Competences of Basic Science and Technology Teachers in Junior Secondary Schools for Effective Service Delivery in Bassa Area Directorate of Education, Plateau State, Nigeria.

Abstract

This study investigated the competences of Basic Science and Technology teachers in Junior Secondary Schools for effective service delivery in Bassa Area Directorate of Education, Plateau State. The study adopted a survey design and employed closed ended structured questionnaire, Teacher Competence on Students Academic Achievement in Basic Science and Technology Questionnaire (TCSABSTQ) for data collection from respondents. The population of the study comprised 51 Basic Science and Technology teachers in 39 Junior Secondary Schools in Bassa Local Government Area while a sample of 20 respondents was selected using simple random sampling technique. The instrument was determined using test-retest reliability method with a reliability coefficient r=0.93. Mean scores were used in answering research questions. The study found out that most Basic Science and teachers in secondary schools in Bassa Local Government Area were qualified and competent to teach the subject as they mostly held B.Ed. or NCE in Integrated Science or a Bachelor of Science with a corresponding qualification in education such as Post Graduate Diploma in Education (PGDE). Results showed that Teachers’ competences affected students’ performance as the quality of education students receive depends on the qualification of teachers. The study identified inadequate workshop and training, inconsistency in Integrated Science curriculum, lack of adequate instructional materials and inadequate funding as the challenges faced by teachers in teaching Basic Science and Technology in Junior Secondary Schools in Bassa Local Government Area. The study recommended among others that teachers should be encouraged to also register with professional science bodies such as the Science Teachers Association of Nigeria (STAN,) and new teachers should constantly go through in-service training, workshops and seminars to improve their pedagogical skills and subject matter competence. Accepted: 17/10/2024