TEACHERS’ COMPETENCIES AND EXPERIENCE AS CORRELATES OF STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN ANAMBRA STATE

Abstract

The study examined teachers’ competencies and experience as correlates of students’ academic performance in public secondary schools in Anambra State. Three research questions guided the study and three null hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance. The study adopted correlational research design. The population of the study comprised 20,560 students in public secondary schools in six Education Zones in Anambra State. The sample size for the study was 1,028 SS2 students drawn from the population of the study. The sample comprised 5% of the total population of teachers. Stratified random sampling technique was used for the study. The instruments for data collection were researcher-structured questionnaire titled: Teachers’ Competencies Questionnaire (TCQ), Teacher Variables (TV), Teachers’ Professional Development Questionnaire (TPDQ) and Students’ Academic Scores (SAC). The instruments were validated by three experts from Educational Foundations and Measurement and Evaluation. The reliability of the instrument was determined using Cronbach Alpha Coefficient method and the average coefficient of 0.75 for TCQ and 0.80 for TPDQ. Pearson Product Moment Correlation was used for the study. The study revealed that teachers’ instructional delivery (r = 0.882; p < 0.000), teachers’ pedagogical competence (r = 0.867; p < 0.000), teachers’ subject knowledge competence (r = 0.795; p < 0.000), teachers’ qualifications (r = 0.795; p < 0.000), teachers’ years of experience (r = 0.771; p < 0.000) and teachers’ professional development (r = 0.771; p < 0.000) have positive and significant relationship with students’ academic performance in public secondary schools in Anambra State. The study concluded that teachers’ competencies and experience have strong positive relationship between students’ academic performance in public secondary schools in Anambra State. The study recommended that educational stakeholders should provide regular workshops and peer-learning platforms where teachers can refine subject delivery strategies, adapt to their areas of specialization and exchange best practices for effective teaching. The study contributed to knowledge by demonstrating that teachers’ competencies and experience are linked to students’ academic performance thus filling a research gap and providing insights for enhancing educational outcomes through effective instructional delivery and teachers’ years of experience.