TEACHERS' SUBJECT MASTERY AND PEDAGOGICAL INFLUENCE ON BUSINESS STUDIES STUDENTS' LEARNING OUTCOMES IN PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN SOUTHWEST, NIGERIA

This study examined the influence of Business Studies teachers' subject mastery and pedagogical skills on students' learning outcomes in public junior secondary schools in Southwest Nigeria. The persistent decline in students' performance in Business Studies over five years (62.6% pass rate in 2019 to 47.9% in 2023) necessitated this investigation. A descriptive survey research design was adopted, with a sample of 863 Business Studies teachers selected from Ogun, Lagos, and Oyo States using multistage sampling techniques. Two validated instruments were used: Teachers' Job Performance Questionnaire (TJPQ, r=0.81) and students' NECO results (2019-2023). Regression analysis revealed that subject mastery significantly determined students' learning outcomes (β = .593, t = 21.624, p < .05), explaining 35.2% of the variance. Pedagogical skills also showed significant influence (β = .372, t = 11.757, p < .05), accounting for 13.8% of the variance. The composite influence of both variables was significant (R = 0.719, F(3,858) = 229.750, p < .05), explaining 51.5% of total variance. Subject mastery emerged as the strongest predictor. The study concludes that teachers' deep content knowledge and effective pedagogical practices are critical determinants of students' learning outcomes. Recommendations include periodic in-service training, deployment of master teachers to schools, and establishment of pedagogical development centers.