review-of-the-literature-on-basic-education-in-nigeria-june-2014-3-1

Review <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>literature</strong> on basic education in Nigeriacomparison, female student teachers only comprised 8.2% <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Maths intake, 6.3% in PhysicalEducation and 3.4 % in Technical Education (FME 2005).There was no available research on teachers’ personal characteristics that might enhance or hinderlearning.10.3 Teacher appointment and deploymentTeacher appointment and deployment is ano<strong>the</strong>r contentious area that affects educational quality.Some states and LGEAs lack qualified teachers; o<strong>the</strong>rs have too many (see Thomas (2011) for acomparison <strong>of</strong> Kwara and Jigawa states, for example). Although teacher shortages can sometimes beattributable to a lack <strong>of</strong> teachers, <strong>the</strong>y are <strong>of</strong>ten due to o<strong>the</strong>r processes, as explained below.Inevitably, <strong>the</strong> lack <strong>of</strong> teachers in many schools results in higher PTRs and overcrowded classes (seeSection 3.4), which can lead to low teacher morale (see below) and to teacher and/or pupil absenteeismand dropout.Qualified teachers are <strong>of</strong>ten lacking in some schools (especially in rural areas), with a surfeit in o<strong>the</strong>rschools (<strong>of</strong>ten more urban ones), for a variety <strong>of</strong> reasons:The overlapping responsibilities for teacher appointment and deployment between SUBEBs andLGEAs and <strong>the</strong> frequent lack <strong>of</strong> trust and communication between <strong>the</strong> two can result in unevendeployment (Adelabu 2005; Williams 2009; see also Box 6.2);Teachers, especially female teachers, <strong>of</strong>ten refuse rural postings or ask for a transfer, usually on <strong>the</strong>grounds <strong>of</strong> needing to be with <strong>the</strong>ir spouse in an urban area (Adelabu 2005); Teachers transferred from rural areas are <strong>of</strong>ten not replaced (Dunne et al. 2013);LGEAs will sometimes deploy or transfer teachers to particular areas as a way <strong>of</strong> spreading politicalpatronage – sometimes because <strong>the</strong>y too are under political pressure (Williams 2009; Dunne et al.2013);Unqualified teachers are sometimes appointed ahead <strong>of</strong> qualified teachers because <strong>the</strong>y arecheaper and <strong>the</strong> LGEA lacks funds (Sherry 2008; Williams 2009; Dunne et al. 2013), but this can havea detrimental effect on teacher morale, which itself affects educational quality (Sherry 2008; Dunneet al. 2013); and There are reports <strong>of</strong> teacher qualifications being faked (Williams 2009).The lack <strong>of</strong> reliable data on teacher numbers and qualifications in particular areas makes it difficult tomonitor and address irregularities and inequities in teacher appointment and deployment (Williams2009). Similarly, while teacher attrition is said to be high (Urwick and Aliyu 2003; Umar 2006), <strong>the</strong>re areno reliable data on teacher attrition rates with which to assess <strong>the</strong> scale and to help identify <strong>the</strong> specificcauses <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> problem. Some states have initiated incentives for rural teachers, although even where<strong>the</strong>y exist on paper <strong>the</strong>y are <strong>of</strong>ten not paid (Adelabu 2005) or are susceptible to favouritism (Sherry2008). The 2004 ESA reported that teachers in 46.5% <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> schools sampled were entitled to a ruralposting allowance, but only in 3.7% <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> schools was <strong>the</strong> allowance said to have been paid (FME 2005).Moreover, as studies elsewhere in SSA have shown, financial incentives have to be substantial tooutweigh <strong>the</strong> social and economic advantages <strong>of</strong> living in an urban area (Mulkeen 2006). In addition, toget <strong>the</strong> best value out <strong>of</strong> incentives <strong>the</strong> classification <strong>of</strong> rural schools needs to be carefully thought outso that <strong>the</strong> most remote and isolated schools are targeted (ibid.).Ano<strong>the</strong>r issue <strong>of</strong> concern is <strong>the</strong> appropriateness <strong>of</strong> teacher deployment and <strong>the</strong> mismatch betweenteacher training specialisations and appointments (FME 2005; Adekola 2007; Thomas 2011). Adekola’s(2007) <strong>review</strong> <strong>of</strong> four years <strong>of</strong> development and research in primary education and teacher educationnotes that most NCE graduates train as subject specialists aimed at secondary school teaching, yet mayEDOREN – Education Data, Research and Evaluation in Nigeria 116