INFLUENCE OF TEACHER AND PARENTAL VARIABLES ON ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE AND ENROLMENT OF STUDENTS IN BUSINESS STUDIES IN UPPER BASIC EDUCATION IN NORTH EAST, NIGERIA

Abstract

This study investigated the influence of teacher and parental factors on students’ academic performance and enrollment in Business Studies at the upper basic education level in Northeast Nigeria. A mixed-method design, combining descriptive survey and ex-post facto approaches, was employed. The target population included 3,036 upper basic schools, 1,002 teachers, and 452,742 JSS III students across six states during the 2025/2026 session. Using stratified random sampling (Krejcie & Morgan, 1970), 60 schools, 285 teachers, and 384 students were selected. A validated 42-item questionnaire (α = 0.79) and academic record proforma were used. Research questions were answered via mean and standard deviation; four null hypotheses were tested using simple linear regression (p ≤ 0.05). Key findings showed: (1) only 26.7% of Business Studies teachers held relevant qualifications; (2) teacher qualification significantly positively predicted performance (R² = 0.910, β = 0.960, p < 0.05); (3) teacher experience also significantly predicted performance (R² = 0.813, β = 0.974, p < 0.05), with 64.4% having <10 years’ experience; (4) parental occupation significantly influenced enrollment (R² = 0.703, β = 0.853, p < 0.05); and (5) parental motivation significantly affected enrollment (R² = 0.689, β = 0.724, p < 0.05). The study concludes that teacher qualifications and experience, along with parental occupation and motivation, critically shape both academic performance and enrollment. Recommendations include mandatory in-service training for non-specialist teachers, vocational teacher allowances to retain experienced staff, and school-based career guidance programs to boost parental motivation.