1.1 Introduction
Education is the process of developing an individual's knowledge, skills, attitudes and abilities for personal and societal development. In secondary schools, teachers play an important role in helping students understand different subjects and achieve educational goals. A teacher's educational qualification refers to the academic and professional training obtained to prepare an individual for effective teaching. In the teaching of Economics, appropriate qualification is important because the subject involves concepts that require clear explanation, practical examples and proper understanding. Research has shown that teachers' qualification, teaching experience and other teacher-related factors are associated with students' academic performance, although the strength of this relationship differs across studies (Alonge et al., 2020).
As a prelude to other parts of this study, this chapter will discuss the background upon which this study was initiated, the statement of problems that led to this study, the aim and objectives of the study. Others are significance of the study, scope of work, research hypothesis and questions, limitation of the study and definition of terms.
1.2 Background of Study
Historically, teachers' educational qualification in Nigeria is closely connected with the development of formal education and the growing need for properly trained teachers. In the early period of formal education, teaching was largely carried out by missionaries and other individuals who had limited formal teacher training. As the school system expanded, the need for teachers with proper academic and professional preparation became more important. Teacher training institutions were gradually established to prepare individuals for classroom teaching and to improve the quality of education.
Education is an important part of human development because it provides people with knowledge, skills and values needed to function effectively in society. At the secondary school level, teachers play a major role in helping students understand what they are taught and develop the skills needed for further education and future employment. As cited by the Federal Republic of Nigeria (2014), teacher education is expected to prepare teachers for effective professional practice and expose them to changes in teaching methods and curriculum. Similarly, the policy provides for continuous professional development and requires professionally qualified and registered teachers to practise in schools.
Teachers' educational qualification refers to the academic and professional certificates and training a teacher possesses for the teaching profession. A qualified teacher is expected to have sufficient knowledge of the subject, understand how students learn and possess the ability to explain difficult ideas in simple ways. As cited by Ajayi, Owoyele and Ogunkoya (2020), teacher-related factors such as qualification, competence and teaching experience are important factors associated with students' achievement in Economics. The researchers reported that students' achievement in Economics had remained a concern and examined teacher-related factors as possible predictors of academic performance.
Economics is an important subject in secondary school because it helps students understand everyday economic activities and the decisions made by individuals, businesses and government. A student who understands Economics is better prepared to understand issues relating to prices, employment, production, savings, investment and the use of scarce resources. However, students do not learn these concepts by themselves in most school settings. The teacher is responsible for presenting the subject in a way that is understandable and interesting. In the same vein, Ajayi, Onibeju and Olutayo (2020) investigated teachers' qualification, attitude and mastery of content in relation to students' achievement in Economics in Lagos State. Their study was motivated by concerns about the performance of many Senior Secondary School students in the subject (Ajayi, Onibeju and Olutayo, 2020).
The educational qualification of a teacher is therefore expected to influence the quality of classroom instruction. A teacher with appropriate academic and professional preparation is expected to understand the subject better and select teaching approaches that suit the learners. Similarly, students' academic performance is an important measure of whether teaching and learning objectives are being achieved. Performance is usually reflected in students' scores in tests, examinations, assignments and other forms of assessment. When students consistently perform poorly, attention is often directed towards several factors, including teachers, students, school facilities, teaching methods, learning environment and family background. However, the teacher remains an important factor because the teacher interacts directly with students during the learning process. Gbadamosi and Jegede (2015) stated that teachers play crucial roles in students' achievement and examined teacher competence, teaching methods and personality traits in relation to students' achievement in Economics.
In Economics specifically, the quality of the teacher is important because many students find some economic concepts difficult when they are taught mainly through abstract explanations. A teacher who has good subject knowledge is capable of using familiar examples such as household budgeting, market prices, unemployment and business activities to make lessons easier to understand. Correspondingly, a teacher with suitable professional preparation is capable of identifying students' difficulties and adjusting teaching methods where necessary. Osagie and Akinlosotu (2017) reported that teachers' job performance and students' academic achievement had a significant relationship in secondary schools in Nigeria, showing the importance of effective teacher performance in the learning process.
This study is set against the backdrop of the need to determine whether teachers' educational qualification has a meaningful impact on the performance of secondary school students in Economics.
1.3 Statement of Problems
Investigation revealed that students' performance in Economics at the secondary school level is still a concern, as some students struggle to achieve good results in the subject. Teachers' educational qualification is considered an important factor because proper academic and professional training is expected to equip teachers with adequate subject knowledge and teaching skills. On the other hand, a study of Economics students in Southwest Nigeria found that educational qualification did not independently have a significant effect on achievement, showing the need to examine the issue within a specific school environment.
Furthermore, some secondary schools still face challenges relating to the availability of appropriately qualified teachers, effective teaching practices and adequate subject mastery. These challenges are potentially capable of affecting students' interest, understanding and academic performance in Economics. It is against this backdrop that this study seeks to examine the impact of teachers' educational qualification on the performance of secondary school students in Economics.
1.4 Aim and Objectives of Study
The aim of this study is to examine the impact of teachers' educational qualification on the performance of secondary school students in Economics.
The specific objectives of this research are to:
- Examine the level of educational qualification possessed by Economics teachers in secondary schools.
- Determine the relationship between teachers' academic qualification and students' performance in Economics.
- Examine the effect of teachers' professional qualification on students' performance in Economics.
- Determine the influence of teachers' subject knowledge on students' performance in Economics.
- Examine the relationship between teachers' educational qualification and effective teaching of Economics.
1.5 Research Questions
The study came up with research questions so as to be able to ascertain the above stated objectives. The specific research questions for the study are stated below as follows:
- What is the level of educational qualification possessed by Economics teachers in secondary schools?
- What is the relationship between teachers' academic qualification and students' performance in Economics?
- What is the effect of teachers' professional qualification on students' performance in Economics?
- What is the influence of teachers' subject knowledge on students' performance in Economics?
- What is the relationship between teachers' educational qualification and effective teaching of Economics?
1.6 Research Hypotheses
In order to pursue the objective of this study, the following generalized statements have been designed to guide and aids in obtaining the result for the experiment to be conducted. For this work, the null hypothesis will be represented with H0 while the alternative hypothesis will be represented with hypothesis H1.
Hypothesis One
- H0: There is no significant relationship between teachers' academic qualification and students' performance in Economics.
- H1: There is a significant relationship between teachers' academic qualification and students' performance in Economics.
Hypothesis Two
- H0: Teachers' professional qualification has no significant effect on students' performance in Economics.
- H1: Teachers' professional qualification has a significant effect on students' performance in Economics.
Hypothesis Three
- H0: Teachers' subject knowledge has no significant influence on students' performance in Economics.
- H1: Teachers' subject knowledge has a significant influence on students' performance in Economics.
Hypothesis Four
- H0: There is no significant relationship between teachers' educational qualification and effective teaching of Economics.
- H1: There is a significant relationship between teachers' educational qualification and effective teaching of Economics.
Hypothesis Five
- H0: There is no significant relationship between the level of teachers' educational qualification and students' academic performance in Economics.
- H1: There is a significant relationship between the level of teachers' educational qualification and students' academic performance in Economics.
1.7 Significance of Study
It is believed that at the completion of the study, the findings will provide factual information on the relationship between teachers' educational qualification and students' performance in Economics. It will also provide useful evidence on the academic and professional qualifications of Economics teachers.
Furthermore, the findings will provide education authorities with information for decisions concerning the recruitment, placement and professional development of Economics teachers. It will also provide students with a clearer understanding of the importance of effective Economics teaching to their academic performance.
Lastly, the study will provide a useful academic reference for further research on teachers' educational qualification and students' performance in Economics.
1.8 Scope of Study
The scope of the research is focused on the Impact of Teachers Educational Qualification on the Performance of Secondary School Students in Economics in public secondary schools in Edo State, Nigeria. The study covers Economics teachers and secondary school students offering Economics.
1.9 Limitations of the Study
During the course of this study, there were some problems encountered which stood as limitations to the research work. Some of the limitations include:
- Time Constraint: The time frame given to accomplish this project was very short due to school academic calendar and it was carried out under pressure which made the researcher not to implement some necessary features.
- Financial Constraint: Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview).
- Initial Cooperation Delay from Respondents: A particular limitation of this work came as a result of the respondent refusal to offer their cooperation at the initial time they were contacted.
1.10 Definition of Terms
Educational Qualification:
Educational qualification refers to the academic certificates and formal educational training possessed by a teacher.
Teachers' Educational Qualification:
Teachers' educational qualification refers specifically to the academic and professional qualifications obtained by a teacher for teaching practice. It includes qualifications that provide the teacher with subject knowledge and professional preparation.
Teacher:
A teacher is a person trained and employed to guide students in acquiring knowledge, skills, attitudes and other learning outcomes.
Professional Qualification:
Professional qualification refers to the recognised teacher-training qualification that prepares an individual for professional classroom practice. It includes qualifications obtained through approved teacher education programmes.
Academic Qualification:
Academic qualification refers to the educational certificate obtained through formal study in a particular field. In this study, it relates mainly to the academic preparation of teachers in Economics or related areas.
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