Physical environment factors and quality of instruction in Ibadan rural public secondary schools, Oyo State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study investigated the contributions of physical environment factors to the quality of instruction in Ibadan rural secondary schools. Mixed research design was adopted; while multi-stage sampling procedure was used to select 115 teachers from the 20 (schools with a minimum of ten teachers) out of the 47 rural public senior secondary schools in the six local government areas that have such communities in Ibadan. Physical Environment Factors (PEFS) and Quality of Instruction Rating (QIRS) Scales were used to collect data. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics and multiple regression analysis at 0.05 level of significance. Many teachers (79.4%) went to school by public transport, (7.5%) by personal cars and (6.5%) trekked. School building (β = 0.270), staff offices (β = 0.487), laboratories (β= 0.281), and accessibility to school (β = 0.325) significantly contributed to quality of instruction, while classroom aesthetic, staff residential accommodation, libraries, workshop, places of convenience for staff, students recreational facilities, furniture, places of convenience for students, distance covered, means of transport did not significantly influence quality of instruction. Physical factors (R=0.621) jointly contributed to quality of instruction in Ibadan rural secondary schools, and accounted for 29.2% of the variation in the quality of instruction (R²=.292, F_{(14, 92)}= 4.133, p<0.05).Teachers were confronted with transport challenges every school day due to the reliance of most of them on public transport system in the rural communities, which was being operated by private commercial bus drivers. Government and other stakeholders should improve the infrastructural facilities of rural schools to enhance quality of instruction.