1.0 Introduction
1.1 Background of Study
Over the years, there is growing interest in the professional development of educators as the demands, expectations, and requirements of teacher education increasingly come under scrutiny (Louhran, 2014). What the teacher does, influences, the whole process of learning. Effective teacher produces better performing students (Akiri 2013). Van den Bergh and Roos (2014) maintained that professional development of teachers can be effective and sustainable, if certain conditions are met (Curwood 2014). Besides, the analysis of Van den Bergh and Roos (2014) suggested that the implementation of educational reforms, including reforms associated with technology integration and literacy education, is often dependent upon teachers' skills, values, and cultural models. While hiring of qualified teachers is encouraged for improvement of academic performance, theories from the study of Firestone (2014) caution that policies to remove ineffective teachers should not reduce autonomy or trust among effective teachers and that evaluations should provide teachers with useful feedback and policy makers with information on the conditions that facilitate good teaching.
The educators, government, parents and society in general have constantly been interested in the academic achievement of students (Lydiah and Nasongo, 2009; Yusuf and Adigun, 2010). This is so because of the great importance that education has on the national development of the country (Unanma et. al., 2013). Adodo (2007) argued that one key overriding factor for the success of students' academic achievement is the teacher. in the same vein, Ibrahim (2000) believed that teachers' qualifications and exposure can go a long way to bring about pupils' high academic achievement. Considering the assertions of Ibrahim (2000), Adodo (2007), and Ibukun (2009), it implies that teachers' role in the preparation of students to succeed in examinations cannot be undermined.
Education at secondary school level is the bedrock and the foundation towards higher knowledge in tertiary institutions. It is an investment as well as an instrument that can be used to achieve a more rapid economic, social, political, technological, scientific and cultural development in the country (National Policy on Education, 2004). The role of secondary education is to lay the foundation for further education and if a good foundation is laid at this level, there are likely to be no problem at subsequent levels (Unanma et. al, 2013).
Biology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organism, including their structure, function, growth, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. It enables one to understand himself and his intermediate environment. Biology as a science subject is very important in our secondary school curriculum and this is reflected in the number of instructional period provided for it in the school time – table. As the knowledge acquired in Biology subject is applied in many fields as Medicine, Biochemistry, Pharmacy, Microbiology and Agriculture among others. Also it is observed that a good pass in biology at the Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) has been emphasized as a necessity for any prospective student who wishes to study medical and health sciences in higher institution of learning. The growth of modern science has placed an increasing demand for the teaching and learning of biology.
Performance is the achievement of an individual obtained through the use of evaluation instruments such as test, which may be written or oral. Therefore, poor academic performance is the performance of the examinee that is adjudged by the examiner as falling below an expected standard. Poor academic performance has been observed in Senior Secondary School Subjects (Adesemowo, 2005).
Aremu (2000) stresses that academic failure is not only frustrating to the students and the parents, its effects are equally grave on the society in terms of dearth of manpower in all spheres of the economy and politics.
According to Buddi and Zamarro (2009), teacher quality is a key element of student academic success. A study by Adeogun (2001) in Nigeria found that the quality of any education system depends on the quality of teachers; as no education system can rise above the quality of its teachers (Ibukun, 2009).
Obasi (2010) also asserts that the professional and academic training and qualification of the teacher can raise the prospects of a student's academic performance and attainments. Review of related literature indicates that the most important school‐based determining factor of students' achievement is the teacher quality (Rockoff, 2004; Rivkinet al., 2005; Aaronson et al., 2007; Harris and Sass, 2008).
In the same vein, Ibrahim (2000) believed that teachers' qualifications and exposure can go a long way to bring about students' high academic achievement. However, different people at different times have passed the blame of poor performance in secondary school to student's individual gender sensitivity, cognitive, affective (attitude) and psychomotor domains (Aremu and Sokan, 2003; Aremu and Oluwole 2001; Aremu, 2000).
The mastery of a subject is determined by the performance of the students in such a subject at a prescribed examination. Any interactive activity between a teacher and the students is expected to produce learning outcomes in the learners. When such an activity failed to produce a change in behaviour (learning) in the learners, then, there is a problem.
The performance of students in science generally is a major concern to sciences educators. Aghyeneku in Sakiyo and Sofeme (2008) noted that students' performance in science subjects is low in both national and state examinations. A number of reasons can be identified to be accountable for the poor performance of students in sciences. These include the science curricula, teachers' methods of teaching, parents, government, lack of science facilities and others (Ahiakwo, 2003). Survey from schools (Ajayi, 2007) revealed that inadequacy of good instructional materials, equipment and laboratory facilities in the schools also affect negatively the effective learning of Physics in the schools.
As stipulated in the Nigeria National Policy on Education (2004), Physics teaching at the secondary school is meant to develop essential scientific skills in the learners so as to prepare them for technological application in order to stimulate and enhance creativity in them. This laudable objective would not be realized when the students are taught by incompetent teachers. Such teachers would not be able to properly and adequately disseminate the concepts to the students. Physics, being one of the pivotal subjects in technology, its effective teaching must be handled with all seriousness. The competence of the Biology teachers in this regard would be of immeasurable value. One thing is to be well grounded in the conceptual understanding of a subject; another thing is to be well acquitted with the best method to pass the concepts across to the learners for proper comprehension. A professional teacher would be desirable in this regard.
In Nigeria public discussions frequently focus on educational standards. The public's unhappiness becomes more prominent following the annual release of the West African Senior School Certificate Examination results. Student outcomes do not match the government and parental investment. All stakeholders are concerned about why the system is turning out graduates with poor results. To them, it is questionable whether or not teachers in the public secondary schools, the most important factor in the effectiveness of schools and in the quality of a child's education are competent to teach effectively. The National Policy of Education states, No Education system can rise above the quality of teachers in the system (FGN, 2006).
In support of the aforementioned scholars, Ekwesili (2006) institutionalized the Private Public Partnership (PPP) and School Based Management Committee (SBMC) to manage secondary education and to promote school effectiveness since students' success depends on the amount of learning that takes place in the classroom and other related how effective and efficient the teacher performs in schools.
Therefore, in Nigeria where the research was carried out, the activities that was conducted is to know the Influence of Teacher's Qualification and Attitude on the Performance of Senior Secondary School Biology Students in Enugu Education Zone of Enugu State.
1.2 Statement of Research Problem
Investigation revealed that the poor academic achievement of students in Biology as indicated in the report of WAEC and National Teachers Institute (NTI) has become a persisted public outcry. Over the years, students' achievement in Biology has prompted educational researchers to continuously make relentless efforts at identifying mitigating factors that might account for the observed poor performance.
Some research studies suggest that factors inside and outside the classroom affect students' achievement and interest. Among such variables identified are:
- Students' poor study habit,
- Low self-esteem,
- Teacher factors - quality,
- Adequacy in quantity etc.;
- School factors - infrastructure, equipment, materials etc.; and home factors – family and society.
The thrust of this project is to assess the effects of teachers' qualification on students' academic performance in Biology in terms of qualification, experience and teaching methodology in Enugu Education Zone of Enugu State.
1.3 Aim and Objectives of Study
The aim of the study is to investigate the Influence of Teacher's Qualification and Attitude on the Performance of Senior Secondary School Biology Students in Enugu Education Zone of Enugu State. In achieving this aim, the following objectives were set out as follows:
- To investigate the effect of teachers' qualification on the performance of biology students in senior secondary school; and
- To promote biology students' performance, it is important to determine which factors influence student science achievement in schools.
1.4 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:
- Has teachers' qualification any influence on students' performance in Biology?
- Has teachers' experience any influence on students' performance in Biology?
- Has teaching methodology any influence on students' performance in Biology?
- Does lack of qualified teachers affect students' performance in Biology?
1.5 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: Teachers' qualification has no significant influence on students' performance in Biology.
- H1: Teachers' qualification has a significant influence on students' performance in Biology.
Hypothesis Two
- H0: Teachers' attitude has no significant influence on students' performance in Biology.
- H1: Teachers' attitude has a significant influence on students' performance in Biology.
Hypothesis Three
- H0: Teaching methodology has no significant influence on students' performance in Biology.
- H1: Teaching methodology has a significant influence on students' performance in Biology.
Hypothesis Four
- H0: Lack of qualified teachers has no significant effect on students' performance in Biology.
- H1: Lack of qualified teachers has a significant effect on students' performance in Biology.
1.6 Significance of Study
All over the country, there is a consensus of opinion about the fallen standard of education in Nigeria (Adebule, 2004), and huge investments in the educational sector by Government has not reflected on the desired outcome of education. An examination of how teacher characteristics affect students' achievement in science is important as results have the potential to provide insights into the importance of hiring and developing qualified teachers who are better able to help students achieve in science (Wayne and Young, 2003).
By improving our understanding in these areas, administrators, researchers, and policymakers will better understand which teacher characteristics have the greatest impact on student science achievement. This will also enable researchers and policymakers to design more effective intervention programs to improve students' achievement in biology subject.
1.7 Scope of the Study
The scope of this research is focused on the Influence of Teacher's Qualification and Attitude on the Performance of Senior Secondary School Biology Students in Enugu Education Zone of Enugu State.
1.8 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. This contributed in making the success of this research study difficult.
1.9 Operational Definition of Terms
Effect:
It is referred to as the result or outcome of a cause.
Assessment:
It is the action of assessing someone or something.
Poor Academic Performance:
The causes for poor academic performance can be external or internal. External causes include: school environment, social interaction, teachers and teaching techniques. Regardless of what the cause may be, poor academic performance is not a situation that warrants punishment. It shouldn't be about blaming people.
