Perception of professional competence of business studies teachers and students’ academic performance in Nigeria: The industrial relations approach

Abstract

The goal of this research was to investigate the professional competence of business educators as the determinant of academic performanceof junior secondary school students in Ijebu-North Local Government area of Ogun state, Nigeria. This study investigated the professionalcompetence of business educators as determinants of academic performance of selected junior secondary school students in Ijebu-North LocalGovernment Area of Ogun state, Nigeria. Two hypotheses were formulated and tested. The study was correlational in nature using surveyresearch design. Stratified random sampling technique was used to select twenty respondents from twenty schools, totaling 400 sample of thestudy. A structured questionnaire was used for data collection and it consisted of two (2) sections. Data were analysed using descriptive andinferential statistics. Pearson Correlation and independent t–test were used in analyzing the hypotheses. Findings revealed that there was asignificant relationship between teachers’ professional competence and students’ performance in business studies. Furthermore, there was nosignificant gender difference in the students’ perception of their teachers’ professional competence. Based on the findings, it was recommendedamong others that professional body (Association of Business Educators of Nigeria) should be bold enough to collaborate with employersof business educators to carryout performance audit in order to reduce the prevalence of below-standard teachers in this profession andstrengthening the roles of universities in the preparation of professional business studies teachers.