CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

As the most significant resource in schools, teachers are critical to raising of education standards.

Improving the efficiency and equity of schooling depends, in large measure, on ensuring that

teachers are highly skilled, well resourced, and motivated to perform at their best. Raising

teaching performance is perhaps the policy direction most likely to lead to substantial gains in

student learning (OECD, 2005). In turn, the effective monitoring and evaluation of teaching is

central to the continuous improvement of the effectiveness of teaching in a school. It is essential

to know the strengths of teachers and those aspects of their practice which could be further

developed. From this perspective, the institution of teacher evaluation is a vital step in the drive

to improve the effectiveness of teaching and learning and raise educational standards.

The issue of declining academic performance of students in Nigerian schools has generated

much interest among stakeholders in the education sector in Nigeria. The quality of education

and performance of students depends on the teachers as reflected in the discharge of their duties.

Over time pupils’ academic performance in both internal and external examinations had been

used to determine the effectiveness of teachers and teaching (Ajao, 2001).

This was buttressed by Ogunsaju (2004) that the academic standard of students in all Nigerian

educational institutions has fallen considerably below societal expectations. Teachers have been

known to have important influence on students’ academic achievement and they also play a

crucial role in educational attainment because the teacher is ultimately responsible for translating

educational policies and principles into actions based on practice during interaction with the

students (Afe, 2001). Both teaching and learning depend mostly on teachers: no wonder an
effective teacher has been conceptualized as one who produces desired results in the course of

his duty as a teacher (Uchefuna, 2001)

Education is very important to every nation of the world. It is important because the transmission

of cultural heritage and technological advancement of any nation depends on it. In recognition of

the importance of education, every nation earmarks huge budgetary allocations for it yearly

(Nwosu, 2008). A school may have excellent material resources, equipment, building, library

and other facilities along with a curricular appropriately adopted to suit the community need but

if teachers are not effective and efficient and they are misfits, unsatisfied and indifferent to their

responsibilities the whole effort is likely to be ineffective and wasted.

A high quality assurance in schools’ entails providing most of the factors that enhance effective

teaching and learning which ultimately affect students’ academic achievement. These factors as

enumerated by Postlethwaite (2007) include but not limited to teacher-variables,

environment/family-variables and school-variables. Of all these factors, the ones that are thought

to exact most influence on the learning outcome are the “teacher-variables” as the teacher is the

ultimate implementer of the curriculum (Postlethwaite, 2007). One of the teacher-variables

which contributes immensely to enhance students’ academic achievement is the teacher’s

competence. Over the years, teaching which used to be a noble profession has been taken over by

impostors who have no business teaching in the class. The low employment opportunities

prevalent in the country have contributed to inundate the classroom with unqualified teachers

who look upon teaching as a stop-gap which should be jettisoned as soon as their dream jobs are

obtained.

A teacher has achieved a unique position not only in this country and culture, but in societies all

over the world. Therefore, there stands a special and important place for the teacher in society as
well as in an individual heart. At the same time, the effectiveness of the educational system

largely depends upon the active, resourceful and competent teachers. An effective teacher not

only imparts the entire educational curricula allotted to her in the best and most efficient manner

but also ensures the optimum development of the students. In today’s scenario where there is

fierce competition in all spheres of life, effectiveness of the teachers becomes imperative to

empower the students to face global challenges. Effective teaching is a par excellence attribute of

quality education. There are many factors, which influence the effectiveness of the teacher viz.

intelligence, attitude towards teaching, experience, academic qualification, personality, mental

health etc. (Raghu, 2010)

One of the causes of poor performance of students in the secondary school in Nigeria and

elsewhere in the world is poor quality and quantity of teachers. Quality has to do with category

of teachers that have been trained formally for the task of teaching. In Nigeria, trained teachers

for the senoir secondary school level are supposed to have a minimum of Bachelor of Science

Education ([Link]. (Ed.)) or Bachelor of Education ([Link].) degrees before they are qualified to

teach any subject. Usually, the training of the prospective teachers take place in recognized

tertiary institutions like the Colleges of Education (COE), Universities and Institutes of

Education (IOE) in Nigerian universities. Quantity represents the total number of qualified

teachers who are employed to teach at the secondary school level in Nigeria.

The National Policy on Education (FGN, 2004) stated that no education can rise above the

quality of its teachers. This means that if the quality of teachers is poor without having interest in
teaching, the education system will be poor and if the education system is poor, it will result in

poor quality products and this will affect the development of Nigeria.

A study of teacher classroom practices as they relate to student achievement is important for

several reasons. Understanding the reasons why the teacher is important will give insight to

professional development planners. Identifying such factors contributing to increased student

achievement is paramount in this age of accountability. The Federal of Nigeria mandates for

student achievement through the various examination bodies are not going away; schools are

held accountable through statewide assessments of all students. Teachers need to be held to high

standards and implement research-based best practices in their classrooms. Identifying factors

contributing to student achievement is very important. Regarding leadership, the principal

indirectly impacts the performance of teachers under his or her leadership as well as the climate

and culture of the building (Stewart, 2008).

The idea of highly qualified teachers is a good one, but compliance has not been widespread

(Viadero, 2007). Some states in Nigeria have set low expectations for teacher quality, and

sometimes it depends on what school in which a teacher teaches in. The question which begs to

be asked is what defines teacher quality? If a student is asked about a teacher who is highly

qualified, they will most likely say that it is the teachers who spend extra time with them and

who makes the class content clear and attainable (Lewis, 2005). Conversely, the unqualified

teachers are the ones who are boring and don’t connect with them. Students don’t care about

educational certificates or years of experience. Anobi (2006) recognizes that as true educators,

teachers are always learning; and teachers need to continue to define the meaning of highly

qualified, instead of doing as little as possible within the meaning of the law. As teachers,

educators need to move from mere competence to excellence in practice.

The teacher is the driving force of the education system. According to (Odiri, 2011), to achieve

this, the teachers must be given the required tool that will equip them to make teaching/learning

to be effective. It is very unfortunate that many teachers fail to realize their importance to the

education system. Some of them refuse to realize that the way they teach, behave and interact

with students can be more permanent than what they teach. Teachers are seen by students as an

authority, role model and the only source of all knowledge and information in the formal

classroom setting. Students will learn and trained if the teachers use good methods and having

positive attitude towards his/her teaching. Students draw from their teachers' disposition to form

their own attitude which may eventually affect their learning outcomes. Attitude of teachers

towards their students must be positive so as to carry them along

According to Henry & Joan (2015) state that students’ academic achievement is significantly

influenced by teachers’ age. However, teachers with low age range between 20-30 years are less

effective in teaching. Teachers’ whose age ranges from 40-50 years upgrade are more effective

in teaching due the following reasons

 Experience in their various field of study due to their year of experience

 Mastering of subject matter

 Assess to seminars and workshops that will improve their skills

Green et al. (2008) who observed that female teachers are more effective in teaching than their

male colleagues which in turn leads to greater students’ academic performance. This is due to the

fact that female teachers’ are more committed and show a high level of dedication to their work.

There is this belief that women are more emotional and with that they teach with passion and are

aware of their students’ needs. Being a mother, they have a close relationship with their students

compare to the male teachers’ and this makes their teaching more effective.
Overtime students’ academic performance in both external and internal examinations had been

used to determine excellence in teacher teaching (Ajao, 2001). Teachers have been shown to

have an important influence on students’ academic achievements and they also play crucial role

in educational attainment because the teacher is ultimately responsible for translating policy into

action and principles based on practices during interaction with the student ( Afe, 2001). Both

teachers and learners depends on teachers, no wonder an effective teacher has been

conceptualized as one of who produce desired result in the course of his duty as a teacher

(Uchefona, 2001). Many studies have revealed that students academics achievements is

enhanced where the teachers possess adequate knowledge of the subject matter and a good

command of pedagogical skill have a strong positive effect on students’ academic achievement

in regular classroom teaching (Olarewaju, 1995, Lockhead, & Verspoor 1991).

Owolabi (2003) described a teacher as an instructor responsible to teach, direct control, interpret

and instruct the learner for better attainment. Records have shown that student’s performance in

senior secondary certificate of education (SSCE) is quits, below average (Ikoh, 2007). This

performance is blamed on teachers (Ashibi2005) and government inability to effectively sponsor

education and motivate teachers to enhance their productivity (Agba eta , 2009). The mixed

feelings about the cause of poor academic performance of student in secondary school, especially

in financial accounting at SSCE make this research more imperative even as it focuses on the

competency level of the financial accounting teachers.

Due to the increasing nature of poor academic performance of secondary school students

especially in external examinations like West African Examination Council (WAEC) or Joint

Admission Matriculation Board (JAMB), many educationists tend to shift the blame on lack of

fund from the government to provide quality textbooks. However, these might not be the main
reasons why students perform poorly in examinations. It is clear from all indications that some

secondary school teachers are not competent which might lead to poor academic performance of

the students

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The issue of teacher competence and its effects on students’ academic performance have been a

major issue because of poor performance of students in secondary schools in Nigeria and

elsewhere in the world sector because there is a decline in the areas such as effective teaching,

covering areas such as planning and preparation, parental role, socio-economic factor,

Government policy, curriculum used in schools, the classroom environment and instruction

itself, school development, links to the surrounding community and professional development

activities. Also, the high number of teachers’ yet to meet up with the minimum qualification of

teaching at the senior secondary school level (i.e [Link]) and years of teaching experience are

major factors. These two factors must have affected the performance of students’ in examination

in time past. Furthermore, all this factors will still have a direct effect on students’ academic

performance because the quality of teachers will determine the level of academic achievements.

Academic achievement of students in Nigeria particularly the students, on the average has

witnessed a steady decline in recent times. Ozordi (2010), reflecting on the state of education in

the country lamented that the present-day secondary school pupils, on the average, can no longer

do what primary school students used to do in those days academic-wise. Poor performance of

students may partly be attributed to incompetence of teachers among other factors

It has been observed recently that most students’ in the senior secondary schools in Mushin

Local Government Area of Lagos State, out of the few many students often record poor

performance especially in Biology SSCE.

For instance in Eko Boys Senior High School, Mushin, one of the schools selected for this study

two-hundred (200) students were presented for 2015 West Africa senior school certificate

examination for biology , unfortunately 110 students failed.

Also in Ajumoni grammar school, Mushin, two hundred and fifty (250) candidates were

presented for WASSCE 2015 for biology. Out of this two hundred and fifty students, one

hundred and forty (140) students failed while the remaining one-hundred and ten (110), fifty (50)

of them had ordinary passes. The situation was worse for the same school. WASSCE result for

the years (2014) where out of one hundred and thirty-five (135) candidates that were registered

for biology 92 of them failed while the remaining had the result withhold. Equally, in another

school selected for this study, Atunrase Grammar school, Mushin, two-hundred and ten (210)

candidates were presented for WASSCE, apart from the student who was absent from the

examination, one hundred and twenty (120) failed. The situation was not different in 2014 where

out of two-hundred and seventy (270) candidates presented for the same examination, one

hundred and sixty (160) failed, while 40 had ordinary passes,

The above record had shown that students’ performance in senior secondary certificate

examination (SSCE) is quite below average. One may inquire whether the incompetence of

teachers could be responsible for the observed poor performance of student particularly in

biology.

This has been a source of concern for parents, teachers’, Principal, Ministry of Educations,

guidance and Students themselves. So therefore, it is paramount that this issue is addressed as a

matter of urgency so that our educational standard will not collapse finally.
PURPOSE OF STUDY

The main purpose of this study is to assess the effect of teachers’ competence on students’
academic performance in secondary school biology. A case study of Mushin Local Government
area of Lagos state. Based on this, other specific purposes of this study shall include finding out:

 Whether teachers competence affects students’ academic performance;

 Whether year of teaching experience affects students’ academic performance;
 Whether academic qualification affects students’ academic performance;
 Whether age of teachers’ affects students’ academic performance;
 Whether gender of teachers affects students’ academic performance;
 Whether teachers’ attitude affects students’ academic performance.

RESEARCH QUESTIONS

The following research questions will be answered by the study:

I. To what extent does teachers’ competence affect students’ academic performance?

II. To what extent does teaching experience affect students’ academic performance?

III. To what extent does academic qualification affect students’ academic performance?

IV. To what extent does age of teachers affect students’ academic performance?

V. To what extent does gender of teachers affect students’ academic performance?

VI. To what extent does teachers’ attitude affect students’ academic performance?
RESEARCH HYPOTHESES

The following research hypotheses will be tested in the study:

I. There is no significant influence of teachers competence on students’ academic

performance

II. There is no significant influence of teaching experience on students’ academic

performance

III. There is no significant influence of academic qualification on students’ academic

performance

IV. There is no significant influence of Age of teachers on students’ academic performance

V. There is no significant influence of gender of teachers on students’ academic

performance

VI. There is no significant influence of teachers’ attitude on students’ academic performance

SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY

This study when carried out will be useful to the Ministry of Education across all levels in the
country to improve students’ academic performance by improving teachers’ competence and also
make available the needed materials that will be required to carry out teaching activities so as to
improve the academic performance of students in secondary school in both internal and external
examinations.

This study will be useful to both teachers and students who may want to know the factors that

could make or mar student’s academic performance.

The study will benefit teachers’ in getting additional in-service training in order to improve their
teaching skills which will eventually improve students’ academic performance by making their
teaching student-centered
This study will also stimulate students’ interest in choosing biology education as a course in
higher institution so that they will become a good administrator that can attends to some of the
major problems affecting teachers’ competence

Finally, the study will generally improve the standard of education in the country especially at
secondary level through effective teaching and learning process.

SCOPE OF STUDY

The study will cover teachers in public senior secondary schools in Lagos metropolis as regards
their view on the effects of teachers’ competence on academic performance of students

DEFINITION OF TERMS

Most of the terms and concepts used in this study have loaded and diversified meaning and application.

It is necessary to define them as they would be used frequently in this study

Teacher’s Competence: Teachers competence can be defined as a teacher who has a high overall

class average in terms of knowledge, skills, attitudes, values, motivations and beliefs he/she needs in

order to be successful in a job.

Student Achievement (Growth): The greatest amount of variance in student learning

Teacher’s Attitude: This can be defined as the cognitive, emotional, and action

tendency to a particular behavioral intent.

Year of Teaching Experience: This is the number of years a teacher has spent in impacting

knowledge effectively into the students in all the three domains of learning (Cognitive, Affective

& Psychomotor)
Academic Performance: is the extent to which a students, teacher or institution has achieved

their short or long term educational goal.