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

The quality of education of a nation could be determined by the quality of her teachers. The most important factor in improving students’ performance is by employing seasoned qualified teachers in all schools (Abe and Adu, 2013). This is because policy investment on quality of teachers is related to improvement in students’ performance. Specifically, the measurement of teacher’s preparation and certification are correlates of students’ achievement in science. It is further reported that, teacher’s characteristics such as certification status and degree in area of specialization are very significant and positively correlated with students learning outcomes in science and mathematics (Salman, 2009). Abe and Adu (2013) and Wiki (2013) opined that a teaching qualification or teacher qualification is one of a number of academic and professional degree that enables a person to become a registered teacher in primary or secondary school. Such qualifications include, but are not limited to, the Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGDE). The Professional Diploma in Education (PDE), Bachelor of Education (B.Ed) and Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE). In Ekiti State, teachers who are academically qualified and those that are professionally qualified are engaged to carry out instructional process (Ahiazu& Prince Will, 2011).
Academically qualified teachers refer to those who have academic training as a result of enrolment into educational institution and obtained qualifications such as HND, B.Sc, B.A, and M.A. and so on; while professionally qualified teachers are those who got professional training that gave them professional knowledge, skills, techniques, aptitudes as different from the general education (Edu and Kalu, 2012). They hold degrees like, B.Ed., B.Sc. Ed, B.A. Ed, and M.Ed and so on. On the other hand, there are studies that have found no significant relationship between teacher educational qualification and students’ academic achievement. For instance, Igwe (2000) investigated the influence of teacher’s qualification on academic performance of students in science subjects in Kano State. The researcher found no significant relationship between teacher’s qualification and students’ performance.
Izumi and Evess (2002) buttressed this by saying that teacher quality is the most important among other critical factors like quality curricula, funding, small class size and learning situation. George (2004) attributed poor performance of students to teacher qualification, inadequacy of materials as well as administrative factors.  Contributing, Adieze (2006) said that non-qualified and non-professional teachers in teaching profession are killing the profession because they are not really teachers. He regarded them as “bird” of passage that create unnecessary vacuum whenever they see greener pasture and better prospect in the profession they are originally trained for.
Laczko and Berliner (2001) assert that the impact of certification status on student achievement in two large urban school districts in the United States of America. These school districts provided information about teachers hired for the 1998-1999 and 1999-2000 school years. Information included the school where they were currently teaching, the grade level taught, the teacher’s certification status, highest degree earned, date and institution where it was achieved, age, and number of years teaching experience.
It has been evidenced that in many countries, teacher qualifications that are considered to be related to student learning have become desirable targets of teacher education reform. Some of these reforms call for the professionalization of teacher education by making it longer, upgrading it to graduate programs, and regulating it through mechanisms of licensure, certification, and promotion aligned with standards (Darling-Hammond et al.,2001.). Findings related to teachers' academic degrees (for example; bachelors or masters among others) are inconclusive. Some studies suggest positive effects of advanced degrees (Rice, 2003; Wayne &Youngs,2003). Some argue that the requirement of a second degree raises the cost in terms of teacher education and teatime it involves and may prevent quality candidates from choosing this profession. Thischaracteristic is related to the subject-matter knowledge teachers acquire during their formal studies and preserves teacher education courses. The evidence gained from different studies is contradictory. Several studies report a positive relationship between teachers' preparation in the subject matter they later teach and student achievement (Goldhaber& Brewer, 2000), while others have less unequivocal results. Monk and King (2004) find both positive and negative effects of teachers' in-field preparation on student achievement. Goldhaber and Brewer(2000) find a positive relationship in mathematics, but none in science.
The comparison of students’ scores in biology test based on teachers’ qualifications thus becomes necessary in order to know if it has any significant influence on students’ performance or not.