Impact of Teacher Qualifications on Learners' Academic Performance in Chemistry in Public Secondary Schools in Chesumei Sub-County

Abstract

Chemistry is an emerging subject that occupies an important part in societal well-being. Its knowledge forms a foundation of lifelong skills. However, despite its importance, the performance of chemistry in high school has been below expectations. This research aimed to investigate the teacher qualification’s influence on educational performance in Chemistry in public secondary schools in the Chesumei sub-county. The research adopted a mixed- methods approach to gather quantitative and qualitative data. Quantitative data was collected through questionnaires administered to chemistry teachers and students, focusing on their perceptions of teaching practices, classroom dynamics, and academic outcomes. Qualitative data was obtained through semi-structured interviews with randomly selected teachers and students, allowing for in-depth exploration of their experiences, perspectives, and insights into the relationship between teacher-related factors and academic performance. The data collected for this study underwent thorough analysis utilizing statistical software, specifically SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences). This software offered robust abilities for organizing, interpreting, and developing meaningful insights from the data collected. By employing SPSS, the study aimed to conduct comprehensive statistical analyses, including descriptive statistics, inferential tests, and regression analyses, among others. The study revealed that teacher qualifications have a significant positive influence on student academic performance in chemistry (β=0.413, p=0.000). The study concluded that teacher qualifications enhance learners' academic performance in chemistry within public secondary schools in Chesumei Sub-County. The study recommended that teacher qualifications should continue to be considered when employing teachers as it contributes to improvement in learners' academic performance in chemistry within public secondary schools.