TEACHERS' SELF-EFFICACY AS A CORRELATE OF STUDENTS' ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN AWKA EDUCATION ZONE, ANAMBRA STATE

The main purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between teachers’ self-efficacy and students’ academic achievement in secondary schools in Awka Education Zone, Anambra State. Two research questions guided the study and two hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance. The correlational survey research design was adopted for the study. The population consisted of 5,550 students (2,444 males and 3,106 females) across 267 schools, from which a sample of 400 students (200 males and 200 females) was selected through a multistage sampling procedure. Data were collected using a researcher-designed Teachers’ Self-Efficacy Questionnaire (TSEQ) and students’ English Language scores obtained from official records. The TSEQ, consisting of 20 items on a four-point Likert scale, was validated by academic experts and demonstrated high reliability (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.87) from a pilot study. Out of 160 questionnaires administered, 148 were returned and analyzed. Pearson Product Moment Correlation was used to determine the relationship between teachers’ self-efficacy and students’ academic performance at a 0.05 significance level. The finding of the study revealed a high positive relationship between teachers’ self-efficacy and students’ academic achievement in secondary schools in Awka Education Zone. Furthermore, findings of this study revealed a high positive relationship between teachers’ self-efficacy and the academic achievement of male and female students in public secondary schools in Awka Education Zone. Based on these findings, the researcher recommended among others that the Post Primary Schools Services Commission (PPSSC) and school administrators in public secondary schools should prioritise the professional development of teachers to strengthen their instructional self-efficacy. It was also recommended that teachers should be encouraged to adopt teaching approaches that accommodate diverse learners, foster student engagement, and promote an inclusive classroom environment