Influence Of Teachers’ Characteristics On Students’ Academic Performance In Biology
[SELECTED SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN ILORIN METROPOLIS]

Buttressing the importance of teachers, Ciwar (2005) added that teachers occupy a critical and fundamental position in the development of any action. They act as catalyst of change for the transformation of the society for the desired end.
The invaluable importance of teachers, not withstanding, studies have shown that their success in relation to the academic performance of their students is anchored or dependent on certain characteristics. Hence, such factors as teacher’s attitude, qualification, experience and even availability to a greater extent could affect and influence students’ academic performance.
The motive, therefore, of this study is to investigate the influence of teachers’ characters and students’ academic performance in biology with a view to revealing the influence of such characteristics as attitude, qualification, experience and availability on the students’ academic performance in biology.
Statement of the Problem
Kosgei, Mise, Odera and Ayugi (2013) investigated the influence of teachers’ characteristics on students’ academic achievement among secondary schools. Their study was based on Kenya secondary schools. The findings reveal that student academic achievement (in 2007, 2008 and 2009) was below average for 45% of the schools, (30%) achievement was on average while (25%) of schools had high student academic achievement. The poor performance was attributed to inadequate number of teachers in most secondary schools within the District. On teacher qualification, the study established that 65% of teachers were degree holders, 25%had diploma certificates while only 10% were untrained.
The current study however differs in that it is based on secondary schools in Nigeria and while their study was based on teacher qualification, this covers such characteristics as qualification, years of teaching, attitude and availability.
In the same vein, Abe (2014) studied the effect of teachers’ qualifications on students’ performance in mathematics. The study revealed the mean performance score of students taught by NCE teachers, and B.Sc. Ed. Teachers has a variation of mean performance score of (2.36) that of B.Sc. teachers and B.Sc. Ed teachers difference of mean performance score of student (2.76) while that of mean performance score difference of students taught by professional and non-professional was 4.02.
By implication, the effect of teachers’ qualification was shown on the students’ performance in mathematics between NCE and B.Sc. Ed. teachers; even though both teachers were professionally trained. Unlike Abe’s study, this study considers biology. Also, while Abe’s study covered Ekiti in Nigeria, the current study covers Ilorin.
In their own study, Abu and Gbadamasi (2014) looked into the Relationship between teacher’s attitude and student’s academic achievement in senior secondary school chemistry.  The study was based on schools in Ijebu with chemistry in focus. This study was based on the relationship between teachers’ attitude and students’ academic achievement in chemistry. One hundred and ten SSS chemistry students,14 chemistry teachers from selected secondary schools in Ijebu-Ode and Odogbolu Local Government area in Ogun State participated in this research. Two research hypotheses and two research questions were formulated. The data collected were analyzed using Pearson Product moment correlation, T – Test and analysis of variance. The first null hypothesis which stated that there is no significant relationship between teachers’ attitude and student’s academic achievement in SSS chemistry was rejected. The result of analysis showed that the correlation co efficient (r) is significant atP<0.05 (r = - .340, P<0.05). This is indicates that there isa significant relationship between teacher’s attitude towards chemistry and students’ academic achievement in the subjects. The second null hypothesis which states that there is no significant difference between the mean chemistry achievement scores of males and female students in SSS chemistry has also been rejected. It thus showed that there is significant difference in the mean chemistry achievement scores of SSS male and female students (t = 2.018, df =122, P<.05). This means that gender has effect on the achievement of students in SSS chemistry. From the outcome of the scores, it was therefore noted that the achievement of students in chemistry depends on the attitude of teaching display by the teachers. The present study is based on schools in Ilorin using biology as its focus. Besides, their own study used attitude only while the present study covers other variables.