INFLUENCE OF TEACHERS’ CHARACTERISTICS ON STUDENTS’ ACHIEVEMENT IN CHEMISTRY IN SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN EDO CENTRAL SENATORIAL DISTRICT
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background to Study
Science is very important in the modern technology. Like every other things, science has brought a lot of improvement to the life and property of all
inhabitants of the earth. It must be emphatically said that the survival of man and all that man has depends heavily on is science. It is a useful tool which is capable of keeping and sustaining the world.
In recognizing this emphasis in science education has been on the increase. The fact has been evident in the high priority accorded to the teaching and
learning of science subjects both at primary and secondary school levels. It’s importance led to the introduction of Science Teachers Association of Nigeria
(STAN), comparative Education Study and Adaptation Centre (CESAC) and Mathematical Association of Nigeria (MAN) to foster and increase science education
in Nigeria.
Federal, State and Local governments have over the years done quite much to encourage the teaching and learning of science. This is demonstrated in
various ways. Such as government budgetary votes, scholarship grants, quiz and other forms of science competition, organization of science seminar
workshops and symposia, establishment of University of Science and Technology in various parts of the country and even admission policies into institutions
of higher learning, yet achievement in science education especially in chemistry, is low.
Many educationists, scientists have attributed the poor achievement in science education especially chemistry to; lack of professional chemistry teachers,
lack of instructional materials, poor methods of instruction, quality of teaching and teacher’s experience among others. These are what constitute teacher’s characteristics.
In Nigeria, there has been live and cry by members of the public over what is regarded as falling standards in education. One notices that such lives and cries come immediately aer
the release of the yearly senior school certificate examination results. It stands to reason therefore that the notion of the falling standard of education could not be anything else other than the inability on the part of secondary school students to pass the school certificate examination (Oteze, 2009).
