Quality Of Secondary Education Research Articles

Enhancing the Quality of Secondary Education Through Professional Development of Teachers in Nigeria

The study investigated how to enhance the quality of secondary education through professional development of teachers in Nigeria. Two research questions guided the study and one hypothesis was tested at 0.05 level of significance. The descriptive survey research design guided the study. The population of the study comprised 5396 (5,133 teachers and 263 principals) in 263 public secondary schools in six Education Zones in Anambra State. A total of 579 respondents (513 teachers and 66 principals) were drawn through proportionate stratified and simple random sampling technique for the study. Two validated structured questionnaires were used as a instrument for data collection. The application of Cronbach Alpha reliability coefficient yielded coefficient values of 0.81 for teachers’ professional development and 0.77 for quality in secondary education for the two instruments respectively with an overall coefficient value of 0.79 for internal consistency of the instrument. Mean, standard deviations and t-test were used for data analysis. The findings of the study revealed that engaging secondary school teachers in ongoing training workshops target at improving subject knowledge; establishing mentorship programmes for experienced and less experienced teachers so as to provide guidance and providing teachers with adequate time to study new techniques to improve their practice are TPD strategies for enhancing the quality of secondary education in Nigeria. The findings also show that dysfunctional school cultures, poor leadership commitment towards providing quality in secondary education, poor funding and lack of a shared vision about what high-quality instruction entails are some of the obstacles to professional development of teachers. Further findings revealed that teachers’ professional development significantly enhances the quality of secondary education in Nigeria. The researchers therefore recommended among others that Government at all levels through the ministries of education should draw up a policy framework for teachers’ professional development in secondary schools in Nigeria.

Empowering equality: Advancing quality education in the contemporary global landscape

AbstractThis comprehensive study investigates the multifaceted dimensions of education, with a primary emphasis on access, equity and quality in the context of the COVID‐19 pandemic and Kenya's educational landscape. The research begins by highlighting the centrality of education as a transformative force for individuals and societies, with the goal of bridging disparities that impede progress. The study introduces the concept of ‘Learning Poverty’, highlighting the worldwide problem of children's inability to read and comprehend fundamental texts, which is especially prevalent in sub‐Saharan Africa. It highlights the dire consequences of the COVID‐19 pandemic, exacerbating pre‐existing learning crises and exacerbating inequalities, particularly in regions already struggling with high rates of learning deprivation. In the context of Kenya, the research examines the nation's aspirations for equitable education with an emphasis on assuring access to quality secondary education, distributing resources' equitably, addressing disparities between public and private schools and promoting gender equity. It recognises ongoing efforts while addressing persistent barriers, such as low transition rates especially for girls. This research concludes by emphasising the critical significance of an unwavering commitment to well‐defined policy approaches and comprehensive reform initiatives to improve the quality and inclusiveness of education. It cautions against an overemphasis on privatisation and competition and urges a comprehensive reorganisation of policies and resource allocation in order to align with the Sustainable Development Goals. This study emphasises the importance of addressing educational disparities for global progress and the holistic development of children around the globe.

EFFECT OF FORMAL EDUCATION ON POVERTY REDUCTION IN NIGERIA

This study analyzes the impact of formal education on poverty reduction in Nigeria by studying the relationship between government expenditure on education, school enrolment, and labour force participation. It uses 30 years of annual time series data and employs various statistical methods, such as OLS regression, ADF test, Philip Peron unit root test, F-tests, and t-tests. Labour force participation serves as a proxy to understand how these macroeconomic variables affect poverty. The findings reveal that both school enrolment and government expenditure on education significantly affect labour force participation. Specifically, enrolment in secondary and tertiary education positively correlates with increased labour force participation. To enhance poverty reduction in Nigeria, the study proposes improving the effectiveness of government expenditure, enhancing access to quality secondary and tertiary education, fostering collaboration between education and businesses, and emphasizing vocational and technical education aligned with the labour market’s needs.

Enhancing Access and Quality of Secondary Education in Balochistan: Identifying Challenges and Implementing Effective Solutions

Enhancing Access and Quality of Secondary Education in Balochistan: Identifying Challenges and Implementing Effective Solutions

Influence of Private Tuitions on Quality of Secondary Education

Influence of Private Tuitions on Quality of Secondary Education

Exploring the secondary level teachers’ appointment system in Bangladesh for ensuring quality teachers

The study aims to investigate the issues embedded in the secondary-level teacher recruitment system from the structural perspective, which affect the motivation of the teaching profession, appointment and retention, and teacher development. The study applied the qualitative method and identified the issues that cause skill teacher shortage through causal relation analysis. The study used interviews with policymakers and administrators to identify the causes of the shortage of high-quality teachers in secondary institutions and discerned the solutions to ensure quality secondary education in Bangladesh. Adverse appointment and retention systems; and weak and stagnant teacher development facilities, were identified as the demotivating factors for taking the teaching profession. The solutions were found to enhance the attraction for teaching: firstly, by increasing salary, upholding teachers’ position in society and educational administration, and improving the working environment. The appointment and retention systems should be friendly by selecting and facilitating quality teachers. Lastly, a comprehensive and interconnected teacher development system should be initiated to ensure high-quality teachers at the secondary level.

Evaluating the Influence of Secondary Education Quality Improvement Project (SEQIP) on Quality Education in Public Primary and Secondary Schools in Kenya: A Case of Marigat Sub-County

In Kenya, many projects have been done in the education sector to improve the quality of education, and among these projects is the Secondary Education Quality Improvement Project (SEQIP). Since the SEQIP inception in 2017, much has been done in public primary and secondary schools and little has been reported. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the influences of the SEQIP on the education sector in Marigat Sub-County in Kenya. A descriptive survey design was used where structured questionnaires alongside interviews were administered to the sampled respondents to collect the data which was analyzed using Excel. Descriptive statistics such as frequencies and percentages were used to summarize the data. The data were collected from 68 schools; 17 from each zone and 3 teachers from each school, all 4 curriculum support officers (CSOs) from each Zone, an SCDE, and a TSC Sub-County director which formed the sample size. The study found that the SEQIP project has helped in the improvement of quality as said by 73% of the respondents. The project also was found to have improved the rate of retention in classes 7 and 8 and also the transition to secondary school as said by 60% of the respondents. It was further established that 93% of the respondents agreed that the project has enhanced the adoption of new curriculum reforms. The study came to the conclusion that SEQIP made a significant contribution to the creation of curriculum designs and teacher training. The study suggests that the School-Based Teacher Support System (SBTSS) application in teaching should be monitored and reported on. The Sub-County education quality assurance officers should be tasked with checking the proper implementation of the training’s contents in school by the teachers.

Resource inequality and quality of secondary education: a study of uneven policy in rural schools of southwestern Nigeria

Recent Studies have investigated the influence of the resource factor on the quality of secondary education (QSE) in Nigeria. However, the research on the resource factor as a predictor of quality of secondary education in rural communities of Southwestern Nigeria remains scanty. This study, therefore, investigated the contributions of the resource factor (RF: Resource Adequacy-RA and Resource Utilization-RU) to QSE in rural communities of Southwestern Nigeria (RCSN). The study was located within a pragmatic paradigm that incorporated the convergent parallel design in the collection, analysis and interpretation of the qualitative and quantitative data. The multi-level mixed methods sampling technique was adopted in selecting 467 secondary school graduates, while total enumeration technique was adopted in selecting 134 teachers. Six participants for the Key Informant Interviews comprised three principals and three senior officials from the Teaching Service Commission and Ministry of Education from three selected states in southwestern Nigeria. Two research questions were raised, and one hypothesis was formulated for the study. Two research instruments, namely, the Secondary School Graduate Aptitude Test (SSGAT) and Resource Factor Teachers’ Questionnaire (RFTQ), with reliability coefficients of 0.715 and 0.853, respectively, were used for the study. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Pearson Product Moment Correlation, while qualitative data were analyzed with content analysis. The resource factor with resource adequacy (x=2.50) and resource utilization (x=2.77) influenced QSE. The resource factor (r=0.75) had a negative significant relationship with QSE. The study affirmed that addressing resource inequality in rural communities is urgently required to stem the ebbing tide of quality secondary education in Nigeria.

Quality secondary education: Principals, teachers and students’ understanding in Ethiopia

This study attempted to find out the understanding of principals, teachers and students about quality of education in secondary school. Teachers believe that education quality in terms of input indicators with a total mean of (3.5) near to good. In terms of process indicators with a total mean value of (3.70) near to good. And in terms of output indicators with a total mean value of (3.4) that is fall to on average. As the result of this study indicated, students, teachers and principals perceived process factor of quality education especially student-centered factor below the average. In addition, the one way ANOVA result showed that there is a significant difference between the respondents of input and output factors. On the other hand, there is no significant difference between the respondents on process factors. As a whole they responded that input, process and out factor affect the quality of education.

Learning Organizational Leadership Strategy in Improving the Quality of Middle Level Education

The research is motivated by the need to form an appropriate leadership strategy to improve the quality of education by collaborating with all members including teachers, staff, students, and parents or guardians of students. This study aims to analyze and answer learning organization leadership strategies in improving the quality of secondary education. The research method used is a literature study based on articles, papers, books and other sources that support research with a qualitative approach. The results of this study indicate that improving the quality of secondary education requires strong leadership from school principals, good teacher performance, student and parent involvement in the education process, and attention to internal and external factors that affect education quality.

Self-Evaluation Mechanism of Primary and Secondary School Based on Education Quality Improvement

Under the requirement of the reform of national education supervision system and mechanism, school self-assessment is an important part that cannot be ignored, and it is an important means to implement the reform of education evaluation and solve the chronic disease of “five only”. Self-assessment of primary and secondary schools diagnoses the status quo of school quality, corrects the direction of school development, stimulates the in-depth reform of schools, and further promotes the improvement of school education quality to provide value guidance. According to the four elements of assessment subject, content, method and result, the self-assessment mechanism of primary and secondary education quality is established, which includes multi-subject participation, comprehensive quality assessment, comprehensive method application and focusing on quality improvement.

Quality of government secondary school services in regional Bangladesh

This research investigated the service quality of government secondary schools (GSS) in Bangladesh. A mixed methods research design combining quantitative and qualitative methods was applied for gathering and analyzing data. Quantitative data was collected from 601 randomly selected clients using a structured interview schedule developed based on the five-dimensional SERVQUAL instrument. Qualitative data was obtained through focus group discussions and interviews of students, teachers, headteachers, guardians, assistant school inspectors, and the deputy director of secondary and higher education working in the selected region. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and bivariate analysis, while qualitative data was transcribed and labeled into emerging themes. The study found that the quality of secondary education in the GSSs of the study area failed to meet the demand of the clients in terms of all the quality dimensions of SERVQUAL, where t-values revealed a significant gap between expectation and perception in Tangibles, Responsiveness, Reliability, Assurance and Empathy dimensions. Data from qualitative methods showed that all the stakeholders agreed with the gap in tangibles and empathy dimension claimed by the respondents in the quantitative survey. However, teachers and guardians showed differential opinions regarding the gaps in responsiveness, reliability, and assurance. It was also found that 40% of the respondents were either neutral or dissatisfied with the education service of GSSs. Logistic regression output shows that among the dimensions of SERVQUAL, tangibles, responsiveness, assurance, and empathy can significantly influence a respondent’s overall satisfaction with GSS services. One-way ANOVA results show that schools from at least two districts differ significantly in terms of the mean score of overall satisfaction and the perceived mean score of tangibles, responsiveness, reliability, assurance, and empathy dimensions. The schools lack teaching, learning and recreational facilities such as laboratory, library, common room, and sports. The students did not receive individual need-based care for academic performance improvement and did not participate in lesson planning, preferring teaching methods and deciding assessment strategies. The teachers were not sufficiently skilled in delivering intelligible lectures and didn’t give time to students outside of formal classes. A sizeable gap in the SERVQUAL dimensions indicates that a comprehensive all-out effort is necessary to improve the service quality of GSSs. Consequently, improving teaching learning facilities, student participation in the lesson plan and deciding on teaching methods, teachers' training in pedagogy, and school-specific quality improvement measures are imperative.

Primary and Secondary Education Quality Monitoring and Improvement Strategies

Primary and Secondary Education Quality Monitoring and Improvement Strategies

The predictive influence of access factor on quality of secondary education in remote areas of Southwestern Nigeria

The dichotomy in the distribution of educational opportunities across African countries has become a recurring phenomenon between rural and urban communities. However, the remote and rural communities seem to be bearing the brunt of uneven access to quality education than cities. Thus, improving access to quality education in remote areas where educational advantages are scarce or not available remains a great challenge in Nigeria. This study, therefore, investigated the influence of access factor (AF: Physical Access-PA and Economic Access-EA) on Quality of Secondary Education (QSE) in remote areas of Southwestern Nigeria (RASN). The study was located within a post-positivist paradigm that incorporated the convergent parallel design. The multi-level mixed methods sampling technique was adopted in selecting 467 secondary school graduates. Six participants for the Key Informant Interviews comprised three principals and three senior officials from the Teaching Service Commission and Ministry of Education from three selected states in Southwestern Nigeria. Secondary School Graduate Aptitude Test (SSGAT) and Secondary School Graduate Access Questionnaire (SSGAQ) instruments were used for data collection. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Pearson Product Moment Correlation, while qualitative data were analyzed with content analysis. The access factor with physical access (67.3percent) and economic access (61.3percent) influenced QSE. The study concluded that enhancing access to QSE should be improved in RASN.

The Hindrances to Excellence in Secondary School Education in Puntland State, Somalia

The main intent of this study is to examine if secondary education in Somalia, particularly in Puntland, meets both as a transition between primary and tertiary education and agreed quality indicators such as access/enrolment, retention, and transition. That could be attributed to elements such as funding, teacher preparation programs, student-teacher ratio, class-teacher ratio, or educational facilities, and both direct and indirect costs of secondary education were the main topics of the data gathering. The findings are presented in a logical sequence of tables, numbers, figures, and statistical inferences that address the goals and objectives, discussion, and recommendations. The retention of enrolment and transition into either the workforce or tertiary education has been examined. It was found that only 18% of students were enrolled in secondary school. When comparing the enrolment rates for boys and girls, there is a noticeable difference between the two genders, with 62% for boys and 38% for girls. This may be an indicator of the compromised quality of secondary education in the nation, based on inadequate facilities, ineffective instructional delivery, and maintenance of standards. The above sheds light on the secondary school dropout rate in the nation, and Puntland in particular, as, on average, just 15% of candidates for the Form IV final exam passed the four secondary stages and appeared in the final generalised certificated examination. The average student-classroom ratio and student-teacher ratio are 40±6:1 and 30±7:1, respectively, which subsequently indicates the less one-on-one time with students and teachers and less individualised instruction. The last six years’ trends for secondary teachers and schools have also been tested to determine gender parity and gathered that only 5% have been female instructors. Similarly, the certified teachers are almost four times as many as the qualified ones. In addition, the female pre-service teachers trained were a mere 28%, while the in-service ones were 29% of their male counterparts. Female subject preferences were 8%, 42%, and 35% in math/physics, biology/chemistry, and history/geography, correspondingly. The average cost of fees per month was found to have been $36.4±9.4 per child. The study highlights that the Puntland administration, with the aid of international funders and partner NGOs, to revisit their rule of engagement as far as the secondary school states of enrolment and dropouts are concerned; increase the number of teachers, particularly female teachers; and train school teachers to first lower the high student-teacher and pupil-classroom ratios and bolster the quality of the delivered education in order to lower dropout rates and improve enrolment, retention, and transition into the workforce or tertiary education. Educational reforms are to be formulated periodically to meet the future needs of education financing

Quota Admission Policy and Its Impact on Equitable Access to Quality Secondary School Education in Kakamega County, Kenya

Through its secondary school quota admission policy, the Ministry of Education in Kenya endeavors to ensure equitable access to quality secondary school education opportunities by placing students into various categories of secondary schools based on sub county quotas as well as public-private primary schools quotas. The quota admission policy is intended to ensure that students from lower socioeconomic status are given opportunities to attend national and extra county secondary schools. However, every year after the initial placement of students into various categories of secondary schools about 23.01% of students fail to join secondary schools of initial placement but seek transfer to join other schools through a replacement process. In this regard, the aim of this study was to examine the impact of quota admission policy on equitable access to quality secondary school education in Kakamaga County in Kenya. The specific objectives of this study were; (i) to determine the impact of students’ type of primary school attended on equitable access to quality secondary school education opportunities, (ii) to determine the impact of students’ sub county of residence on equitable access to quality secondary school education opportunities, (iii) to determine the impact of students’ socioeconomic status on equitable access to quality secondary school education opportunities. Stratified sampling, proportional sampling and simple random sampling techniques were used to arrive at a sample of 280 students from 2 National schools, 480 from 6 Extra County schools, 500 from 7 County schools, and 960 from 30 Sub County secondary schools. The sample also included 45 principals. Descriptive research design was adopted for the study. Questionnaires were used to collect data and descriptive statistics used to analyze the collected data. The study findings indicated a higher representation of students who attended private primary schools in the national (63.1%) and extra county (56.5%) secondary schools compared to students who attended public primary schools. The results further indicated that students from upper (57.3%) and middle (50.8%) socioeconomic status were highly represented in the national and extra county secondary schools compared to students from lower socioeconomic status. The study recommends that the government should address factors that impede students who attend public primary schools especially those from lower socioeconomic status to join national and extra county secondary schools. Keywords: quota selection admission policy, equitable access, quality secondary education, socioeconomic status, initial placement, replacement. DOI: 10.7176/JEP/13-32-07 Publication date: November 30 th 2022

Head teacher and government officials’ perceptions of teaching quality in secondary education in Rwanda

The improvement of teaching quality within secondary schooling has been a core focus within Rwandan educational reforms. Despite this emphasis, efforts towards defining this construct have been minimal, particularly amongst head teachers and government officials who often hold responsibilities in monitoring, evaluating and guiding teaching improvements. To address this gap, this study aimed to shed light on these stakeholders’ perceptions of teaching quality, the extent of alignment between their views and the degree to which they reflected earlier teacher conceptions. Data from this study drew upon semi-structured interviews with 5 head teachers and 11 government officials from three Rwandan districts. Using constant comparison analysis, findings revealed that strong agreement exists between perceptions of stakeholder groups, as evidenced by a shared recognition that teaching inputs, processes and outcomes are vital components of the teaching quality construct. Key differences that emerged included recognition of the impact of external factors on teaching quality and their greater focus on the importance of inclusion compared with teachers. The results suggest a need for greater emphasis on these factors within initiatives focused on improving teaching to better align the expectations of stakeholders concerning teaching quality. These results have implications for policy and for the evaluation and professional development of teachers.

Welfare and Teachers’ Job Performance in Public Secondary Schools in Danko-Wasagu Local Government, Kebbi State, Nigeria

This study sought to examine the influence of teachers’ welfare on their job performance in public secondary schools in Danko-Wasagu Local Government, Kebbi State, Nigeria. Using a mixed approach, the study employed descriptive correlational design. The population for the study was 384 teachers out of which the sample size of 196 respondents was drawn. Systematic random sampling was used to select respondents. The objectives were: to determine the level of teacher welfare; level of teachers’ job performance; to examine the relationship between teachers’ welfare and their job performance; and the influence of welfare on teachers’ job performance. Data was collected using a self-designed questionnaire which validity and reliability were confirmed through computation of content validity index (CVI) and Cronbach Alpha test which were found to be 0.76 and 0.81 respectively. The quantitative data was analysed using mean, Pearson’s linear correlation coefficient and multiple regression analysis. The quantitative results revealed that the level of welfare for teachers is poor and the level of teachers’ job performance is moderate among others. The study concludes that, despite their reasonable job performance, employees’ welfare is poorly cared for. The study recommends among others, that the government and the school administrators should improve on the welfare scheme they offer to teachers to achieve quality secondary education through a high level teacher performance.

The Influence of Policy Factors on the Quality of Secondary Education in the Rural Communities of South-Western Nigeria

Achieving the Quality of Secondary Education seems to have assumed a frightening dimension in South-Western Nigeria. This study, therefore, investigated the contributions of the policy factors (PF: Recruitment and Selection-RS, Salary and Compensation-SC and Training and Development-TD) to the Quality of Secondary Education (QSE) in the rural communities of South-western Nigeria (RCSN). The data were collected via a Secondary School Graduate- Aptitude Test (SSGAT) instrument from 467 secondary school graduates; and a total enumeration technique was adopted for the data collected from 134 teachers from 9 rural secondary schools. Six participants were purposely selected for the Key Informant Interviews, which comprised three principals and three senior officials from the Teaching Service Commissions and the Ministries of Education. Three research questions were developed, and one hypothesis was formulated for the study. The study was located within a post-positivist paradigm that incorporated the convergent parallel design in the collection, analysis, and interpretation of the qualitative and quantitative data. The data generated were analysed using descriptive statistics and a Pearson-Product Moment Correlation at the 0.05 level of significance; while the qualitative data were analyzed thematically. The RS ( =3.08 ± 0.82), SC ( =2.72 ± 0.90) and TD ( =2.62 ± 0.83) strongly influenced the QSE in RCSN. The PF (r=0.75) had a negative significant relationship with QSE. The study concluded that urgently addressing the policy issues is highly essential in revamping the QSE in RCSN.

Influence of Infrastructural Facilities and Staffing on Students’ Academic Performance in National Secondary Schools in Kenya

In 2011, the Kenya government made efforts to improve access to quality secondary education by increasing the number of national schools from 17 to 114. This was done by elevating two provincial schools in each county to national schools. This study sought to establish influence of infrastructural facilities and staffing on academic performance in national examinations in young national schools in Samburu, Marsabit, and Isiolo counties, Kenya. Correlation research design was used. The study population was 5 principals, 150 teachers, 3 examinations officers, and 3 staffing officers. The sample size was composed of 5 principals, 60 teachers, 3 examinations officers, and 3 staffing officers. The study established that infrastructural facilities and staffing had a positive and statistically significant relationship with academic performance in all the schools in the three counties as follows: Infrastructural facilities (r=0.495, p-value =0.000), Staffing (r=0.372, p-value =0.05), all at alpha 0.05 level of statistical significance. Further, multiple regression analysis revealed that infrastructural facilities had a positive significant impact on performance (2.008), while staffing also had a positive significant impact on performance (0.331) both at 5% level of significance. The schools were understaffed, lacked enough infrastructural facilities, and had congested classes. The government should post more teachers in those schools and improve infrastructural facilities in those schools to address the challenges