Primary Schools In Nigeria Research Articles

School Activities-Time Mix of Head-Teachers in Public Primary Schools in Nigeria U. Momoh, B.O. Ogonor

The worry of examination bodies and stakeholders over the continuous slide in pupil/student performance in public schools and the ability of school leadership to realize the goals of the education system as enshrined in the National Policy on Education necessitated this study which sought to find out the school activities-time mix of Head-Teachers in public primary schools in Nigeria. One research question and three hypotheses were raised for the study. The study employed a descriptive survey design and the Proportional sampling technique to select 116 Head-Teachers and data was collected with a Checklist. The Checklist was used to find out the amount of time spent on Pupil-Personnel, Instructional Supervision, Community-School Relationship, Instructional and Curriculum Development, School Plant and General Tasks. The result was analyzed using the Frequency distribution and T-test and it revealed that primary schools' Head-Teachers in Nigeria spend more time on General Tasks. It was discovered that gender and size of school did not vary significantly in the School Activities-Time Mix of Head-Teachers. Qualification and experience were however found to be significant. It was therefore recommended that Head-Teachers should spend more time on Supervision of Instruction and Experience and Qualification should be considered in the appointment of Head-Teachers to ensure equitable distribution of time on all school activities DOI: 10.5901/jesr.2014.v4n3p415

Stakeholders Perception of Teachers Integrity in Elementary Schools in Nigeria

Elementary school is defined as early childhood care and schooling, free for the Nigerian children. The first 9 years was designed in conformity with the Millennium Development Goals and Education for All (EFA) come 2020. The onus on which the achievement of these goals rest is the teacher who have to maintain high integrity in the performance of its duties effectively and efficiently. These MDS goals may not attain its objectives too without the education stakeholders who are the life wire of educational attainment. Therefore, this study delved into the perception of stakeholders on teacher’s integrity in the elementary schools precisely the primary schools in Nigeria. The results showed some adequacies (mastery of subject, job performance, human relation) and inadequacies (usage of ICT, examination malpractice, resourcefulness) on the teacher’s integrity. This study therefore, strongly recommended capacity building training and moving from box of coloured chalk to e – teaching for the teachers for improved integrity.

Primary Education as a Foundation for Qualitative Higher Education in Nigeria

Primary education is universally accepted as the foundation laying level of education in all nations of the world. It provides the mini-structural framework on which the quality of other levels of education is anchored. It is on this premise that this paper examines the pertinent issues that, if properly addressed would recapture and refocus policies in Nigeria for qualitative education at the secondary and tertiary levels. These issues include: A deliberate and conscious effort at achieving the goals of primary education in Nigeria, Addressing the perennial problems of teachers and teaching in primary schools and the management of primary education in general, Dealing with the virus of examination malpractices at the level of primary education and its effect on higher education. In the light of these and other issues adversely affecting the quality of products of education, this paper recommends, among others that the implementation of national policy in primary education by states and private institutions should be closely monitored to ensure uniformity in quality output from the nations primary schools. All primary schools in Nigeria, irrespective of where they are located, should be given a face lift with modern infrastructures in terms of building for administration, classrooms, introductory technology workshops, library, equipment and all relevant instructional materials to ensure effective teaching and learning.

Factors Inhibiting Effective Management of Primary Schools in Nigeria: The Case of Ebonyi State

This study aimed at identifying some of the problems militating against effective management of primary schools in Afikpo South local government area in Ebonyi State of Nigeria. A self-administered questionnaire containing eight research questions with twenty-four (24) questionnaire items was utilised for this study. The study found, among others that, high numbers of enrolment put pressure on meagre school facilities, while heads of schools, teachers and pupils are affected by a general lack of facilities. This is exemplified by some schools where classes took place outside the normal classrooms and in some cases, outside the school compound. The authors insist that provision of adequate and qualified teachers must be a conscious programme of both government and heads of schools because the successful administration of primary schools is possible with qualified and dedicated teachers, well equipped primary schools, expansion of schools to accommodate the increasing enrolment of pupils and a co-operative community incorporating parents of pupils.

A Comparative Study of Computer Literacy in Urban And Rural Primary Schools In Rivers State of Nigeria

Aims: To comparatively investigate factors affecting computer literacy in urban and rural primary schools in Nigeria. Study design: This study was a descriptive survey. Place and Duration of Study: Port Harcourt and Obiakpor (representing urban areas), and Asari-Toru and Gokana (representing rural areas) of Rivers State, Nigeria; between March and June 2011. Methodology: A total of 480 primary school teachers were drawn from the four Local Government Areas. An eighteen-item questionnaire, ‘Computer Literacy Inventory’ (CLI) was developed by the researcher and used for data collection. CLI was distributed and collected at teachers’ workshop organized by the State Ministry of Education. Analysis was through simple tables of frequency counts and percentages Results: Out of 240 respondents from rural and urban areas respectively, only 80(33%) rural respondents indicated that there are computers in their schools while 160(67%) were on the contrary, but all the 240(100%) urban respondents admitted that there are computers in the urban schools. The 80(33%) rural respondents that have computers in their schools responded to issues on teachers’ accessibility to computers as never (0(0%) rarely (16(20%), seldom (40(50%) and often (24(30%), always (0). Similarly, their urban colleagues responded: never (16(7%), rarely (63(26%), seldom (96(40%), often (65(27%), and always (0(0%). 184(77%) urban teachers affirmed their possession of computer skills and only 56(23%) did not; while in the rural schools only 40(17%) said they have the skill and the rest 200(83%) admitted that they lack the skill. Rural respondents indicated total absence of computer practical sessions while only 56(23%) urban teachers affirmed to practical computer lessons. The teaching strategy is mostly lecture-based as attested by 240(100%) rural teachers and 184(77%) urban counterparts. On the issue of learning environment, every Computer Science class in rural schools takes place in the classroom 240(100%) and never in any designated equipped room called Computer Lab. This case is only slightly different in urban areas because 32(13%) use computer lab while the majority, 208(87%), do not. Concerning socio-economic background of the class, only 39(16%) rural pupils come from rich homes while majority of them 88(37%) and 113(47%) come from poor and very poor families respectively, while majority (136(57%) of urban pupils belong to rich families with others coming from poor 72(30%) and very poor 32(13%) homes. Conclusion: Challenges retarding computer literacy in Nigerian Primary schools, particularly in the rural areas, are enormous. This reveals the need for urgent interventions from the government and public spirited organizations and individuals. Government should not pay lip service to ICT-policies to afford the teeming population of Nigerian children the opportunity to meet up with rest of the world.

Language Education In Primary Schools in Nigeria: Contemporary Issues And New Direction

The Federal Government of Nigeria in the National Policy on Education (2004), has spelt out the aims of Primary Education. Being the foundation for formal schooling, this paper posits that the effective tool for the appropriate achievement of quality education at this level is Language. The paper indentifies some contemporary issues like the multi-lingual problem, poor policy implementation, poor teacher quality and poor access to curriculum materials, as challenges. It suggests a search for new direction towards the development of the orthographies of indigenous languages, provision of regular and effective professional capacity development opportunities for classroom teachers and greater and sustained attention to the implementation of the core language education policy.

The Role of Head Teacher in Improvisation and Maintenance of School Plants

The conditions and situation of the physical and infrastructural facilities in the primary schools had marred the attainment of the goal of education for all. The present Primary Education Commission (UPEC) 1999/91 survey indicated that approximately 4.9% of Nigerian primary school have no building, while the survey equally shows that the is a short fall of 64.2% in pupils furniture and 62.5% in teachers' and non teaching furniture, nationwide. It also stressed further that equipment for teaching sciences, sports, Home Economics creative Arts were lacking in majority of the Primary Schools. Moreover, the above situations seem not to have improved in the recent times. Many of the primary school buildings are dilapidated, displaying no window panes or Shutters, no ceilings, plaster peel offs, broken floors and leaking roofs. Poor as these structures are, they are not even adequate and thus two or more streams have to use the same dilapidated class in many cases. This has resulted into overcrowded classrooms with serious implications for teaching and learning in the primary schools in Nigeria. It is against this backdrop that this paper examines the role of head teacher in improvisation and maintenance of school plants in primary schools.Keywords: Primary Education, Head Teacher, School Plants, Physical facilities and infrastructural facilities

Educational policies/programmes’ effect on attrition rates in primary schools in Nigeria

This paper examined attrition in primary schools in Nigeria with specific reference and focus on some policies and programmes of Nigeria’s educational system with a view to highlighting its possible effect on the attainment of the Education for All (EFA) goals by 2015. It reviewed equal educational opportunity in relation to school environments that may be responsible for high pupil attrition or dropout, reasons for dropout, as well as the erstwhile Universal Primary Education (UPE) and how the sad experiences at implementation may recur in the current Universal Basic Education (UBE) without proper estimates of wastage indices like attrition rates among various cohorts. A major recommendation was that a data bank which captures the continuous flow of children from start to graduation be created for easy analyses of dropout or attrition rates in primary schools at any point in time. These estimates would be useful tools for educators in more effective and efficient management of the school system at this all important foundation level. Key words: Educational policies/programmes, Nigeria, attrition, primary schools.

Work Environment and Productivity among Primary School Teachers in Nigeria

This paper examined the influence of work environment on teachers’productivity in Primary schools in Nigeria. Since primary education isthe starting point for the citizen’s general development and also thebasic foundation for subsequent levels of education, a lot is expectedfrom the teacher. Every education system depends heavily on the qualityand productivity of its teachers for improving and maintaining standardsand quality. This paper tried to identify and establish the relationshipbetween work environment and the Nigeria primary school teachers’productivity. Recommendations were made for the improvement of thework environment of Nigeria primary school teachers to greaterproductivity towards the attainment of the objectives of primaryeducation.

Work Environment and Productivity among Primary School Teachers in Nigeria

This paper examined the influence of work environment on teachers’ productivity in Primary schools in Nigeria. Since primary education is the starting point for the citizen’s general development and also the basic foundation for subsequent levels of education, a lot is expected from the teacher. Every education system depends heavily on the quality and productivity of its teachers for improving and maintaining standards and quality. This paper tried to identify and establish the relationship between work environment and the Nigeria primary school teachers’ productivity. Recommendations were made for the improvement of the work environment of Nigeria primary school teachers to greater productivity towards the attainment of the objectives of primary education.

AWARENESS OF TEACHERS ON THE EFFECTIVENESS OF GUIDANCE AND COUNSELLING SERVICES IN PRIMARY SCHOOLS IN NIGERIA

This study investigated the awareness of primary school teachers toward the effectiveness of guidance and counseling services in primary schools in Nigeria. The purpose was to find out the awareness of teachers in primary schools in Nigerian toward the effectiveness of each of the guidance counselling services with a view to understanding their level of knowledge of the services when fully introduced into the primary school system in Nigeria. A research hypothesis was postulated and tested using t-test analysis. Results revealed that there was no significant difference in the awareness of male and female teachers towards the effectiveness of guidance and counseling services in primary schools. The implications of the findings were discussed.

An Overview of the Physical Environment of Primary Schools in Nigeria

This study was an investigation into the status of facilities in the physical environment of primary schools in Nigeria. Empirical studies that covered several States in Nigeria were reviewed. Then the study went ahead to analyse the physical environment in primary schools in Anambra State. The study, which was based on five research questions, was a survey. Forty eight primary schools where randomly selected as sample while seven hundred and teachers were sampled from these schools as respondents. A 37-item researcher developed questionnaire was used to collect data. Mean scores were used in answering the research questions. Findings indicated inadequate provision of classrooms, toilets, recreation, learning facilities and furniture. Among the recommendations was that government should provide grants-in-aids to help the management of primary schools provide adequate physical facilities in the schools.

Effect of a school health programme on ensuring safe environments for primary school children

The school health programme (SHP), which focuses on promoting safe environments for school children, has not been given proper attention in Nigeria. The aim of the study was to assess the impact of SHP on ensuring safe environments for primary school children. The study was conducted in ten primary schools in Ife-Central Local Government Area (IFLGA) of Osun State, Nigeria. The ten schools were those that are used by medical students of Obafemi Awolowo University for their clinical rotation posting in Community Health. Hence, these students were used as research assistants. The study employed experimental design and an observational checklist was used to collect data. The project was carried out over a period of three years from 2002-2005. During this period, the students carried out some aspects of SHP by constantly giving health talks to pupils and school personnel on the promotion of optimum sanitary condition in schools. Data were collected on existing facilities in schools and behavioural practices that can promote safe environments both pre- and post-intervention by the SHP RESULTS: Comparing the two results showed that a well organized and properly executed SHP can be used to create safe environments for school children. The study recommends that the SHP should be implemented in all primary schools in Nigeria.

An Analysis of the Function of the Arts in Primary Schools in Nigeria

An Analysis of the Function of the Arts in Primary Schools in Nigeria