170
between 32 and 99, while it was between 19 and 60 in Lagos state. Observation in Kaduna, Kano
and Kwara indicated that TPRs were between 1:100 and 1:200 (Humphreys and Crawfud,
2014). In recent newspaper reports on teacher quality and supply in Kaduna state, Ibrahim
(2017) reported a case of LEA Primary School that had over 22,000 pupils with each class having
between 280 and 300 pupils and with most pupils sitting on the floor. In Cross Rivers State,
Domike and Odey (2014: 399) note that “the classrooms are overcrowded and in some instances
schools have operated with a teacher-pupil ratio of 1.76".
The Nigeria’s education index which summarizes the level of peoples’ learning and literacy by
comparing Mean Years of Schooling (MYS) and Expected Years of Schooling (EYS) indicates that
the south-south zone had the highest mean year of schooling in 2013 with a total of 10.664 years
while the North-West zone had the lowest with 3.8126 years. The national rate stood at 7.404
in 2013, which indicated a drop from8.4333 in 2010 record. Males’ national mean year of school
in 2013 was 8.4 years while females were 6.6 years (UNDP, 2015).
The inadequate and low-quality supply of teachers has been widely reported. About 44% of the
country's primary school teachers lack the minimum National Certification in Education for
teaching at the basic education level (Daniels, 2016). A recent primary school teacher crisis was
experienced in Kaduna where two-thirds of the teachers failed primary school level students
assessments resulting in a mass sack of teachers in the state (Ibrahim, 2017). In a 2008 state-
wide assessment of teachers in Kwara state, on all four key subjects tested, only 0.03% of all the
teachers achieved the minimum threshold of 80%and above (Johnson, 2008). Also, poor teacher
quality, inadequacy and commitment, poor planning and the need for improvement in how
teachers’ are trained, recruited, replaced and managed are widely documented (FME 2005; FME
2011a; Thomas, 2011). A study that examined conditions of staffing in 13 states in Nigeria
observed that “there is hardly any discernible norm for recruitment and deployment of staff
across the states” (FME 2005: 234). The basic education teachers are employees of the SUBEBs
and the LGEAs. The LGEAs are specifically responsible for paying salaries of primary school
teachers while JSS teachers are paid by the state but lack of clarity has been observed as regards
how responsibilities are shared between SmoE and SUBEB. Inappropriate procedure andmethod
of work, low management capacity, duplication of responsibilities, the absence of performance
appraisal and poor job definitions are prevalent (Johnson et al. 2007; Santcross et al. 2010;
Obanya 2011; Humphreys and Ceawfurd, 2014).
Additionally, the UBEC (2014: xi) report of the external assessment of quality assurance in basic
education conducted in 33 States and the FCT shows that "learners across the country have
access and equity in basic education. The learners make progress in almost all the States as 90%
of learners transited to JSS. Cases of drop-outs and repeaters were low at all levels". However,
the report also notes, in relation to achievement and standards, that none of the 366 primary
schools accessed is outstanding, 20%of them are good, 46% is fair, 27% are poor and 7% is very
poor. On the quality of teaching and learning, the report explains that none of the primary
schools is outstanding, 22% is good, 46% is fair, 25% are poor and 7% is very poor. At the junior
secondary level, achievement standards report on 72 JSS shows that none of the assessed JSS is
outstanding, 37% may be considered as good, 56% is fair and 7% are poor. As regards the
quality of teaching and learning, only 1% is outstanding, 38% are good and 54% are fair while
7% are poor, and none is very poor (UBEC, 2014).
Besides, the UNESCO (1953) recommends the use of mother tongue in early years of education
and evidence shows that language of delivery is very important in learning conversion (UNESCO,
2007; Ball, 2011; UNESCO, 2016). A six-year experiment with mother-tongue education in