CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
A teacher is someone who makes a living by instructing others, particularly children. In either a formal or informal setting, a teacher is someone who instructs others or provides activities, tools, and direction that support learning. Teachers, according to Ighohiro (2012), are individuals who shape a student’s character, personality, and show them the way to success. According to Ryan and Cooper (1998), a teacher must demonstrate a repertoire of teaching abilities thought to aid students’ learning, as well as attitudes that promote learning and genuine human relationships. They stress the need of instructors making several decisions as they plan for instruction, implement teaching tactics, and evaluate the outcomes of their planning and strategies. Teachers are the primary determinants of educational quality, and they must be both effective and committed.
The essence of good education is good teaching. As a result, teacher preparation is critical in assisting pupils in meeting high academic expectations. Despite this, many people enter the job unprepared, having received subpar training (Ighohiro, 2012). Some teachers may never have undergone any training because they are working without a standard teaching license. Teacher quality procedures in schools should be of a high degree to provide quality education for all students, as instructors are the key to quality education.
The cornerstone of formal education is primary education. It is a necessary component of any nation’s educational system at the highest level. Primary schools are the foundation upon which all other levels of education and educational successes are constructed; as such, they are an institution upon which all other levels of education and educational achievements are founded. It prepares the child’s thinking and prepares him or her for greater and more difficult scholastic endeavors. It teaches young people the essentials of reading, writing, skill acquisition, information, and attitudes that are required for healthy social integration (Utne, 2006).
In Nigeria, the majority of teachers in government schools face a variety of difficulties. One of these difficulties is dealing with payments. When teachers are promoted, they are entitled to pay their salaries, leave allowances, and arrears.
Teachers’ payment issues have been an issue in the different regimes. Teachers were paid wages, leave allowances, transportation allowances, rent allowances, and teaching allowances before but not anymore. Reduced public spending on social services, including education at all levels, was one of the precondition ties imposed by the World Bank and IMF (Utne, 2006). Teachers had difficulties as a result of the reduction in state social services, which included the loss of rent allowance, motivation, transportation allowance, and teaching allowances.
Given their responsibility to convey knowledge and skills to students, teacher motivation has become a critical issue. Teachers’ performance was good despite their lack of motivation, according to studies. Furthermore, a number of instructors perform activities with high morale, such as arriving at school early, testing and examining students on a regular basis, and having a high turnout of teachers at staff meetings and school events, to name a few. The study suggested that, in order to improve teacher difficulties and performance at work, primary school teachers’ salaries be increased to keep up with rising costs of living, teachers be provided with housing, management be strengthened, and instructors be given prizes for good performance.
“Teachers face many and complex problems,” according to Sumra (2003). Low pay and low status are among the issues.” Teachers believe that their issues go unheard. Teachers are discouraged as a result of these issues, and the quality of education, including pupils’ learning, is sure to decline. According to John (2010), government schools do not provide quality education since teachers are demoralized to perform properly due to low compensation, an uncertain promotion system, and poor treatment from the government. Furthermore, the school environment does not encourage kids to learn, and the status of classrooms is unappealing, implying that instructors’ willingness to teach successfully is influenced by their remuneration.
