Principals Managerial Competence as A Correlate Of Students’ Academic Performance In Ecwa Secondary Schools In North Central Nigeria

This study investigated the effectiveness and competency of principals of ECWA Secondary Schools in North Central Geo-political zone of Nigeria and how well they were professionally trained in School administration. It was also to find out how effective the training in-service was implemented in order to develop Principals and staff professional competency. Both qualitative and quantitative methods of research were employed in order to establish how competent the principals were in their leadership role, the officials of the ECWA Education Department were interviewed and questionnaire administered in 15 ECWA Secondary Schools on 20 teachers in each school in the North Central Geo-political zone. The study found out that most ECWA Secondary School principals, though educated in other fields, were not professionally competent in school administration and planning. Also, principals’ managerial competence had a negative relationship (-0.02) with students performance in ECWA secondary schools. It was therefore recommended that Principal of ECWA Secondary schools should be trained professionally in education administration. They should improve in the teaching-learning process in schools, as well as ensure that the factors that led to student poor performance in external examination should be investigated. Keywords: Principal, Management, Competence, Secondary school

Psychoanalysis of Social Studies Teachers’ Assessment Competence in Secondary Schools in Nasarawa State Nigeria

The affective domain is the main focus of social studies as a subject. This should be reflected in the teaching and assessment of social studies. It would appear that, there is a cognitive orientation to the teaching and evaluation of the subject among social studies teachers in Junior Secondary Schools in Nasarawa State. This paper sets out to find, if social studies teachers generally assess the affective domain to an acceptable level and the proportion of teachers who meet the acceptable level of evaluation as specified by the study. Keywords: Assessment, Social studies, Competence, Secondary school

Assessment of Attitude of Education Students towards Teaching -practice in Nasarawa State University Keffi, Nigeria

The paper is a descriptive survey which sought to assess the attitude of student-teachers towards teaching practice. This study was conducted in the Faculty of Education, Nasarawa state University Keffi. The sample comprised of 150 students who were on teaching practice in 20010/2011 Session, 20 principals and 40 teachers of practicing schools were drawn by simple balloting. Four research questions and one hypothesis guided the study. Two instruments (TPQ and TPAQPT were developed by the researchers and used for data collection. The instruments were validated and an internal consistency of 0.80 and 0.76 respectively were calculated using Cronbach Alpha techniques. Data was analyzed using means and z-Test statistics. The findings revealed that (i) students show a positive attitude towards teaching practice. (ii) female students showed more positive attitude to teaching practice than male students. Also, problems militating against effective teaching practice were determined. It was concluded that if all the strategies for improving students attitude towards teaching practice would be adopted the students’ attitude towards teaching practice, no doubt, will be affected positively. Based on the findings, recommendations were made among others that the Faculty should have a micro-teaching laboratory where the students will be well exposed to the rudiments of teaching before they should be sent to schools for actual practice. Keywords: Attitude, Teaching practice, Micro-teaching laboratory, Actual practic

An Assessment of Stakeholders’ Perception of the Implementation of Universal Basic Education in North-Central Geo-Political Zone of Nigeria

The study was carried out to investigate the perception of stakeholders on the implementation of the Universal Basic Education in the North-central zone of Nigeria. The perception of school heads, parents, teachers and the learners on the implementation of UBE were compared. The study was a cross-sectional survey which employed. The evaluative design was adopted for the study. The population of the study comprised the major stakeholders in the UBE in North-central zone of Nigeria. The sample for the investigation consisted of Seven Hundred and Twenty (720) respondents: 60 Head teachers, 120 parents, 120 teachers and, 360 learners. An instrument tagged: Assessment of Implementation of UBE Questionnaire (AIUBEQ) was used for data collection. The findings were as follows: (i) Implementation of the UBE Programme in the North-Central zone of Nigeria according to school administrators is not satisfactory (mean = 2.31). (ii) Parents of learners in UBE Schools in North-Central zone of Nigeria perceive that human resources are inadequate for the effective implementation of UBE Programme. (iii) Funding of UBE Programme as perceived by school administrators is inadequate for effective UBE Programme delivery in North-Central zone of Nigeria. (iv) Learners in UBE schools in North Central zone of Nigeria perceive that the programme has been satisfactory. (v) The major factors militating against the effective implementation of UBE Programme in North–Central zone of Nigeria are overcrowded classroom (32.50%) inadequate funding (25.02%) and dilapidated buildings (20.61%). It was concluded that the implementation of the UBE Programme in the North-Central zone of Nigeria is unsatisfactory. It was therefore recommended that government should consolidate on the provision of funds, recruitment of teachers, construction and renovation of classroom facilities and, carry out periodic programme evaluation to ascertain areas of needs. Key words: Assessment, Stakeholders. Universal Basic Education, Implementatio

Implementation of Agricultural Science Curriculum in Taraba State School System: Imperatives for Students’ Occupational Skills Acquisition

The inability of secondary school graduates of Agriculture to secure jobs or be self-employed has sustained the perceived generation gap, which has been blamed on the way and manner in which secondary education Agriculture curriculum is implemented. Four objectives were addressed by the study. A total of 200 teachers of Agriculture randomly selected from 298 secondary schools across the Education Zones of Taraba state constituted the study sample. A questionnaire structured on a 4- point rating scale and with stability coefficients of 0.82, 0.76, 0.70 and 0.86 for sections B to E respectively was used in generating data for the study. Findings of the study indicated that some teacher-related factors are necessary for effective implementation of the curriculum among which is teacher’s moral disposition, commitment, and teaching styles were indicated. Use of modular teaching methods, establishment of good school – community relationships and combined use of performance–based test and written test used for the purpose of occupation skills acquisition. Keywords: Agriculture, education, students, Curriculum, schoo

Professionalism in Teaching Mathematics: Demographic Profiling of Secondary School Mathematics Teachers

The purpose of this study was to chart a demographic profile of secondary school mathematics teachers using the key variables of length of teaching experience, subject of study in the university, and highest academic qualification. The study was guided by one research question and two hypotheses. The study was conducted in Taraba State, Nigeria. The target population was all secondary school mathematics teachers in the state. The sample was 327 secondary school mathematics teachers. They were drawn from 60 secondary schools, through a multistage sampling procedure that consisted of stratified, simple random, and purposive sampling techniques. The instrument for data collection was Problem Solving Self Administered Questionnaire (PSSAQ). The result showed that teachers who teach mathematics come from diverse backgrounds, study a wide variety of subjects in the university and less than 40% of teachers who teach mathematics have teacher certification in mathematics education. The results also showed that teachers who have less than three years of experience and those with more than 10 years experience have different conceptions than those who have between seven and nine years experience.

Relationship Between Self-Esteem And Personal Development Of Prison Inmates In Jalingo, Taraba State Nigeria

This research highlights the relationship between self-esteem and personal development of prison inmates in the Jalingo prison in Taraba state. Additionally, it aimed to identify whether there are differences in self esteem between male and female inmates. The objectives of this study were achieved by sampling two hundred and fifty inmates from the Jalingo prison drawn for the study. The research instruments developed were a twenty- item questionnaire used for the pre-test and post-test. The instruments were tagged Self-Esteem Questionnaire (SEQ) and Personal Development Inventory (PDI). Inmates were randomly selected. The Pearson’s correlation formula and t-test were used for data analyses. The results of the study showed that Self-Esteem and Personal Development of Inmates are positively correlated (0.417). There is a significant difference in the level of personal development between male and female inmates and, no significant difference exists between self-esteem among male and female inmates. The study however, concluded that self esteem of inmates has a direct relationship with inmates’ personal development. Also, personal development of inmates differs according to gender but self esteem among inmates do not differ in terms of gender differential. It was recommended that government and especially, counsellors and prison officers should be aware of the link between self-esteem and personal development in inmates and should employ self esteem strategy as a rehabilitative technique among inmates. Key words: Development, Counseling, inmates, Prison, Self-Estee

Comparative Analysis Of Students’ Performance In Two Formats Of A Biology Practical Test In Taraba State

The study sought to compare the performances of senior secondary school students in two formats of a Biology practical test. A quasi-experimental study, involving two random groups, treatments post-test design was adopted. The two tests are multiple-choice test and fill in the answer tests formats (MCT and FIT). A random sample of 220 SS3 Biology students drawn from 1540 students that constitute the population was used. The sample was randomly grouped into two groups of 110 each and was randomly assigned to treatments. Then the tests were administered and the students’ responses to the test were scored. Three hypotheses were tested. Mean scores, in the researcher-made Biology test, of students who took the MCT is significantly different from those who took the FIT format. Also, variances of student performances, in the researchers’ made Biology test, of those who took the MCT is significantly different from those who took the FIT format, and, the mean score after correction for guessing of students in the MCT is not significantly different from the mean score of students in the FIT format of the same researchers’ made Biology test.. The study recommends that the sole or dominant use of MCT should be minimized. FIT should be incorporated in our secondary schools’ Biology practical testing programmes. Keywords: Performance, Biology, Practical, Tes

Imperatives of Innovative Assessment Practices for Sustainable Development in Nigeria

With less than seven years to the actualization of Nigeria’s Vision 20 2020 which represents Nigeria’s desire to transform  into one of the 20 largest economies in the world, capable of playing leadership role in Africa, and recognized as significant player in the global economic and political arena, its educational sector seems scuttled. Education has been identified as an instrument for planned and systematic intervention into socio-economic development but that is not without some conditions precedent. Such reinvented education should be based on appropriate assessment practices. The paper posits that the type of education that will ensure the transmission of techno-scientific skills, citizenship values and entrepreneurship should be anchored on well articulated teachers that are competent in delivery techniques and knowledgeable in comprehensive approaches to assessment. The current realities portray the teachers of basic education as half-baked in knowledge base and in pedagogical and communication skills. A revolution in assessment practices of teachers and teacher educators is canvassed while continuing professional development is critically important for serving teachers to retain their utility value. The modern model of assessments being advocated entails the use of individual assessment, group assessment, self-assessment, and peer-assessment in addition to the conventional paper-and-pencil tests. Training and retraining of teachers is recommended based on critical participatory assessment of teacher needs in implementing continuous professional development programmes. Keywords: Innovation, Assessment, Practices, Development