CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1  Background to the Study

The issues of poor academic performance of student in Nigeria have been of much concern to all sundry. The problem is so much that it has led to the widely acclaimed fallen standard of education. Education has been described as the key that unlock the door to modernization. Observation has shown that the story is different at the national level. Over time students academic performance in both external and internal examinations has been used to determine excellence in teachers and teaching (Taya, 2001).

Teachers have been shown to have an important influence on students’ academic achievement and they also play a crucial role in educational attainment because the teacher is ultimately responsible for translating policy into actions and principles based on practice during interaction with the student. (Eze E.N. 2011). Both teaching and learning depends on teachers. No wonder an effective teacher has been conceptualized as one who produces desired results in the course of his duty as a teacher.

Nigeria secondary schools lack dedicated and qualified economic teachers, especially since 1989 when secondary school student population started to increase astronomically in many states of the federation. It should be noted that no educational system could rise above the effectiveness of its teacher and for any society to change the citizens must be dedicated.

This is so because education helps one to acquire knowledge and skill, which enables him to understand his problem and look for way of solving these problems. It is an ironic coincidence that while developed countries would love and cherish economics in their schools, the Nigerians in the secondary and tertiary institution are scared of the subject economics because of mathematics and statistics aspect of it. This hatred has also led to the poor performance in senior certificate examination.

The Ashby commission set out in 1959 observed that a well qualified teaching staff is the first important step to be considered in an attempt to train skilled manpower. The commission asserted that one out of every two teachers in secondary schools should be a graduate. The commission also recommended the introduction of Bachelor of Arts degree in Education B.A (Education) in all Nigerian Universities. It is a universal agreement that teachers are the main determinant of the quality of education one receives. The kind of teachers trained and posted to our secondary schools may well determine what the future generation will be.

Economics is as old as human race, the early agricultural, manufacturing, weaving, trading, industrial and mercantile activities brought the civilization which started in Egypt, Greece and Rome. One group acquiring culture and knowledge from the other, whenever and wherever people have this type of relationship, there exist the need for transaction. So economics is indeed not a new subject though it is still difficult to say the exact data, economic events were translated into significant manner in monetary terms to create room for informed judgment, therefore the need for practicing economics. (Udo, 1995) views the study of economic as a pursuit toward understanding those fundamental concepts and issues which economics as a subject aspire to find solution to such as wants, scarcity, choice, scale of preference and opportunity cost etc. which are of great importance to man’s existence hence, proper analysis and documentation of their functional rehire is of paramount importance. It is not correct to assume that economic data need to be kept only by profit making organizations. They are equally important in non-profit making organization such as social clubs and motherless babies home etc. As of the increase in business activities, demands for economics and data in the labour market rises above the supply of relevant economic data. This is as a result of poor performance in economics in senior school certificate examination which is due to inadequate qualified teachers.

1.2  Statement of Problem

In recent times, more attention has been given to the performance of students on economics in the senior secondary schools. The performance has been poor; this is being attributed to the unqualified teachers that teach economics, lack of instructional material, poor method of teaching, attitude of learners and teachers towards teaching and learning. Furthermore, due to these poor performance of students enrollment on economics at senior secondary school examination has been low, which in turn affected the number of students that would study pure economics in higher institution.

Amafula E.U. (2001), views the problem as mainly due to inadequate teachers’ preparations.

1.3  Purpose of Study

The purpose of this research therefore is to determine the influence of the level of effectiveness of teacher on the students academic performance in economics also in some other subject in our secondary school.

1. To investigate how the qualification of economics teachers in senior secondary schools affect the performance of the students.
2. To ascertain how the teachers method in teaching economics affect the student in senior secondary schools.
3. To find out how the motivation of the teacher affect the academic performance of the students in senior secondary school.

1.4  Delimitation of Study

The study would be limited to testing the impact of teacher’s effectiveness on student performance in economics and some other subject in senior secondary certificate examination in the government owned senior secondary school in Owerri Municipal Council of Imo State.

1.5  Significance of Study

The project would be of immense benefit to the government because it will be a working document for policy formulation in relation to the training of teachers. It will contribute to the existing literature on students performance and teachers qualification; hence it will be important to both teachers and student.

It would go a long way in helping curriculum planners make some adjustments in some of the topics in the syllabus. It should be of great important to economics teachers to implements the curriculum and seek for further improvements on the subject through in service training such as attending seminars and work shops, which will help in improving  their method of teaching.

In this part of country, there has been a great increase in the  number that enroll knowledge of economics in order to run  his business affairs then the question is how effective is the teaching and learning of economics in secondary schools to make the understanding of economics a reality for the average student? This study would also find out whether the reason for increasing economics in the curriculum is being achieved. This is because economics is aimed at providing vocational skills that will be necessary for industrial and economic development in Nigeria as a whole.

1.6  Research Question

The following research questions are formulated as a guide to the study:-

1. To what extent does the qualification of economic teachers in senior secondary school affect the performance of the student?
2. To what extent does the teachers method in teaching economics affect the student academic performance?
3. How often does the teacher motivation affect the academic performance of the student?