TEACHER’S QUALIFICATION AND SCHOOL FACILITIES AS DETERMINANTS OF ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS IN OYO STATE

Abstract

Education is a fundamental tool for societal progress, and for students with special needs, 
qualified teachers and appropriate school facilities are crucial in achieving optimal 
academic outcomes. This study examined the influence of teacher qualifications and 
school facilities on the academic performance of students with special needs in Oyo State, 
Nigeria. Two research hypotheses were tested in the study.  Descriptive research design 
was adopted for the study. The population consisted of 2,815 students from five secondary 
schools that mainstreamed students with special needs in Oyo State, with a sample of 373 
students purposively selected from these schools. Data were collected using a self
designed questionnaire, tagged “Teacher’s Qualification and School Facilities as 
Determinants of Academic Performance Questionnaire” (TQPFSAPQ). The instrument 
was subjected to face and content validity by the experts in the fields of special education 
as well as measurement and evaluation.  Test re-test reliability method was used to 
establish the reliability of 0.85. Inferential statistics of regression analysis was used to 
test the hypotheses at 0.05 alpha level of significance. The findings revealed that both 
teacher qualifications and school facilities significantly affect the academic performance 
of students with special needs. These results underline the importance of well-trained 
teachers and adequate school infrastructure in fostering a supportive learning 
environment for students with special needs. The study recommends enhanced teacher 
training, improved learning materials, inclusive school environments, and increased 
resource personnel to support students with special needs in secondary schools.