The Effect of Teachers’ Qualifications on Students’ Academic Performance in Selected Public Secondary Schools in Kicukiro District, Rwanda

Abstract

The aim of this paper was to explore the effect of teacher’s qualifications on students' academic performance in public secondary schools  in Rwanda. A case of Kicukiro District”. The study assessed the effect of teachers’ attitude on students’ academic performance in  public secondary schools in Kicukiro District. The study was guided by descriptive research design using quantitative and qualitative  approaches. The population involved in this study was 166 teachers, 6 head teachers and 1 district Education Officer of eight selected  schools from Kicukiro District. Purposive and random sampling techniques were used to sample 121 respondents taken as sample size. In  addition, the questionnaire and interview techniques were used to collect the data. SPSS software version 21 was used for statistical  analysis. Findings from the study revealed that there is a statistically significant relationship between teachers ‘qualifications (teachers’  attitude) and students’ academic performance thus P =.000 less than 0.01 as the correlation significance level and Pearson coefficient  correlation r =.813. This study concluded that teacher qualification can have an impact of 58% on students’ academic performance and  the remaining 42% could be affected by other variables. This study recommended that school administrators should create a supportive  and collaborative school environment that encourages teachers to maintain a positive attitude towards teaching. This can include recognition programs, stress management workshops, and opportunities for teachers to share their experiences and strategies,   ultimately fostering a more motivating atmosphere for both teachers and students.