Teacher Quality and Student Achievement in Mathematics in Secondary Schools of Bunkhongo County, Mbale District, Uganda.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

DECLARATION ................................................................................................................ .i

APPROVAL ....................................................................................................................... ii

DEDICATION ................................................................................................................. iii

ACKNOWLEDGM ENT. ................................................................................................... iv

TABLE OF CONTENTS .................................................................................................. v

ABSTRACT ..................................................................................................................... vii

CHAPTER ONE ................................................................................................................ 1

INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................. 1

1.1 Background of the study .................................................................................... 1

1.2 Statement of the problem ................................................................................. 2

1.3 Purpose of the study ............................................................................................ 2

1.4 Objectives of the study ....................................................................................... 2

1.4 Research questions .............................................................................................. 3

1.5 Significance of the study .................................................................................... 3

CHAPTER TWO ................................................................................................................ 4

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE ....................................................................... .4

2.0 Introduction ............................................................................................................. 4

2.1 Teachers' motivation and performance of students in physics ........... 4

2.2 Physics Teacher qualification and achievement and its influence on the

academic achievement of students ....................................................................... 5

2.3 Facilities in schools and academic performance in physics .................. 6

CHAPTER THREE ............................................................................................................ 8

METHODOLOGY .............................................................................................................. 8

3.1 Research Design .................................................................................................... 8

3.2 Research Population/ Target population ...................................................... 8

V

3.3 Sample and Sampling Procedure .................................................................... 8

3.4 Research instruments ......................................................................................... 8

3.5 Research Procedure ............................................................................................. 8

3.6 Data Analysis .......................................................................................................... 9

3. 7 Ethical Consideration ........................................................................................... 9

3.7 Limitations of the study .................................................................................... 10

CHAPTER FOUR ............................................................................................................ 11

FINDINGS AND INTERPRETATIONS ..................................................................... 11

4.0 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................... 11

4.2 Teacher motivation and academic performance of students ............. 12

4.3 Teacher's qualification and students' achievement .............................. 24

CHAPTER FIVE .............................................................................................................. 31

SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ................................ 31

5.0 Introduction ........................................................................................................... 31

5.1 Summary ................................................................................................................ 31

5.2 Conclusion .............................................................................................................. 32

5.3 Recommendations .............................................................................................. 33

Suggestion for further research ............................................................................ 33

REFERENCES ................................................................................................................. 34

APPENDIX A .................................................................................................................. 36

QUESTIONNAIRE TO THE TEACHERS ................................................................. 36

APPENDIX B: FOCUS GROUP DISCUSSION FOR STUDENTS ..................... 41

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was the effect of mathematics teacher quality on the academic achievement of students in the selected schools of Bunkhongo county, Mbale District of Uganda. The objectives of the study were; to determine if teacher's motivation affects academic performance of students in Bunkhongo County, to determine whether if teacher qualification affects academic achievement of students in Bunkhongo County, and to investigate whether if facilities at school affect academic performance of students in Bunkhongo County. The methods used for data collection were questionnaires to the teachers and interview guide to the headmasters of the schools which participated in the study. Findings indicated that teacher experience, qualification of the teacher and the motivation of the teacher have a direct relationship with the performance of students in mathematics. Recommendations included Government making facilities at school for mathematics teachers to teach in a conducive environment in order to aid the better performance of mathematics students in their schools and that government should make sure that it facilitates unqualified teachers to go for further studies to improve the academic achievement of students in mathematics.