INFLUENCE OF TEACHER QUALITY AND CHANGES IN MINIMUM STANDARDS ON PERFORMANCE OF PRIMARY EDUCATION EDUCATORS IN COLLEGES OF EDUCATION, NIGERIA

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1         Background to the Study

Education is the vital instrument for social and economic mobility at the personal level and an instrument for transformation of society at the national level. The maxim that no educational system can rise above the quality of its teachers clearly demonstrates the roles of teachers in national development (FGN, 2004). This realization enforces each country to make vigorous efforts to produce qualified persons to take up the teaching of her citizens as teaching is a versatile field that requires at all times, the correct identification of indices of development(s) in the society. Its versatility makes it imperative that teachers be an embodiment of constant search for updated knowledge, latest information, skills and breakthroughs, in various fields of life (Adeorun, Oni, Oladipo, Onuoha and Yakasai, (2009).

In Nigeria as in many other developing countries such as South Africa, Ghana, education has usually been considered to be the cornerstone and pillow of economic growth and developments. Oredein and David (2007) believed that to survive in the competitive world of economy, quality education is the key variable. Grounded in this belief, education reforms have taken place that are directed towards improving the quality of education. These reforms are demanding greater performance and commitment from teachers, holding teachers responsible for the performance of students mostly right from primary schools.

INFLUENCE OF TEACHER QUALITY AND CHANGES IN MINIMUM STANDARDS ON PERFORMANCE OF PRIMARY EDUCATION EDUCATORS IN COLLEGES OF EDUCATION, NIGERIA