IMPACT OF TEACHERS’ QUALIFICATION ON PRIMARY SCHOOL PUPIL ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE

IMPACT OF TEACHERS’ QUALIFICATION ON PRIMARY SCHOOL PUPIL ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1  Background of the Study

The extent to which students’ performance improves after a period of instruction in a manner consistent with the instructional goals is defined as teachers’ job performance (Olatoye, 2006). He discovered that evaluating teachers’ job performance based on a single score or scores that do not span a long period of time can result in a “miscalculation of judgment.” According to Omoniyi (2005), effective learning and teaching include activities that provide students with the most productive and beneficial learning experience and promote their development as learners.

Measuring teachers’ job performance in the classroom rather than at the school level is a growing focus of effectiveness research (Cunningham and Stone, 2005). For many years, researchers have concentrated on determining teacher effectiveness.

job performance by examining teachers’ contributions to student achievement gains, but the process has been hampered by a lack of valid measures and instrumentation. Academics have only recently had access to significant processing capacity, substantial data on student achievement linked to specific instructors, and appropriate statistical models to measure effectiveness in terms of teachers’ contribution to students’ learning. The end result is a collection of complex statistical models that, when combined with linked student-teacher data, are used to assess teachers’ contributions to students’ achievement progress in a given year. These value-added models are promising, contentious, and spreading as a method of measuring teacher effectiveness (where effectiveness is defined as instructors’ contributions to success).

Holtzapple (2003) (2003)

In Cincinnati, we used Danielson’s (1996) Framework for Teaching to compare student achievement with teacher evaluation scores using a value-added approach of predicted vs actual achievement. The author discovered a link between teachers’ observation scores and their value-added scores: teachers who received low ratings on the teacher evaluation system’s instructional domain had students with lower achievement, teachers who received advanced or distinguished ratings on this domain had students with higher-than-expected scores, and teachers rated proficient had students with average gains.

The models mentioned above are a relatively new method of measuring teachers’ job effectiveness, and studies support its use (for example, Hamre and Pianta, 2005; Sanders, 2005). Value-added Models, according to these researchers, provide an objective way of determining whether

Instructors are successful in increasing student learning, as evidenced by improvements on standardized tests. Despite these potentially positive applications, some researchers express reservations and raise serious concerns about the use of value-added models in evaluating teacher effectiveness (Bracey, 2004; Braun, 20055; Kupermitz, 2002; McCreffrey, et al., 2003; Ihum, 2003). In this critique, Bracey (2004) claims that the evaluation is not a philosophy of what constitutes a competent teacher in all of the complexities that may be required.

It has also been discovered that the success of teachers varies depending on the situation. This implies that teachers cannot be interchanged—a teacher who excels in one classroom may struggle in another. As a result, evaluating teachers’ job performance should take into account context, subject, and grade level. In addition, judging

It may be difficult to compare the efficiency of a primary science teacher to that of another teacher at a different school, especially if there is a requirement to recognize excellent teachers in specific settings, grades, or topics.

One of the most important reasons for evaluating instructors’ job performance is to identify instructional flaws and devise strategies to address them. As a result, one goal of evaluating teachers’ job performance should be to collect data that can be used to develop relevant educational improvement techniques. Donal (2003) proposed a “Human resources management” strategy to improve instruction, citing a number of successes in school districts across the country in which vertical and horizontal alignment of practices allows school leaders to carry out their responsibilities.

out instruction objectives. They reported on three Chicago schools that coordinated and aligned human resources to improve practices such as “teacher recruitment and induction, professional development activities, communication of teacher performance expectations, specification of classroom teaching strategies, provision of encouragement and incentives, principal supervision and evaluation, and removal of underperforming teachers.”

To function, every known human society’s educational system requires highly qualified teachers. This explains why teachers are regarded as the most important component of the educational system (Igwe, 2002). It is commonly assumed that no educational system can outperform its professors. As a result, certification is required to improve and refresh the knowledge and abilities of instructors.

The teaching profession has suffered significantly as a result of the As a result of this attitude, teaching has become a job for anyone, including unqualified or untrained instructors as well as poorly educated teachers (Okeki, 2008). This issue has had a negative impact on both the quality of teaching and student learning. However, as teaching gains attention, it is becoming more widely recognized as a complex activity. Ijaiya (2000) observed that teachers use a variety of abilities when teaching because the intended effect on the students requires a variety of covert and overt behaviors. He also mentioned technical abilities, concept abilities, problem-solving abilities, psychomotor teaching abilities, reflective abilities, and so on. All of these skills

Thus, in order to increase teachers’ competency and encourage high-quality instruction, they must be taught in teacher education.

According to Ijaiya, inadequate management of the concept of teaching by instructors has exacerbated the teaching-learning situation in schools. Failure to transfer information across topic areas and poor problem solving abilities may be linked to a lack of understanding of important ideas. Teaching ideas, according to Berret (2005), include teaching facts, principles, and generalizations in a variety of knowledge disciplines. He insisted that most professors teach words that represent concepts rather than actual things. He saw concept teaching as an important idea that supports other skills, such as problem solving abilities. He believes that if a student does not comprehend the significance of

He would struggle to solve problems in a specific field.

Teaching is a form of art. It can be improved with training and practice. The availability of qualified instructors is critical in the rehabilitation of the educational system. The quality of education is inextricably linked to the quality of instruction in the classroom. The development of education quality is dependent on good teacher training. Teachers cannot perform any of the tasks unless they have received adequate and professional training (Wayne and Youngs, 2003). “What is required is knowledge of how assessment and instruction are intertwined, with new notions about what assessment is and how it influences learning following a session of excellent instruction by a skilled teacher,” Muijs (2006) stated. He continued by saying

Instructors make classroom management decisions based on increases in student achievement.

Given the Federal Government of Nigeria’s emphasis on teacher education in our educational system, the National Policy on Education (2004) requires all instructors from pre-primary to university level to be professionally educated. It goes on to say that teacher education programs should be designed to better prepare teachers to do their jobs.

The teacher’s role is to implement curriculum changes, improve teaching, contribute to colleagues’ professional growth and development, and, most importantly, contribute to students’ academic achievement, and the most effective way to do so is through a well-organized educational program. The teacher’s ability to develop solutions for how to best assist students’ performance will be heavily influenced by

his professional education.

Due to inadequate teacher preparation programs, the majority of instructors, according to Adeyemi (2008), are unable to demonstrate appropriate knowledge and comprehension of the structure, function, and evolution of their subject. As a result, an effective teacher education program is a prerequisite for self-reliant education, as it fosters a high level of confidence in the teacher and their students, allowing learning to be coordinated effectively and professionally, and problems inherent in the teaching process to be rectified and solved (Leither, 2003).

According to Omoifo and Okaka (2010), the most important attribute, factor, and characteristic that a teacher must possess in order to properly fulfill his or her responsibilities as a teacher is understanding of the subject matter. They contended that the expert

This professional quality is determined by the instructor’s qualification. They went on to say that in order for a teacher to deliver an effective lesson, he must have a strong command of the subject matter, which means he must understand the fundamental principles and concepts of the topic to be taught.

According to Martneau (2006), instructors have a significant impact on students’ academic performance. Teachers have a direct influence on how students learn, what they learn, how much they learn, how they interact with one another, and how they interact with their surroundings. The influence of the classroom instructor on student achievement is obvious, because student achievement begins and ends with the teacher’s quality. Martneau determined that a qualified professional

A qualified teacher improves students’ achievement by approximately 53% over a year, whereas an unqualified teacher improves students’ achievement by approximately 14% over a year.

According to the research of Bruce (2005) and Byrne (2003), professionally prepared instructors demonstrate a solid understanding of instructional materials and ideas, and use production tools to enhance professional activities such as correspondence, assessment, classroom materials presentations, and so on. Qualified teachers demonstrate introductory knowledge, skills, and understanding of concepts related to the use of materials required for the instructional process and continuous technological growth, knowledge and skills to keep current and emerging technologies up to date, and informed decisions regarding the use of technology in support of students’ learning.

According to Oladunjoye (2005), skilled teachers are more aware of school activities and even potential students.

activities, and they strive to keep students’ academic progress stable. He also proposed that non-certified instructors, like qualified teachers, be required to take basic teacher qualification courses in order to be exposed to pedagogical skills in order to ensure competences and functional specialization.

1.2 Problem Description

Many Nigerians are concerned about the deterioration of educational standards and students’ poor academic performance. When these concerns are raised and debated, teachers are frequently blamed for the educational system’s decline. It has frequently been claimed that teachers fail to fulfill their responsibilities. Some attribute poor teacher job performance to a scarcity of qualified primary school teachers. As a result, an analytical evaluation of the impact of

The impact of instructors’ academic credentials on students’ academic achievement is required.

1.3 The Study’s Goal

The study’s overarching goal was to determine the impact of teachers’ qualifications on primary school academic performance in Ikorodu LGA, Lagos state.

1.4 Research Issues

1. What is the academic performance of primary school students in Lagos State’s Ikoodu LGA?

2. Is there a difference in job performance between qualified and unqualified teachers in primary schools in Lagos State’s Ikoodu LGA?

1.5 The Study’s Importance

This study is more than a piece of scholarly work. It has numerous advantages. The outcome’s significance may vary due to the fact that it would provide vital information to the state and

Nigeria’s federal governments, teachers, educational stakeholders, policymakers, and others on the effects of teacher credentials on student academic achievement. This research will also help to educate the public about the misconception that teaching is viewed as a dumping ground for all unemployed school leavers, regardless of their field of expertise.

The study’s goal is to educate the general public on the importance of training individuals capable of providing the best possible education to students in our various institutions. And why is it critical to hire only professionals in our secondary schools, such as those with a National Certificate in Education (NCE) or a Bachelor’s degree?

Finally, the initiative will educate the general public, especially teachers, about the

appropriate course of action to take in order to avoid instructors who are only half-hearted.

1.6 The Study’s Scope

The study focuses on a few selected secondary schools in Lagos State’s Ikoodu LGA. It is limited to the impact of teacher qualifications and student academic performance.

1.7 Terms Definition

Influence: the ability to have an effect on someone or something’s character, development, or behavior, or the effect itself.

Qualification: passing an examination or completing a course, particularly one that confers status as a recognized practitioner of a profession or activity.

Teachers: A teacher is someone who assists others in acquiring knowledge, skills, or values. Anyone can take on the role of teacher informally.

Academic

The extent to which a student, teacher, or institution has met their short or long-term educational objectives is referred to as performance.

Primary school (or elementary school in American English and frequently in Canadian English) is a school where children receive primary or elementary education from the ages of five to twelve, following preschool and preceding primary school.