CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study
It is an incontestable fact that the success of any instructional process in school lies in the hands of the teachers who are the implementers of the curriculum contents of any subject or discipline. Therefore, the role, behaviour and attitude of teachers toward the teaching of any school subject have a lot of academic consequences on the learners.
However, there are prescribed rules of conducts in Nigeria which those is the teaching profession are expected to adhere strictly to and organize their behavioural dispositions around those values (FRN, 2013). The school as an institution of the society cannot function effectively without individuals imbued with the pee-requisite social responsibilities needed to lubricate the system. Odunsi (2008) added that what transpires in the school and indeed the classroom are determined by the teacher who has the most direct, close and determining influence on the learners. The author further maintained that teachers have to be trained and exposed to the principles that would guide their future actions. This is because, the way and individual behaves tends to be consistent with his/her own beliefs. It is essential that would be educators purge themselves of all negative characters as they get into the school system to enable them work with colleagues and pupils in the school. This must be given serious attention if high academic performance by pupils is to be fully achieved.
It has therefore become necessary to examine teachers’ characteristics and academic performance of pre-primary school pupils in mathematics in Nsit Atai Local Government Area. However, this presents an area for investigation.
Teachers’ Characteristics And Academic Performance Of Pre-Primary School Pupils In Mathematics
1.2 Statement of the Problem
The issue of poor academic performance of pre-primary school pupils especially in mathematics has attracted serious criticisms by many patriotic citizens of our society. However, pupils academic performance in the subject have been faced with series of challenges such as large class size, location of the school, poor attitude towards the subject and parental background. These among others have accounted for the dwindling nature of pre-primary school pupils’ performance in the subject. Measures to remedy this unpleasant situation have long been proffered by researchers and scholars, yet the poor performance of pupils in the subject has become a recurring feature in examinations.
Moreover, there is no doubt therefore that apart from the aforementioned factors, teachers’ characteristics could also contribute to pupils’ poor performance in mathematics. It is as a result of the above reasons that the researcher is motivated to conduct a study on teachers’ characteristics and academic performance of pre-primary school pupils in mathematics in Nsit Atai Local Government Area.
1.3 Purpose of the Study
The main purpose of this study was to examine teachers’ characteristics and academic performance of pre-primary school pupils in Mathematics in Nsit Atai Local Government Area.
Specifically, the study sought to:
(i) Examine the difference in academic performance in Mathematics between pupils taught by NCE graduates and their university degree holders’ counterparts.
(ii) Assess the difference in academic performance in mathematic between pupils taught with instructional materials and their counterparts taught without instructional materials.
(iii) Find out the difference in academic performance in Mathematics between pupils taught by teachers with many years of teaching experience and their counterparts taught by teachers with less years of teaching experience.
1.4 Significance of the study
– It will enlighten pre-primary school teachers on the need to further education.
– The study will reveal if teachers’ characteristics in general affect the academic performance of pre-primary school pupils.
– It will guide and direct teachers to inculcate good characteristics which they suppose to be model for their pupils.
– The study will also direct the teachers; create awareness to their pupils on the need to develop good and positive learning habits.
– It will throw more light on the quality of teachers employed in pre-primary schools.
– Lastly, the study will serve as a reference manual for further researchers on similar or related topics.
1.5 Research Questions
The following research questions were formulated to guide the study:
(i) What difference exists in the academic performance in Mathematics between pupils taught by NCE graduates and their university degree holders’ counterparts?
(ii) What difference exists in the academic performance in mathematics between pupils taught with instructional materials and their counterparts taught without instructional materials?
(iii) What difference exists in the academic performance in Mathematics between pupils taught by teachers with many years of teaching experience and their counterparts taught by teachers with less years of teaching experience?
1.6 Research Hypotheses
The following research hypotheses were formulated in the course of this study.
(i) There is no significant difference in the academic performance in Mathematics between pupils taught by NCE graduates and their university degree holders’ counterparts.
(ii) There is no significant difference in the academic performance in mathematics between pupils taught with instructional materials and their counterparts taught without instructional materials.
(iii) There is no significant difference in the academic performance in Mathematics between pupils taught by teachers with many years of teaching experience and their counterparts taught by teachers with less years of teaching experience.