TEACHER QUALITY AND STUDENTS ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN AFIKPO EDUCATION ZONE OF EBONYI STATE NIGERIA

Abstract

The study assessed the influence of teacher quality on students’ academic performance in Afikpo Education zone. It is a descriptive survey. A sample of 190 principals and vice principals was drawn as sample from a population of 1900 teachers. A 2 part 20 item, 4 point scale instrument known as teacher quality and students’ academic performance questionnaire (TQASAPQ) was used to generate answers to two research questions and two hypothesis. The TQASAPQ was validated by the HOD of Education Foundation, Ebonyi State College of Education and two collegues in the department and a reliability of 0.69 was obtained using the Crombach Alpha Correlation method. The instrument was administered through the help of all the principals who were adequately briefed on the rediments of the study. Mean and Z-test statistics were used to answer the research questions and test the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance respectively. Findings among others revealed that all the variable in the items are the influence of qualitative instructors and good evaluators, on students’ academic performance. It was recommended that government should endeavor to provide necessary facilities and teaching resources to the schools in order to improve teachers’ commitment to their work which enhances productivity as well as principals establishing good instructional programs to ensure effective teaching and learning in the schools.