PERCEPTION OF TEACHERS’ KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE, AND TEACHING SKILLS AS PREDICTORS OF STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN SOME SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN ETCHE LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF RIVER STATE.

Abstract

This study investigates the influence of teachers' skills, attitudes, and knowledge on students' academic performance in Etche Local Government Area, focusing on JSS II Basic Science students. . The study is prompted by concerns over the inadequate subject knowledge and poor teaching attitudes among educators in the rural region, which negatively impacts students' understanding of key academic concepts, particularly in Mathematics and Physics. The research explores how teachers' lack of subject mastery, ineffective pedagogical skills, and uncommitted work attitudes contribute to students’ poor academic outcomes. Three objectives, research questions and hypothesis were formulated. The study uses a descriptive survey design, data were collected from a randomly selected sample of 230 students and 20 teachers across five public secondary schools. A structured questionnaire, "Teacher’s Knowledge, Attitude and Teaching Skills as Predictors of Student’s Academic Performance" (TKASPSAP), served as the primary instrument. Data were analyzed using mean, standard deviation, and Pearson Product Moment Correlation at a significance level of 0.05. The findings reveal that teachers skills, including classroom management, diverse teaching techniques, and communication, significantly influence students' academic performance. Teachers' attitudes, such as enthusiasm, supportiveness, and high expectations, also positively impact students' academic success. Additionally, teachers’ knowledge of subject matter, effective teaching strategies, and student developmental needs enhances academic outcomes, though technology integration and understanding of developmental needs showed lower influence. The study concludes that teacher training programs should emphasize skill development, positive attitude reinforcement, and deepened subject and pedagogical knowledge to improve students' academic performance. It is recommended that; Government and educational bodies should invest in continuous professional development programs that improve teachers' skills, particularly in communication and technology integration, Schools should promote teacher attitudes that are supportive and approachable, as these traits significantly enhance student engagement and performance and programs aimed at deepening teachers' subject knowledge and pedagogical techniques should be implemented to improve teaching effectiveness.