ECONOMIC INSTABILITY AS A DETERMINANT OF SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL TEACHERS’ PRODUCTIVITY IN ILORIN, KWARA STATE

ABSTRACT

This project work investigated the economic instability as a determinant of senior of secondary school teachers’ productivity in Ilorin, Kwara State. The total of two hundred (200) respondents were randomly selected. A structure questionnaire was used to collect data from the respondents. The frequency and percentage was used to analyse the socio-demographic data of the teachers and t-test as well as analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to test the hypotheses. The findings of the study revealed that economic instability has led to fluctuation in the macro economic variables whereby the majority of senior secondary school teachers had negative impact on their productivity. It also revealed that there is significant difference in influence of economic instability on male and female teachers’ productivity because male teachers felt the impact on their productivity than their female counterparts in terms of provision of all the essential needs for the family. All these and many more deprived most teachers of having enough time to prepare for class teaching.   

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1       Background to the Study

            Economic instability is a situation in which a community or nation is experiencing financial struggles due to inflation, consumer confidence issues, unemployment rates and rising prices of goods and services.

            Economic instability is one of the factors that is hindering most developing countries of the world from achieving full development and maturity in their economy. Developing nations such as: Nigeria, Ghana, Gambia and a host of others just to mention but a few are currently in this situation (Ghaus-Pasha, 2017).

            A developing country or nation like Nigeria is severely affected with the task or in her struggle to attain advancement (Tierney, 2000). According to (Ijaya, 2000) referred to developing countries as the countries that have slow and gradual process of growth and development. Ijaya further emphasized that the countries have the potentials of development but due to the absence of absorbent capacity needed, they are unable to attain the advance level of development.

            The characteristics of the developing nations can be traced as the root cause of these predicaments of which include general poverty, high rate of unemployment, rising population, high rate of illiteracy as well as many more of these. All these features above have been causing some distortions and set back in their country’s economic development (Ijaya, 2000).

            Also, among these difficulties are incessant changes in monetary and fiscal policies, high rate of inflation, low level of national income that leads to low savings and investment, corruption, embezzlement, political instability, mismanagement of fund as well as mineral resources mismanagement. It is these continuous and erratic problems that have led to instability in the country’s economic situation. The rate of instability has influenced the entire Nigeria economic sectors in so many ways, due to policy implementation in the country, in this case, most of the sectors of the economy will be affected either positively or negatively. So, government needs to give adequate and serious attention to these various occupations.

            Taking a look at the above points in relation to the role of teachers which are of immense value to the people. Therefore, any inconsistency or volatile changes in the country’s economic policy as well as other macro economic variables always have a negative impact on the life of teachers.

            As a consequence of poor working condition in line with non conformation in the payment of teachers’ salary and allowance, the teachers’ purchasing power has greatly reduced which has affected their efficient and effective production in teaching and learning process. Hence, teachers’ productivity will decline when there is a fall in their standard of living as the generality of people will begin to look down on them because their expectations are not met.

            According to Mursel (1990) the high rate of inflation and increase in the taxes which also not have a corresponding increase in the teachers’ salary have reduced their real income and their purchasing power drastically. Hence, fall in their standard of living and finally, fall in their performance.

            The inadequate of incentives, motivation and reinforcement have affected teachers’ effectiveness and productivity, meanwhile education system depends heavily on the quality and productivity of its teachers for improving and maintaining standards and quality. Adegun, (1999), Anderson and Dyke, (1972) asserted that, “the corner stone of good education in any school is its faculty (teachers); fine buildings and equipment, special services and all other factors which help to provide favourable environment for leaning mean little if the learning experiences are directed by incompetent teachers”.

            Secondary education is the second stage of formal education for children after primary education. At this level they are to be prepared for the third stage which include all kinds of post secondary education that all children receive at the higher institutions. This can be private or government established schools in Nigeria.

            All over the world, both in the developing and the developed countries, the secondary school exists to cater for children, of approximately the same age group and exposed to approximately the same curricular of reading, writing and arithmetic. The duration of secondary education varies from country to country. In Nigeria, the normal duration is six years according to the 6-3-3-4 education system. (Adegun, 1999).

The role of teacher in implementation of national educational objectives cannot be over emphasized. Indeed, reformers of education may establish new school, effect changes on the structure and curriculum, recommend and prescribed teaching method and aids but in the end the teacher will be responsible for applying them. The teacher is the one that would translate educational objectives into knowledge and skill as well as transfer them to student in the classroom. (Adegun,1999).

Also, the teacher represents the image that improves the physical condition of the classroom through orderliness, discipline and control. The teacher also diagnoses the students’ feelings and attitudes from their previous experiences in the classroom environment. Hence, in the absence of school programmes the major responsibility of working with children in the school rests with the teacher (Lash and Kirkpatrick, 1990). Ndagi, (1995) categorized the main objectives of secondary education into six strands as follows:

• Development of permanent literacy and numeracy in children.
• Development of the ability to communicate effectively.
• Training for further education and preparation for trades and crafts of the locality.
• Development of good morals.
• Development of the basis for good physical health education.
• Development of basis for scientific and reflective thanks.

Nakpodia (2006) observed that in any educational arrangement, the success lies in the commitment of the teachers. But in Nigeria according to him, teachers who are the shapers of civilization are affected by low self esteem and poverty. Therefore, objectives of secondary education raised by Ndagi , (1995) may be unrealistic.