History Teachers’ Qualification, Experience and Level of Implementation of the Senior Secondary School History Curriculum in Plateau State

Abstract

This research work investigated History teachers’ qualification, experience and level of implementation of the senior secondary school History curriculum in Plateau State. The study raised and answered two research questions. The study employed survey research design. The population of the study comprised all public senior secondary school students that offer History in Plateau State. Purposive sampling technique was used to draw up the sample of the study and a self-developed questionnaire containing 16 items tagged “Availability of Qualified and Experienced History Teachers, Questionnaire for Teachers" (AQEHTQT) was used in collecting data that were used in answering the research questions. The instrument was subjected to validation by three experts in flelds related to this study and the internal consistency co-efficient Jor AQEHTQT was established using the Cronbach Alpha. The researchers conducted a pilot study outside the population and sample of the study and a reliability index value of 0.67 was obtained. Face-to-face procedure for the collection of data was specifically used to ensure 100 percent return of copies of the questionnaire. Descriptive statistical tool of percentage was used for the analysis of data generated. Some of the findings of this research study were that; most of the teachers teaching History were holders of NCE and some did not have the required qualification to teach the subject. The study also revealed that most of the History teachers were not experienced History teachers. The researchers recommended that History Education should be introduced in all conventional colleges of education and universities where it is not offered in order to produce qualified teachers needed for the teaching of the subject. The quota for History in terms of admissions at the tertiary level should equally be increased.