Assessment of Public Primary School Classroom Teachers' Subject Matter Competence in Southwestern Nigeria

Abstract

The study assessed public primary school classroom teachers' subject matter competence in Southwestern Nigeria. It also examined head teachers' perception of primary school classroom teachers' subject matter competence in English Language, Mathematics, Social Studies and Basic Science in Ogun, Ondo and Osun state, Nigeria. The study adopted descriptive survey research design. The sample comprised of 92 head teachers and 934 classroom teachers who were randomly selected.  The data collected were analyzed using mean, standard deviation, percentage count, One Sample t-test and Paired t-teststatistics. The results showed the following in public primary school classroom teachers' subject matter competence: English Language, below average (4.02), Mathematics, above average (5.94), Social Studies, excellent (7.28), Basic Science, above average (5.85) and head teachers' perception in each of the subjects as follows: English Language, poor (3.89), Mathematics, poor (3.68), Social Studies, poor(3.67) and Basic Science, poor (3.70).

The study concluded that classroom teachers' subject matter competence should be improved upon especially at the primary school setting.