Influence of Teachers’ Qualifications On Junior Secondary School Students’ Performance in Mathematics and Basic Basic Science in Kaduna State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study examined the influence of teachers’ qualifications on junior Secondary School students’ performance in Mathematics in Zaria metropolis of Kaduna State, Nigeria. The study employed ex-post facto research design. Multi-stage random sampling technique was applied to select twelve government junior Secondary Schools from the 23 government junior Secondary Schools in the area. The sample included twenty-four teachers and one thousand, six hundred and ten (1,610) students. Data gathered were the scores of students from the general MOCK examinations which was the pre terminal junior Secondary School external examination. The data was analysed using descriptive statistics i.e. mean and standard deviation to answer the four research questions raised. The findings were that 1. teachers’ qualifications have major influence on students’ performance in Mathematics.2. teachers’ qualifications have major influence on students’ performance in Basic Science 3. there is little or no difference in the influence of teachers’ qualifications on male and female performance in Mathematics & 4. there is little or no difference in the influence of teachers’ qualifications on male and female performance in Basic Science. The study recommended among others that appropriate education authorities and stakeholders should ensure that qualified teachers with relevant qualifications only are those allowed to teach each subject and that teachers with lower qualifications should be made to further their education to obtain higher qualifications for higher teaching skills.