An Evaluation Of Overpopulation In Schools And Its Effect On Teachers’ Job Performance

Project and Seminar Material for Education

Abstract

This study was carried out to examine overpopulation in schools and its effect on teachers’ job performance using public secondary schools in Oshogbo, Osun State as a case study. Specifically the study was set to ascertain whether there is a significant relationship between overpopulation and teachers’ job performance, find out whether overpopulation affects teachers effectiveness among secondary school teachers, find out whether overpopulation affects teachers productivity among secondary school teachers, and find out whether overpopulation affects instructional delivery among secondary school teachers. The survey design was adopted and the simple random sampling techniques were employed in this study. The population size comprises of teachers some selected public secondary schools in Oshogbo, Osun State. In determining the sample size, the researcher conveniently selected 39 respondents and 35 were validated. Self-constructed and validated questionnaire was used for data collection. The collected and validated questionnaires were analyzed using frequency tables. While the hypotheses were tested using Pearson correlation statistical tool, SPSS v23. The result of the findings reveals that there is a significant relationship between overpopulation and teachers’ job performance. Furthermore, the study also revealed that overpopulation affects instructional delivery among secondary school teachers.. Therefore, it is recommended that educational planners should ensure that with an increase in student’ population, arrangements should be made for commensurate increase in infrastructure and qualified teachers. This will reduce class size, enable adequate teachers’ workload and encourage student-centered learning. This will go a long way to improve the quality of teaching, learning and performance. To mention but few.

Table of Content

Title Page
Certification
Dedication
Acknowledgement
Table of Content
List of Tables
Abstract

Chapter One:

Introduction

1.1 Background of the Study
1.2 Statement of the Problem
1.3 Objective of the Study
1.4 Research Questions
1.5 Research Hypothesis
1.6 Significance of the Study
1.7 Scope of the Study
1.8 Limitation of the Study
1.9 Definition of Terms
1.10 Organisations of the Study

Chapter Two:

Review of Literature

2.1 Conceptual Framework
2.2 Theoretical Framework
2.3 Empirical Review

Chapter Three:

Research Methodology

3.1 Research Design
3.2 Population of the Study
3.3 Sample Size Determination
3.4 Sample Size Selection Technique and Procedure
3.5 Research Instrument and Administration
3.6 Method of Data Collection
3.7 Method of Data Analysis
3.8 Validity of the Study
3.9 Reliability of the Study
3.10 Ethical Consideration

Chapter Four:

Data Presentation and Analysis

4.1 Data Presentation
4.2 Analysis of Data
4.3 Answering Research Questions
4.4 Test of Hypotheses

Chapter Five:

Summary, Conclusion and Recommendation

5.1 Summary
5.2 Conclusion
5.3 Recommendation
References
APPENDIX
QUESTIONNAIRE

Chapter One

Introduction

1.1 Background of the Study

Since the establishment of western education in Nigeria. It has had to deal with a slew of issues (Ijaiya 1999). During the colonial or post-independence periods, the majority of Nigerian administrations have struggled with these issues. It led to the formation of different committees (such as the Asuby commission of 1960, the 1969 curriculum conference, and the Education Reform Committee of 2006) to evaluate Nigeria’s educational problems and give suggestions.

Overpopulation and under-resourced courses are two issues that the Nigerian educational system is grappling with. The issues of teacher shortages in classrooms are closely intertwined, and when they combine with high child enrollment, the result is overcrowding (Ijaiya, 1999). This has become a reality, and educators must see it as a problem that must be met front on. In Nigeria, the societal demand for formal education led in a spike in school enrollment, accompanied by a significant rise in class size, resulting in a high teacher-to-student ratio. The size of the class has a significant impact on the achievement of educational goals and objectives. The maximum number of pupils in a single classroom should not exceed 40 per instructor.

Because instructors were prone to greater stress in dealing with the pupils, teaching and learning, as well as classroom management, were inefficient (Cohen and Manion, 1983).

Because many schools have grown overcrowded, the introduction of UBE across the nation shows the fact that instructors are being burdened with increased duty. When it comes to continuous assessment marking and the capacity to offer specialized attention to pupils who need additional support, overcrowded classrooms are regarded inconvenient for both instructors and students. When teaching large classes, there is a risk of students copying and cheating; students’ negative attitudes toward learning new things; discipline issues; students using their mother tongue when asked to work in pairs or groups; noise making; a lack of opportunities for students to develop their communicative skills; boredom in teaching and testing; and teacher dominance. All of this has an impact on instructors’ work performance.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Overcrowding in the classroom is a common refrain among teachers when asked about the challenges they face in their profession, with responses such as “The boys are scattered because they are many and cannot participate all, loses the “thread of the class, and so on the disorder and behavioral problems,” in addition to the problem of space, and some students have visual problems because the banks have been removed from the board, among other things.

Schools in Nigeria are overcrowded, and the national education strategy calls for a maximum teacher-to-pupil ratio of 1:40 in secondary schools. This research aims to identify the key issues caused by overcrowded schools and classrooms in Nigeria, with the goal of giving recommendations to assist relieve the difficulties. Because the classroom is the beating heart of every educational system, no curriculum design is complete without implementation and assessment, both of which take place primarily in the classroom (Ijaiya,1999).

Cohen and Manion (1983) correctly noticed that paying close attention to seating arrangement adds as effectively as any other part of classroom management and control to overall performance with a class. The teacher’s efficacy and efficiency may be influenced by the seating arrangement. In a secondary school, chairs should ideally be placed in rows with enough space between them to enable the instructor to teach efficiently and for individual and group work. To achieve this, the teacher-to-student ratio should not exceed 1:40. However, in many of these groups, the ratio is between 1:50 and 1:100 in certain circumstances. Hence the need to look into overpopulation in schools and its effect on teachers’ job performance.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

This general objective of the study is overpopulation in schools and its effect on teachers’ job performance. The specific objective are as follows:

Ascertain whether there is a significant relationship between overpopulation and teachers’ job performance.
Find out whether overpopulation affects teachers effectiveness among secondary school teachers.
Find out whether overpopulation affects teachers productivity among secondary school teachers.
Find out whether overpopulation affects instructional delivery among secondary school teachers.

1.4 Research Questions

The following questions have been prepared for the study:

Is there a significant relationship between overpopulation and teachers’ job performance?
Does overpopulation affects teachers effectiveness among secondary school teachers?
Does overpopulation affects teachers productivity among secondary school teachers?
Does overpopulation affects instructional delivery among secondary school teachers?

1.5 Research Hypotheses

Ho: There is no significant relationship between overpopulation and teachers’ job performance.
Ha: There is a significant relationship between overpopulation and teachers’ job performance.

1.6 Significance of the Study

The findings from this research can help the government in resource allocation which includes human, financial material and physical resources. School administrators will know the resources needed and how to administer the resources given. Teachers have direct relationship with the students and know when overpopulation affects how they impact knowledge. PTA and the community which are agents of school community relations can help fund building projects, outsource part time teachers etc. All these will help in implementing the stated policies as regards the recommended teacher. Pupil ratio, in order to achieve educational goals and objectives.

1.7 Scope of the Study

This study will find out the causes of overpopulation in schools. Hence this study will be delimited to public secondary schools in Oshogbo, Osun State.

1.8 Limitation of the Study

Just like any other research, unavailability of needed accurate materials on the topic under study, and inability to get data were among the constraints the researcher encountered in the cause of this study. Financial constraint was equally faced by the researcher, in getting relevant materials and in printing and collation of questionnaires. Furthermore, time factor pose another constraint because the researcher have to shuttle between writing of the research and engaging in other academic work which made it uneasy for the researcher.

1.9 Definition of Terms

Overpopulation:

The condition of being populated with excessively large numbers.

Teaching:

The process of giving lessons in a classroom. It is also the process of passing on knowledge, skills, and attitudes.

Job Performance:

The way a teacher carries out his/her responsibilities which include teaching, giving assignment and marking.

1.10 Organization of the Study

The study is categorized into five chapters. The first chapter presents the background of the study, statement of the problem, objective of the study, research questions and hypothesis, the significance of the study, scope/limitations of the study, and definition of terms. The chapter two covers the review of literature with emphasis on conceptual framework, theoretical framework, and empirical review. Likewise, the chapter three which is the research methodology, specifically covers the research design, population of the study, sample size determination, sample size, and selection technique and procedure, research instrument and administration, method of data collection, method of data analysis, validity and reliability of the study, and ethical consideration. The second to last chapter being the chapter four presents the data presentation and analysis, while the last chapter(chapter five) contains the summary, conclusion and recommendation.

Chapter Five

Summary, Conclusions and Recommendations:

5.1 Introduction

This chapter summarizes the findings overpopulation in schools and its effect on teachers’ job performance using public secondary schools in Oshogbo, Osun State as a case study. The chapter consists of summary of the study, conclusions, and recommendations.

5.2 Summary of the Study

In this study, our focus was to examine overpopulation in schools and its effect on teachers’ job performance using public secondary schools in Oshogbo, Osun State as a case study. The study was specifically carried out to ascertain whether there is a significant relationship between overpopulation and teachers’ job performance, find out whether overpopulation affects teachers effectiveness among secondary school teachers, find out whether overpopulation affects teachers productivity among secondary school teachers, and find out whether overpopulation affects instructional delivery among secondary school teachers.

The study adopted the survey research design and randomly enrolled participants in the study. A total of 35 responses were validated from the enrolled participants where all respondent were teachers some selected public secondary schools in Oshogbo, Osun State.

5.3 Conclusions

Based on the findings of this study, the researcher concluded that;

There is a significant relationship between overpopulation and teachers’ job performance.
Overpopulation affects teachers effectiveness among secondary school teachers.
Overpopulation affects teachers productivity among secondary school teachers.
Overpopulation affects instructional delivery among secondary school teachers.

5.4 Recommendation

Based on the responses obtained, the researcher proffers the following recommendations:

Educational planners should ensure that with an increase in student’ population, arrangements should be made for commensurate increase in infrastructure and qualified teachers. This will reduce class size, enable adequate teachers’ workload and encourage student-centered learning. This will go a long way to improve the quality of teaching, learning and performance.
The Ministry of Education, policy makers, parent – teachers association, old boys/students association and other nongovernmental organizations, corporate bodies and religious organizations should contribute respectively to renovate dilapidated classrooms, build more classrooms to contain the growing enrolments in the schools and provide schools with the facilities they need to make teaching and learning easier and effective.
Where the class size cannot be reduced in a given time due to challenges beyond the control of the school authorities, it is recommended that teachers and management of the school should employ rotational students’ group formation and study. These groups could identify common challenges and present it to teachers for support.
The government and educationists should adhere to UNESCO’s recommendation of 1:25 Teacher and Students ratio and old schools structures should be renovated and new ones constructed to enhance the academic performance.

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