Enoghase Itua Erasmus

ASSESSMENT OF SECONDARY SCHOOL TEACHERS' UTILIZATION IN DELTA CENTRAL SENATORIAL DISTRICT, DELTA STATE Department of Educational Management Faculty of Education University of Benin, Benin City ABSTRACT The study focused on the assessment of secondary schools teachers’ utilization in Delta Central Senatorial District of Delta State. To carry out the study, three (3) research question were raised, two (2) research questions were answered directly while one (1) hypothesis was formulated and tested at 0.05 level of significance. The research design used was descriptive survey. The population of the study consisted of four thousand, four hundred and eight (4408) teachers with one hundred and fifty two (152) public secondary schools in Delta Central Senatorial District of Delta State. A sample of four hundred and forty one (441) teachers and fifteen (15) secondary school were used for the study was selected through stratified random sampling method. Data were collected with the questionnaire titled: assessment of secondary schools teachers’ utilization questionnaire. The data collected from the respondents were subjected to statistical analysis which descriptive statistics with simple percentage, means and standard deviation, and z-test sampling statistical technique at 0.05 level of significance. The result of study revealed that teachers' level of utilization is above normal expectation. There was no significant difference between urban and rural teachers in the level of utilization and small school teachers are well utilized than large school teachers. The study concluded that the pattern of utilization was abnormal. The study recommended among others that teachers should be well utilized irrespective of the school location and size and constant refresher courses for teachers at all levels along with seminars and conferences update their knowledge. Keywords: Assessment, Secondary School, Teachers' Utilization, Delta Central Senatorial District 1 Introduction The success or failure of any organization, whether public or private, largely depends on how effectively it manages and utilizes its human resources. Human resources simply refer to the people who work in the organization the staff, managers, and leaders who carry out the day-to-day activities that keep the organization running. Even if an organization has well-defined goals, a clear mission, and enough funding or materials, it cannot achieve its objectives without the commitment, skills, and active participation of its workers (Osemeke, 2014). Among these workers, those who hold leadership roles, such as heads of departments or unit leaders, are particularly important because they are responsible for organizing work, guiding other staff, and ensuring that all available resources are used properly to meet the organization’s goals. In the education sector, teachers are considered the most valuable human resource. They are at the heart of the learning process and play a major role in shaping the future of students and society as a whole. According to Osemeke (2014), what teachers do within the school system has a direct and powerful impact on whether or not educational goals are achieved. In fact, teachers are often described as the foundation or backbone of the entire educational system. Without teachers, schools would not be able to function effectively. Learning cannot take place in the absence of teachers who are well-trained, motivated, and dedicated to their duties. Teachers are not just classroom instructors who deliver lessons; they also help students understand the subject matter, develop important skills, and apply what they have learned to reallife situations. They serve as role models, mentors, and facilitators of knowledge. In addition to teaching, they are responsible for using various resources, such as textbooks, chalkboards, teaching aids, and curriculum materials to create meaningful and engaging learning experiences for students. Their ability to manage time, content, and classroom behavior plays a big role in how much students learn and how successful the school becomes. As Iseghohi (2015) rightly pointed out, the value of a country’s investment in education largely depends on how effectively teachers perform their responsibilities. If teachers are committed, properly supported, and well-utilized, the chances of achieving national and educational goals are much higher. However, if teachers are underutilized, poorly managed, or not motivated, the quality of education will suffer. In simple terms, what teachers do or fail to do has a direct effect on student learning outcomes and the overall performance of the school system. Because of their central role, teachers must be used wisely and effectively. According to Neogu and Esobhawan (2014), teachers help shape the intellectual, economic, technological, and cultural development of a society. Once teachers are trained, it is important to ensure that their knowledge and skills are properly used to benefit the community. If teachers are trained but not put to good use, it becomes a waste of time, money, and effort. Teachers’ utilization simply means putting teachers’ skills, abilities, and knowledge to good use in the teaching and learning process. It involves using their expertise and capacity to help students succeed and reach educational goals. In light of this, it becomes necessary to see the level of teachers’ utilization in Nigeria, which refers to how much of a teacher's time, skills, and training are used effectively within the school system. Many Nigerian schools struggle with either underutilizing or overutilizing their teachers. For instance, some teachers are given very few subjects or periods to handle, while others are stretched across multiple levels or streams of students. These irregularities in workload distribution reflect systemic weaknesses in teacher management (Ibrahim et al., 2021). Accurate data on teachers' schedules and duties is often lacking, making it difficult to measure the level of utilization effectively. However, surveys and observations in various Nigerian states reveal that a significant percentage of teachers are not being used to their full capacity. This means that their time is not 2 fully engaged in classroom teaching, lesson planning, or extracurricular activities. When teachers are not fully utilized, it leads to a waste of resources and a missed opportunity to improve students' academic outcomes (Olayanju & Olanrewaju, 2023). Consequently, it is not enough to just assess the level of utilization; there is also a need to find out whether the patterns of teachers’ utilization are adequate in Nigeria. In many parts of the country, the way teachers are used in schools can either help or harm the learning process. Teacher utilization refers not only to how often teachers are used but also to how well their roles match their training and specialization. When teachers are adequately utilized, they are not overworked or underused, and they are assigned to roles that match their professional backgrounds. Unfortunately, many reports indicate that some teachers are not given enough to do, while others are burdened with multiple responsibilities. This imbalance can lead to stress, poor lesson delivery, and a general decline in educational quality (Adepoju & Oluchukwu, 2022). Furthermore, poor utilization arises when teachers are assigned to subjects outside their fields of expertise, which is common in Nigerian secondary schools due to a shortage of qualified personnel. For example, a biology teacher may be required to teach chemistry or physics without the necessary qualifications, thereby compromising student outcomes and teacher morale. Teachers who are placed in such roles often feel unprepared and dissatisfied, which negatively affects their performance (Olayanju & Olanrewaju, 2023). Moreover, teacher utilization patterns are not consistent across the country, urban schools may have an excess of teachers and underutilization, while rural schools may suffer from over-utilization due to staff shortages. This lack of balance further reveals the need for comprehensive reforms and strategic planning by educational authorities (Ibrahim et al., 2021). Empirical Studies Okon and Effiong (2020) carried out a research study that compared rural and urban schools in Cross River State. Their findings showed that teachers in rural schools had to do much more work than those in urban areas. This was mostly because there were not enough teachers in rural schools. As a result, many rural teachers were forced to do several jobs at once. For example, a teacher might teach students in the classroom while also working as the school’s administrator, which is usually a completely different job. This made their workload very heavy and stressful. On the other hand, teachers in urban schools did not have to take on so many roles at once because there were more teachers available to share the work. In another study, Eze and Iwuoma (2022) focused on ten large secondary schools in Imo State. Their research found something different— more than 33% of the teachers in these schools were not given enough work to do. These teachers were often working below their full potential because the school had more staff than necessary. Many of them were only given less than half of their expected teaching load. This meant that even though the schools had many teachers, they were not using them properly. Some teachers had too little to do, while others had much more than they could handle. There studies have been carried out on the Level of Teachers’ Utilization in recent time. Ogundele and Adegoke (2021) conducted a study titled “Level of Teachers’ Utilization and Workload Distribution in Secondary Schools in Kwara State, Nigeria”. A total of 120 teachers were randomly selected from 20 public secondary schools. The researchers adopted a descriptive survey design and utilized structured questionnaires alongside workload analysis charts. Data collected were analyzed using mean scores and standard deviation. The findings revealed that 37% of the teachers were underutilized, having less than 10 teaching periods per week, while 24% were overutilized, handling over 25 periods weekly. It was observed that this imbalance in teacher 3 utilization was largely due to ineffective timetabling, poor teacher allocation policies, and the absence of strategic workforce planning in the school system. However, a significant gap in this study was the lack of analysis on how such patterns of underutilization or overutilization affected student academic outcomes or teacher motivation, which would have provided a more comprehensive understanding of the implications. Salami and Kolawole (2020) carried out a related study titled “Teachers’ Time-Use Efficiency and Utilization Patterns in Lagos State Secondary Schools”. The study sample included 90 teachers and 30 principals drawn from 15 public secondary schools in Lagos State. Employing a mixed-methods approach, the researchers gathered data through questionnaires, classroom observations, and semi-structured interviews. The analysis combined thematic coding and quantitative tools using SPSS. Findings from the study indicated that teachers utilized only about 41% of their official work time for actual teaching, with a significant portion of their day spent on non-teaching or redundant activities due to poor school organization. Nonetheless, the researchers did not explore rural-urban differences in time-use efficiency, which represents a gap, especially considering the socio-economic diversity of Lagos State. Nwankwo and Odo (2022) examined the subject specialization alignment of teachers in their study titled “Mismatch between Subject Specialization and Teaching Assignments in Public Secondary Schools in Enugu and Anambra States”. A total of 100 teachers were purposively selected from 20 public secondary schools. The researchers used a descriptive survey approach, with data gathered through questionnaires and analysis of school staff timetables and subject postings. The findings indicated that 41% of teachers were engaged in teaching subjects outside their formal academic training, especially within the science department, where biology teachers were found handling physics and chemistry lessons. However, a significant limitation was the absence of student feedback or academic performance metrics that could have validated the impact of the mismatch on actual learning outcomes. Adeyemi and Fagbohun (2020) addressed a similar concern in their work titled “Impact of Inappropriate Teacher Assignment on Instructional Quality in Osun State Secondary Schools”. The researchers employed a correlational research design, sampling 80 teachers and 200 students from 10 selected secondary schools. Regression analysis was applied to determine the statistical relationship between subject mismatch and learning outcomes. The results indicated that inappropriate teacher assignment significantly undermined teaching confidence and led to reduced student academic performance. In science subjects, classes handled by non-specialists recorded test scores 21% lower than those taught by specialists. Despite these critical findings, the study did not provide actionable recommendations for policy reform, nor did it examine systemic recruitment flaws contributing to the mismatch. Statement of the Problem This study stems from growing concerns about the way secondary school teachers are being used in the Delta Central Senatorial District of Delta State. Although teachers play a vital role in the success of any educational system, the researcher has personally observed that many schools in this area either underuse or overuse their teachers. In some schools, teachers have very few classes to teach and spend too much time idle. In other schools, teachers are overloaded with work, handling several subjects, some of which are outside their area of specialization. This situation often leads to stress, burnout, and lower productivity. These imbalances raise serious concerns, as they point to weaknesses in how schools are managed and directly affect the quality of education students receive. 4 While the Nigerian government has made efforts through policies and teacher recruitment to address staffing issues in public secondary schools, including those in Delta State, these efforts have mostly focused on increasing the number of teachers rather than ensuring that they are properly assigned and used. Even with heavy investment in teacher training, the deployment of these trained teachers is still poorly managed. Government policies like the Teachers’ Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) and the National Policy on Education emphasize proper placement and use of teachers, but there is still a big gap between what these policies say and what happens in schools. So far, there is very little evidence that proper checks are being done to monitor how teachers are being utilized. School administrators seem to lack clear guidelines on how to assign teachers fairly or match them with the subjects they are trained to teach. As a result, problems in managing teaching staff continue, especially in regions like Delta Central where there are noticeable differences between urban and rural schools. Although studies by researchers such as Olayanju and Olanrewaju (2023) and Ibrahim et al. (2021) have discussed teacher underuse and overuse in Nigeria, very few of them have focused on Delta Central Senatorial District. Fewer still have looked into how the location of schools— whether urban or rural—affects how teachers are used. Also, current research does not explore the local administrative challenges and school-specific issues that may be causing these inefficiencies. To confirm whether the researcher’s personal observations reflect a broader problem that requires attention, there is a need for a more detailed study. This study aims to provide evidence that either supports or challenges these observations. It will examine how teachers are being used across schools in Delta Central and investigate whether their training and skills are being put to proper use. Filling these gaps in knowledge is important for recommending practical and relevant solutions to improve how teachers are managed in Delta State’s secondary schools. Purpose of the Study The purpose of the study is to examine teachers' level of utilization in teachers' in Delta Central Senatorial District. Specifically, the study is aimed at the following: 1. to determine the level of teachers utilization in Delta Central Senatorial District: 2. to examine if teachers' patterns of utilization is adequate in Delta Central Senatorial District; 3. to ascertain if there is a difference between teachers' utilization in rural and urban areas in Delta Central Senatorial District; Research Questions The following research questions were raised to guide this study: 1. What is the level of teachers' utilization in secondary schools in Delta Central Senatorial District? 2. Are teachers' patterns of utilization adequate in secondary schools in Delta Central Senatorial District? 3. Is there any significant difference in teachers' utilization in rural and urban areas? Research Hypotheses The following hypothesis was formulated to guide question 3 while questions 1 and 2 will be answered directly. 5 There is no significant difference between rural and urban teachers' level of utilization in Delta Central Senatorial District. Methodology The study adopted a descriptive survey design, which allowed for the systematic collection and analysis of data on secondary school teachers' utilization without manipulating any independent variables. Relevant data were collected from appropriate sources. The population of the study consisted of all public secondary schools in Delta Central Senatorial District of Delta State, totaling 152 schools with 4,408 teachers during the 2014/2015 academic year, as documented by the Department of Planning and Statistics, Ministry of Education, Asaba (August 2016). A sample of 15 public secondary schools, representing 10% of the total number of schools, and 441 teachers, representing 10% of the total number of teachers, was selected for the study. The stratified sampling technique was employed to ensure proportional representation of all strata within the population. The research instrument used was a structured questionnaire titled assessment of secondary schools teachers’ utilization in Delta Central Senatorial District of Delta State Questionnaire. The instrument comprised three sections: Section A: gathered demographic data of the respondents; Section B collected information on the number of periods allocated for each subject per week; and Section C focused on indices of teacher utilization in the selected schools. The validity of the instrument was established through expert review. The questionnaire was submitted to the project supervisor in the Department of Educational Management, University of Benin, who matched each items with the research questions to verify that the instrument measured what it was intended to measure. Based on the supervisor’s feedback, necessary revisions were made, thereby confirming the face and content validity of the instrument. The reliability of the instrument was tested using the split-half method. The questionnaire was initially administered to 20 teachers (10 males and 10 females) who were not included in the main study. Data collection was conducted by the researcher with the help of two trained assistants. The questionnaires were distributed and retrieved immediately after completion, allowing for personal interaction between the researcher and the respondents. Data analysis was carried out using descriptive statistics such as simple percentage, frequency count, mean and standard deviation to answer research question 1 and 2. Hypothesis formulated from the research questions was tested using the z-test at a 0.05 level of significance. 6 Results Research Question 1: What is the level of teachers’ utilization in secondary schools in Delta Central Senatorial District? Table 1 Descriptions of Teachers Level of Utilization N Min. Max. Cal.Mean Esp.mean Std.Dev. Conclusion Teachers- High level level of of teachers utilization utilized The data in Table 1 showed the total number of respondents (N) 441, the expected mean value of utilization as computed from various benchmarks (periods taught, classes taught, among others) the minimum utilization score is 21.00 while the maximum is 30.00 and the calculated mean 25.51 from these data by comparing the expected and the computed means, the computed mean is greater -) this implies that the teachers in secondary schools in Delta Central Senatorial District are highly utilized. Research Question 2: What is the pattern of teachers' utilization in secondary schools in Delta Central Senatorial District? Table 2: pattern of teachers’ utilization in secondary school in delta central Senatorial District Area of specialization Subject Area Taught Arts Social Science Sciences Total Arts 65(60.7%) 25(12.6%) 09(6.6%) 99 Social sciences 26(24.3%) 101(51%) 13(9.6%) 140 Science 16(15%) 72(36.4%) 114(83.8%) 202 Total 107 (100%) 198(100%) 136 (100%) 441 The data in Table 2 showed the pattern of teachers' utilization in secondary school in Delta Central Senatorial District. There are ninety nine (99) teachers trained in the arts disciplines. 65(60.7%) of them teach arts subjects 25(12.6%) teach social science subjects while 09(6.6%) teach science subjects. There are hundred and forty (140) teachers trained in the social sciences discipline. 26(24.3) of them teach arts subjects 101(51%) teach social science subjects while 13(9.6%) teach science subjects. Also presented in the table, there are two hundred and two (202) teachers trained in the sciences discipline. 16(15%) of them teach arts subjects 72(36.4%) teach social science subjects while 114(83.8%) teach science subjects. From these analysis it is showed that the majority of the teachers teach courses in which they are trained for: Arts 65(60.7%), Social Science 101(51%) and Sciences 114(83.8%). 7 Hypothesis Testing: Hypothesis 1: There is no significant difference between rural and urban areas school teachers in their level of utilization in Delta Central Senatorial District? Table 3: Z-test of difference in teachers' level of utilization by school locations Level of N Mean Std/Dev. Df Z-value p-value Decision utilization (sig.2-tailed) Urban- Rural- .755 .451 Not Sig. Table 3 show total number of teachers (N), Urban = 234, Rural = 207. Urban school teachers (mean = 25.43, Standard Deviation = 1.97) while rural school teachers (mean = 25.59, Standard Deviation = 2.42). The degree of freedom (df) = 439 and z-value = .755, the p-value is significant at .451 alpha level. Testing at alpha (α) = .05, the p-value (.451) is greater than alpha (α) = .05, therefore, the null hypothesis is accepted. This implies that both the rural area and urban school teachers are utilized equally in Delta Central Senatorial District. Discussion on findings The discussion of the findings as follows: The result of the study showed that the level of teacher utilization in secondary schools across Delta Central Senatorial District is high. This means that teachers are being effectively used in terms of their workload and teaching responsibilities. The average score of how much teachers are used was 25.51, which is higher than the expected average score of 22.00. This shows that teachers are given enough work, such as teaching multiple subjects or classes, and are actively involved in the school system. The small difference in scores among teachers also means that most of them have similar levels of work, which suggests that no group is being overworked or underused. This finding aligns with the study by Ogundele and Adegoke (2021), who found both underutilization and overutilization of teachers in Kwara State. Although their study showed that some teachers were underutilized while others were overloaded due to poor timetabling and planning, the overall message supports the importance of proper teacher deployment. In Delta Central, however, the balance in teacher workload suggests better planning and use of human resources. The study also showed how teachers are used based on their area of training. It was found that most teachers are assigned to teach the subjects they studied in school. For instance, teachers trained in arts were mostly teaching arts subjects, while those in science and social sciences taught in their fields as well. This is a positive outcome because it helps teachers perform better and students understand lessons more easily. This finding strongly agrees with Nwankwo and Odo (2022), who studied schools in Enugu and Anambra States. They found that 41% of teachers were made to teach subjects outside their area of training, especially in science, which affected teaching quality. Also, Adeyemi and Fagbohun (2020) showed that when teachers are assigned outside their area of specialization, students’ academic performance drops. In contrast, the current study in Delta Central shows that such mismatch is rare, meaning schools here are more careful to match teachers with the right subjects. The result from the study also revealed that there is no significant difference between in how teachers are used in urban and rural schools in Delta Central Senatorial District. Both urban and rural teachers had similar teaching loads and responsibilities. This suggests that the location of a school does not strongly affect how teachers are assigned their duties in this district. This finding challenges the results of Okon and Effiong (2020), who found that teachers in rural schools 8 in Cross River State were more overworked than their urban counterparts. Their study showed that rural teachers often had more teaching periods and extra responsibilities. However, in the current study, no such rural-urban workload imbalance was found. This suggests that teacher deployment in Delta Central is more even and fair. Additionally, the study indirectly touches on the issue of underutilization in urban areas. Furthermore, while Salami and Kolawole (2020) reported that teachers in Lagos State used only 41% of their work time for actual teaching due to poor organization and time management, the teachers in Delta Central were found to be more fully engaged in teaching-related duties. This suggests better school management and teacher engagement in the Delta Central Senatorial District. Conclusion This study has shown that teachers in secondary schools across Delta Central Senatorial District are being well utilized. The results revealed that most teachers have adequate workloads and are actively involved in teaching. Unlike findings from other states, where poor planning led to underutilization or overloading of teachers, Delta Central shows a more balanced and organized system. Teachers here are evenly assigned tasks, and no group appears to be overworked or left idle. This suggests that school authorities in the district are doing a better job in planning and distributing work fairly among their staff, which can lead to improved teaching quality and overall school performance. Furthermore, the study found that most teachers in the district are teaching subjects that match their area of training, which helps them teach more confidently and effectively. This is a big improvement when compared to places like some other States, where many teachers were made to teach subjects they didn’t study. Also, both urban and rural schools in Delta Central showed similar levels of teacher workload, unlike in some States where teachers in rural or urban areas were either overworked or underutilized. These findings show that Delta Central Senatorial District is setting a good example in how to properly assign and manage teachers, helping to create a fair, effective, and well-functioning school system. Recommendations On the basis of the findings, the following recommendations are hereby made; 1. Government should ensure evenly distribution of teachers. The even spread of teachers will reduce the average high pupil teacher ratio in order to have effective teaching and learning in schools. 2. Teachers should be well utilized irrespective of the school location and size. 3. 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