THE CONSEQUENCES OF POVERTY ON FEMALE TEACHERS' ACHIEVEMENT IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1       BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

The finest legacy a country, culture, or parent can leave to its citizens or children is education. It is the process through which a person learns new abilities, competences, and attitudes. Every child has the right to an education, whether conventional or modern (Lero, 2006). As a result, education is viewed as a culture by man, people, and nations across the world. This explains why man is responsible for educating himself and his children in society. According to Omofonmwan (2007), the state of education in Nigeria has been a source of tremendous concern for the country for decades. They went on to say that when the problem of Nigeria's educational system is brought up, the first set of ideas that spring to mind are drop in standards, deterioration of facilities, mass promotion syndrome, teacher truancy, and the like. The issue of poverty in Africa has drew the attention of the world community, as well as governmental and non-governmental organizations, including Nigerian scholars, over the years. Poverty is one of the elements that prevents a person from fully completing his educational activity (Aluko, 2003). A globally recognized definition of poverty is impossible to achieve due to the diverse perceptions and intricacies of the term. Poverty, according to the Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary (2003), is a manner of life marked by low calorie intake, lack of access to proper health care, a poor educational system, a short life expectancy, unemployment, and underemployment. At the national level, a nation can be considered poor when its economic standard is very low, and this automatically makes the nation underdeveloped, according to Symes (2004). It will therefore be considered in a broader way, which implies that it has been viewed in various perspectives, which include ones national state and home background. The economy of a nation that has not reached a specific level of development in terms of infrastructure and other indicators of development (Odia, 2005). When we talk about poverty in the family, we're talking about the circumstances at home. Even before indigenous or western education, the home has always been the place where man learns all aspects of life in order to live a meaningful existence in his surroundings (Aluko, 2003).  The importance of the home cannot be overstated because general assumptions that states of poverty in the family or home determine the extent of a student's educational development via parental efficiency or productivity in their place of work, and contrary to popular belief, female teachers' poor performance is largely an outcome of poverty by teachers on the job (2005). Many instructors, particularly female teachers, may be present at school or even in class, but they do not teach. Another concern is absenteeism, since most instructors have part-time jobs to supplement their meager salaries and satisfy their family's needs. Many people believe that education is the most effective tool for alleviating and eventually eliminating poverty; there is no doubt that many people believe that education is the most powerful instrument for alleviating and eventually abolishing poverty; however, in this case, most of the drivers or implementers of the school curriculum are themselves victims of this chronic disease known as poverty (Ogidi, 2008). So, what is our educational system's best hope? As a result, the researcher is particularly worried about the consequences of poverty on female teachers' achievement in secondary schools, particularly in the Idah Local Government Area in Kogi State.

1.2       STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Evidence shows that the number of people living in poverty in Nigeria has continued to rise year after year. In 1999, when Nigeria's nascent democracy began, it was estimated that more than 70% of Nigerians were poor. In recent years, there has been a debate in the public sphere on whether the low status of any community or nation, including family, might have consequences on the achievement of female teachers. For the majority of Nigerians, poverty is endemic, real, and devastating; for a large portion of the population, food, housing, and health security are all in jeopardy (Rita, 2003). Life is a fight against hunger and a complete absence of shelter, resulting in an extraordinary rise in teacher absenteeism and, as a result, declining achievement(Odekina, 2007). This obnoxious tendency has become a severe concern since it obstructs a country's quick economic growth by negatively affecting both teacher effectiveness and the productive output of school products (graduates from the system). The continued collapse in educational standards, which includes widespread failure, student engagement in exam-practice, an increase in both teacher and student absenteeism, and a significant plunge in moral degeneration, are cause for alarm (Buji, 2004).

1.3       OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The goal of this study is to look at the consequences of poverty on female teachers' achievement in some chosen secondary schools in Kogi State's Idah Local Government Area.

The specific goal of this study is to determine:

 i. How poverty effect the achievement of female teachers.

ii. Whether the achievement of female teachers is indeed influenced by the country's economic status.

iii. The key causes of poverty.

iv. To make recommendations for boosting or improving the achievement of female teachers by identifying poverty-reduction measures.

1.4       RESEARCH QUESTIONS

 i. How can poverty effect the achievement of female teachers?

ii. How can the  achievement of female teachers be indeed influenced by the country's economic status?

iii. What are the key causes of poverty?

iv. What are the  recommendations for boosting or improving the achievement of female teachers.

1.5       SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

When looking at the notion of poverty and three different elements, the national level, the community level, and the home level or family background, which impact teacher's achievement and daily requirements, this study is extremely essential. It is envisaged that this study will be of great help to the Ministry of Education since it will undoubtedly identify some of the most important aspects at various levels that impact female teachers' effectiveness. The findings of this study will assist the government and other non-governmental agencies in incorporating parents into planning and other non-governmental agencies on issues influencing teacher achievement, in enhancing or improving the achievement  of female teachers, and in developing strategies to alleviate poverty. The study's findings will also help teachers since they will disclose their participation in eradicating poverty and the harm that their absence and truancy have brought to the educational system and students' academic achievement. The outcomes of this study will go a long way toward improving the lives of pupils who are subjected to educational policies and other activities in the school setting. Also, teachers who are also parents are the greatest people to ask about the atmosphere in which students learn at home and how other factors impact their performance. Because poverty has become a severe concern in Nigeria, the outcomes of this study would hopefully assist society. The average lifespan of humans has decreased, and there are social, political, and economic challenges. For many people who now live on the streets, begging has become a profession. Making education more feasible and introducing policies aimed at improving and equal resource distribution are two ways to address the problem of poverty.

1.6       DELIMITATION OF THE STUDY

The scope of this research is confined to the consequences of poverty on female teachers' achievement in a few chosen secondary schools in Kogi State's Idah Local Government Area. Because of the high percentage of female teachers absenteeism, truancy among teachers and students, and the ongoing degradation in the status of education in Nigeria, particularly in the Idah Local Government Area of Kogi State, the research has been limited to the consequences of poverty. As a result, this study will focus on the consequences of poverty rather than other factors impacting teacher effectiveness.

1.7       DEFINITION OF TERMS

The following words are specified in the context of this project.

Poverty is a manner of life marked by a low calorie intake, lack of access to proper health care, a poor educational system, and unemployment in a variety of housing and societal amenities.

Female Teachers: They are a group of people who are employed full-time or part-time in an official capacity to guide and direct the learning experiences of pupils or students in a school, and some of them have N.C.E, B.ED, Master's, or PhD degrees in various fields such as Humanities, Natural Science, Social Sciences, and Education, to name a few.

Achievement: It refers to a specific achievement in a teaching and learning context or environment, which is normally carried out by teachers in the classroom.

Status: refers to a person's, a group's, or a country's legal standing.

A teacher is a person whose employment include teaching, particularly in a school setting.

Consequences: This is a circumstance in which you bring something to pass in order to execute, enforce, and finally attain or complete a specified task.

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