Full Project – EFFECT OF TEACHERS PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCE ON STUDENTS ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN ISIUKWUATO LGA, ABIA STATE

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CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Background to the Study

This chapter discusses teachers’ professional competences and students’ performance. Professional competences concerns ‘those norms, values, and principles that should govern the professional conduct. There is a wide and a narrow sense of professional competences. In the wide sense the professions are guided by general ethical rules and values; in the narrow, have specific tasks and thus values. The quality of education and performance of students depends on the teachers as reflected in the discharge of their duties. Teaching should be regarded as a profession: it is a form of public service which requires of teachers expert knowledge and specialized skills, acquired and maintained through rigorous and continuing study; it calls also for a sense of personal and corporate responsibility for the education and welfare of the pupils in their charge. Over time pupils’ academic performance in both internal and external examinations had been used to determine the effectiveness of teachers’ professional competences (Ajao, 2001).

Teachers’ professional competences 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 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).

Considering governments’ huge investment in public education, its performance in terms of quality of students has been observed to be unequal with government expenditure. Consequent upon the observed deterioration in the academic achievement, attitude and values of secondary school students in public secondary schools, one wonders if the high failure rates and the failure of the students especially in external examinations is not a reflection of the instructional quality in the schools. Therefore, the ineffectiveness of teachers in professional interaction with the students could be responsible for the observed poor performance of students and the widely acclaimed fallen standard of education in Nigeria.

Bangbade (2004) found that out that teachers’ professional competences have significant relationship with students’ academic performance. Such professional competences according to Bangbade (2004) include teachers’ knowledge of the subject matter, communication ability, emotional stability, good human relationship and interest in the job. Rena (2000) explained that for students to perform well in any examination one of the prerequisites is that their teachers must know them and have profound knowledge of their state of physical, intellectual and psychological readiness.

In many countries, teachers’ professional competences that are considered to be related to student learning have become desirable targets of teacher education reform. Some of these reforms call for the professionalization of teacher education by making it longer, upgrading it to graduate programs, and regulating it through mechanisms of licensure, certification, and promotion align with standards (Bangbade, 2004).

Since students’ academic scores are not the only predictors of teachers’ professional competences, researches have sought other fairer ways of evaluating teachers’ education. Students, administrators, colleagues and the teachers’ self evaluation have been used to evaluate teachers’ effectiveness. Students’ competence in the evaluation of the effectiveness of their teachers has been of great concern to researchers in education. However, studies have shown that students’ ratings are valuable indicators of teachers’ effectiveness (Awoyemi, 1996).

Despite the fact that there are researches reports in support of students’ rating of their teachers’ education, Balogun (1994) warned that students rating should be one of a comprehensive evaluation system and should not be the only measure of teachers’ effectiveness.

Teachers’ professional competences requires among other things basic management skills including understanding of the nature of professionals. Fanfunwa (1991) maintained that different professional sessions (lecture sessions, discussion sessions, etc.) required various teacher managerial competences in designing and conducting appropriate engaging learning activities. This is particularly obvious in the field of science. The characteristic/nature of science, science professional, and teaching styles in science bear great implication to management and teacher effectiveness. Nancy (2001) however, opined that students’ success depends on the amount of learning that takes place in the professional.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

The issue of declining academic performance of students in Nigeria secondary schools has generated much interest among stakeholders in the education sector. The quality of secondary education has not kept abreast of the expansion in enrolment. Although, this according to UNESCO (2001) continues to be a global concern, it is the general belief that teachers professional competences affect students performance. In a way therefore, what constitutes competence in teaching is intimately connected with the type of teacher education programmes available for preparing secondary school teachers.

The Central problem of this study therefore is to investigate the effects of teachers’ professional competences on students’ performance especially in Abia Secondary Schools.

Purpose of the Study

The purpose of the study are:

To investigate the effect of teachers’ professional competences on students’ academic performance.
To identify how teachers interest on the job affects student performance.
To highlight the professional relevance of teachers competence on students performance.
To evaluate factors responsible for students rate of academic performance in higher institution.

Research Questions

The study will be guided by the following research questions

How does teachers’ professional competence affect students’ academic performance?
How does teachers interest on the job affects student performance?
What effect does teachers’ professional competence have on students performance?
What are the factors responsible for students’ poor academic performance in higher institution?

1.5 Research Hypotheses

The study will test the following null hypotheses:

H_o1: There is no significant relationship between teachers’ professional competence and students’ academic performance.

H_o2: There is no significant relationship between rate of interest on the job and students’ academic performance.

1.6 Significance of the Study

This study is significant because it will provide insight into the psychological needs of teachers in Abia State.

It will serve as reference point for researchers because it would broadening their knowledge about the effect of teachers’ educational background on their academic performance.

It will also be useful to educational planners, NGOs and other stakeholders in the field of education on how to motivate teachers in their job for better academic output from the students.

Scope and delimitation of the Study

The research is limited to the Local Government area of Abia State owing to financial and time constraint. The research is confined to five selected institution in Isiukwuato, Abia.

1.8 Definition of Terms

Professional competence: Professional competencies are skills, knowledge and attributes that are specifically valued by the professional associations, organizations and bodies connected to your future career.

Teacher: A teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils (children) and students (adults).

Professional: A room or place especially in a school in which classes are conducted.

Student Performance: This shows the result of students’ assessment, test and examination. It can be said to be the accomplishment of students achievement measured against preset known standards of accuracy, completeness, etc

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