Kaduna South, Local Government Area of Kaduna State, Nigeria. To find out whether the students taught by National Certificate in Education (NCE) holders or Bachelor in Education (B.Ed) certificate holders performed better than their counterparts taught either by holders of Higher National Diploma (HND) or Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) degree in their subject areas.

1. 1. This material content is developed to serve as a GUIDE for students to conduct academic research work
2. 2. As a source for additional understanding of the subject.
3. 3. As a source for ideas for your own research work (if properly referenced).
4. 4. For PROPER paraphrasing (see your university definition of plagiarism and acceptable paraphrase)
5. 5. Direct citing (if referenced properly)
Thank you so much for your respect to the authors copyright.