Introduction
This research examined the effects of overcrowding on teachers’ job performance in teaching, marking students’ homework, and using teaching aids in secondary schools in Odeda Local Government Area, Ogun State. Out of the one secondary school in Odeda Local Government Area, Ogun State, seven schools were randomly chosen to serve as a sample. Then, ten educators were chosen at random from each sample school. To gather information from the respondents for this study’s five research topics, a researcher-designed instrument called the “Students’ Overpopulation and Teachers’ Job Performance Questionnaire” (SOTJPQ) was employed. Frequency counts and percentages were used to analyze the data. The results demonstrated that teachers’ inability to give each student individualized attention to identify their areas of learning weakness and provide assistance in addressing them negatively impacted the marking of students’ assignments, the use of teaching aids, and classroom instruction. Most teaching methods were teacher-centered, which hurt student involvement. The majority of the time, group work was encouraged, which may result in plagiarism, cheating, and test fraud. Additionally, take-home tasks were not marked on time, and assignments presented in the classroom were not promptly marked. Due to the size of the class, it was difficult for teaching aids to circulate and for each student to complete practical work. The government should construct additional classrooms, according to the results, to accommodate the pupils. A teacher-to-student ratio of no more than 40 should be enforced, and more instructors should be hired. The donation of facilities to the schools by other education stakeholders should be encouraged. Infrastructure should be provided by businesses as part of their corporate social responsibility. Since western education became deeply ingrained in Nigeria, CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION 1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY. It has had several issues (Ijaiya 1999). These issues have plagued the majority of Nigerian administrations from the colonial or post-independence periods. It led to the formation of many committees (such as the 1960 Ashby commission, the 1969 curriculum conference, the 2006 Education Reform Committee, etc.) to investigate Nigeria’s educational issues and provide solutions. Large and under-resourced classrooms are one issue Nigeria’s educational system is now dealing with. Overcrowded classrooms occur when the issues of a teacher shortage and a lack of classroom space combine with a high student enrollment (Ijaiya 1999). It is now a fact that educators must acknowledge it as a problem and address it head-on. In Nigeria, the societal demand for formal education led to an uptick in enrollment and a sharp rise in class size, which led to a high teacher-to-pupil ratio. The size of the class has a significant impact on whether educational goals and objectives are met. There should not be more than 40 kids to one instructor in a single classroom. Because instructors were putting more burden on themselves while managing the children, teaching and learning as well as classroom management became ineffective. The introduction of UBE across the nation illustrates how instructors are being burdened with more responsibilities as a result of the overcrowding in many schools. When it comes to the problem of continuous assessment marking and the capacity to provide specialized attention to pupils in need of additional aid, overcrowded classrooms are seen to be unconducive for instructors and students alike. When teaching large classes, there is a chance that students will copy and cheat, have a poor attitude toward learning new things, have discipline issues, speak in their native tongue when asked to work in pairs or groups, make noise, have fewer opportunities to develop their communication skills, and experience problems with boredom during instruction and testing as well as teacher dominance. All of these have an impact on instructors’ work performance. 1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM In Nigeria, utilizing a few secondary schools from the Odeda Local Government Area as a case study, schools are overcrowded, and the optimum teacher to student ratio in a secondary school was specified as 1:40 at the most. In order to provide solutions that could assist to mitigate the issues, this research was interested in identifying the main issues brought on by Nigeria’s overpopulated classrooms. No curriculum design is complete without implementation and assessment, both of which are primarily carried out in the classroom given that the classroom is the center of any educational institution (Ijaiya1999). A careful attention to seating arrangement contributes as effectively as any other part of classroom administration and control to overall performance of a class, as correctly noted by Cohen and Manion (1983, p. 221). The teacher’s efficacy and efficiency may be impacted by the seating arrangement. In a secondary school, chairs should ideally be placed in rows with enough space between them to support the teacher’s ability to instruct and to provide both individual and group work. To achieve this, the instructor-to-student ratio shouldn’t be higher than 1:40. However, the funding ratio in many of these courses might range from 1:100 to 1:50. 1.3 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY This research is primarily intended to investigate select secondary schools whose classrooms are overcrowded and how it influences teachers’ performance in the classroom. Job performance includes grading assignments and ongoing evaluations, providing individualized attention to students who need it, monitoring students who are copying or cheating, carrying out practical work, monitoring students who are resistant to learning new things, maintaining order, controlling students who use their mother tongue when asked to work in pairs or groups, controlling noise, etc.
This project examines the job of teachers. 1.4 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY The results of this study may aid the government in allocating resources, including human, financial, and material ones. Administrators at the school will be aware of the resources required and how to manage the resources provided. Teachers have a close relationship with the students and are aware when too many students have an impact on learning. The PTA and the neighborhood, which act as representatives of the school community, may contribute money to construction projects, hire part-time teachers, etc. All of these will aid in putting into practice the mentioned policies about the suggested instructor. Pupil ratio, to meet educational objectives and aims. 1.5 SCOPE OF THE STUDY The study’s focus will be on a few particular schools in the Odeda Local Government Area of Ogun State. The notion of an overcrowded classroom, its impacts, instruction, classroom management, and teachers’ job performance are all covered in this research. The Ministry of Education, secondary schools, government educational planners, and other agencies involved in education will find value in the findings of this study. 1.6 DEFINITION OF TERMS The following definitions pertain only to this research. Student overpopulation: This phrase refers to any classroom with more pupils than the ideal teacher-to-student ratio of 1:40. Teaching is the act of imparting knowledge in a classroom. Additionally, it is the act of imparting information, abilities, and attitudes. Job performance: How a teacher performs his or her duties, which include instructing, assigning, and grading students.
OVERPOPULATION OF STUDENTS AND TEACHERS WORK EFFORT
In Odeda Local Government Area Secondary Schools in Ogun State, this research examined the effects of overpopulation on teachers’ work performance in the areas of instruction, assignment marking, and the use of teaching aids. Out of the one secondary school in Odeda Local Government Area, Ogun State, seven schools were randomly chosen to serve as a sample. Then, ten educators were chosen at random from each sample school. To gather information from the respondents for this study’s five research topics, a researcher-designed instrument called the “Students’ Overpopulation and Teachers’ Job Performance Questionnaire” (SOTJPQ) was employed. Frequency counts and percentages were used to analyze the data. The results demonstrated that teachers’ inability to give each student individualized attention to identify their areas of learning weakness and provide assistance in addressing them negatively impacted the marking of students’ assignments, the use of teaching aids, and classroom instruction. Most teaching methods were teacher-centered, which hurt student involvement. The majority of the time, group work was encouraged, which may result in plagiarism, cheating, and test fraud. Additionally, take-home tasks were not marked on time, and assignments presented in the classroom were not promptly marked. Due to the size of the class, it was difficult for teaching aids to circulate and for each student to complete practical work. The government should construct additional classrooms, according to the results, to accommodate the pupils. A teacher-to-student ratio of no more than 40 should be enforced, and more instructors should be hired. The donation of facilities to the schools by other education stakeholders should be encouraged. Infrastructure should be provided by businesses as part of their corporate social responsibility.
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
since Nigeria’s adoption of western schooling. It has had several issues (Ijaiya 1999). These issues have plagued the majority of Nigerian administrations from the colonial or post-independence periods. It led to the formation of many committees (such as the 1960 Ashby commission, the 1969 curriculum conference, the 2006 Education Reform Committee, etc.) to investigate Nigeria’s educational issues and provide solutions.
Large and under-resourced classrooms are one issue Nigeria’s educational system is now dealing with. Overcrowded classrooms occur when the issues of a teacher shortage and a lack of classroom space combine with a high student enrollment (Ijaiya 1999). It is now a fact that educators must acknowledge it as a problem and address it head-on. In Nigeria, the societal demand for a formal education led to an uptick in enrollment and a sharp rise in class size, which led to a high teacher-to-pupil ratio. The size of the class has a significant impact on whether educational goals and objectives are met. There should not be more than 40 kids to one instructor in a single classroom.
Because instructors were putting more burden on themselves while managing the children, teaching and learning as well as classroom management became ineffective.
The introduction of UBE across the nation illustrates how instructors are being burdened with more responsibilities as a result of the overcrowding in many schools. When it comes to the problem of continuous assessment marking and the capacity to provide specialized attention to pupils in need of additional aid, overcrowded classrooms are seen to be unconducive for instructors and students alike. When teaching large classes, there is a chance that students will copy and cheat, have a poor attitude toward learning new things, have discipline issues, speak in their native tongue when asked to work in pairs or groups, make noise, have fewer opportunities to develop their communication skills, and experience problems with boredom during instruction and testing as well as teacher dominance. All of these have an impact on instructors’ work performance.
Statement of the problem: 1.2
In Nigeria, using selected secondary schools from Odeda Local Government Area as a case study, schools are highly populated and the national policy of education gave an ideal ratio of teacher to pupil in a secondary school as 1:40 maximum. To provide solutions that could assist to mitigate the issues, this research was interested in identifying the main issues brought on by Nigeria’s overpopulated classrooms.
No curriculum design is complete without implementation and assessment, both of which are primarily carried out in the classroom given that the classroom is the center of any educational institution (Ijaiya1999). Careful attention to seating arrangement contributes as effectively as any other part of classroom administration and control to the overall performance of a class, as correctly noted by Cohen and Manion (1983, p. 221). The teacher’s efficacy and efficiency may be impacted by the seating arrangement. In a secondary school, chairs should ideally be placed in rows with enough space between them to support the teacher’s ability to instruct and to provide both individual and group work. To achieve this, the instructor-to-student ratio shouldn’t be higher than 1:40. However, the funding ratio in many of these courses might range from 1:100 to 1:50.
1.3 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
The goal of this study is to examine secondary schools with overcrowded classrooms and how it impacts teachers’ performance in the classroom. Assignment marking and ongoing evaluation is part of the job, as are providing one-on-one assistance to students who need it, monitoring plagiarism and cheating, carrying out practical work, managing students’ resistance to learning new things, maintaining order, preventing students from using their mother tongue when working in groups or pairs, reducing disruptive behavior, etc.
This research examines how well instructors accomplish their jobs in terms of instructing, assigning work, and grading.
1.4 IMPLICATIONS OF THE STUDY
The government may use the research’s conclusions to better use its many resources, including human, financial, and physical ones. Administrators at the school will be aware of the resources required and how to manage the resources provided. Teachers have close contact with the pupils and are aware when too many students influence learning. The PTA and the neighborhood, which act as representatives of the school community, may contribute money to construction projects, hire part-time teachers, etc. All of these will aid in putting into practice the mentioned policies about the suggested instructor. Pupil ratio, to meet educational objectives and aims.
