Mathematics Education Forum

October 2009, Vol. 11, Issue 26. Year 13, pp 34-38

A Study on Relationship Between Student

Achievement and Teacher’s Qualification in Mathematics

Dr. Indra Kumari

Bajracharya7

Teachers are one of the most important resources of the

educational system in any country. Thus, teacher is the central factor
in the educational system. Teacher's educational background,
qualification, professional skills and competence also determine the
quality of education. Teachers’ role is always prominent in improving
student achievement. The testimony of formal education is the
qualification of a teacher. Teacher’s qualification is one of the
important teacher related variables, which is directly related to student
achievement. It has significant effect on education in developing
countries (Lockheed et. al: 1988). Hanushek has reviewed 96
researches pursued on educational effectiveness in developing
countries in 1994. Based on this review, he noticed that 35 researches
identified teachers’ qualification to be positively significant in student
achievement. Hence, it concludes that qualification of teachers as
variable has significant role on student achievement in mathematics.
Similarly, Loxley also concludes on the basis of a research pursued in
Botswana in 1984 that qualification of teacher is positively significant
in mathematics achievement.

Shrestha (1999) has conducted a research to assess

achievement of grade five students in mathematics in terms of
teachers' qualification. He studied three groups of student samples
comprised of those taught by the trained teachers with S.L.C.,

7 7
Dr. Bajracharya is an Associate Professor of Mathematics Education, Mahendra Ratna
Campus, Tahachal, Kathmandu.
Intermediate and Bachelors' degree holding teachers. The result
reveals that the third group of student samples whom the trained
teachers with Bachelors' Degree taught as qualification secured
highest score (37.46) in mathematics than other groups of sample
students. Teaching performance of those with higher qualifications is
better than those with only S.L.C. Similarly, Joshi (1997) has conducted
a study to examine the factors that influence secondary level students
'mathematics achievement. The result reveals that teachers'
certification had significant and affect directly in mathematics
achievement. However, no study has been conducted to see whether
teachers having degree in mathematics helps in raising students
'mathematics achievement. In other words, the question whether
teachers’ qualification in mathematics effects or not still remains
unanswered. Hence, the main objective of this study is to assess
achievement level of students by teachers' qualification in
mathematics. .

Study Procedure

This study is limited to the Kathmandu valley. Sample schools

were selected from Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhkatpur districts.
Altogether 15 eight grade community schools were selected for
survey using random sampling method. Three sample schools are
lower secondary and rest of the others is secondary level schools.
Sample schools were classified into three groups in terms of
teachers’ qualification who has math back ground or Instructed by
teachers with I. Ed. or equivalent qualification is called group A.
Similarly Instructed by teachers with B. Ed. or equivalent
qualification, and Instructed by teachers with M. Ed. or equivalent
qualification are called group B and group C respectively. From each
group of schools, 20 students were selected using random method.
Altogether 300 students and fifteen teachers were included in the
sample size.
 Mathematics Achievement Test tool with 64 full marks, which
was developed by the author herself during doctoral research, was
adapted in this research too. Reliability of this test tool was determined
as 0.90. The researcher administered achievement test. She also
interviewed mathematics teachers during that time. For analyzing
data, obtained data was analysed in the SPSS-12 program.
Accordingly, descriptive statistics such as mean, variance score of
each group of student was calculated. Its significance was tested by
one way ANOVA test. Again, the difference between the mean scores
of two groups of student at a time was calculated by t-test.

Result of the study

Altogether 15 teacher samples were studied. Their qualifications

varied from intermediate level to Masters Degree in math education.
Among them, 4 teachers have intermediate degree in math, 4 have
bachelors' degree in math and rests of 7 teachers have Masters
Degree in math as qualification. The descriptive statistics of three
groups of students is given in the following table 1.

Table 1

Descriptive Information of Teacher Qualification and

Student Achievement Score
Std.
Deviation
Groups N Mean
Group A 80 36.03 7.58

Group B 80 42.46 8.54

Group C 140 50.20 11.46

As depicted in the above table, the third group of students who

were Instructed by teachers with M Ed. or equivalent qualification has
the highest mean score( 50.20) and first group Instructed by teachers
with I Ed. or equivalent qualification, the lowest (36.03) in the mean
score of the achievement test. The mean score of the third group of
student was found more 13.17 than that of the first group. Similarly,
the difference between mean score of the second group of students
and the third group of student was 7.74. Therefore the mean
differences were statistically significant or not, the analysis of variance
was calculated.

Result of ANOVA Test on Teachers' qualification and their

student Achievement

The mean scores obtained by three groups of students varied

from each other. To test the significance of these differences, ANOVA
was used. The F-ratio is given in the following table 2.

Table 2
F-Ratio and Different Groups of Students in Mathematic
Achievement

Sum of
Source of Square Mean Sig.
Variation s df Square F
Between 10657. 55.5 0.00
2 5328.99
Groups 97 6
Within 28484.
297 95.91
Groups 20
Total 39142.
299
17

The result of F-ratio was found 55.56, which is significant at p

< 0.000. It means that difference in the mean score obtained by
three groups of students (Instructed by teachers with I. Ed. or
equivalent qualification, Instructed by teachers with B. Ed. or
equivalent qualification, and Instructed by teachers with M. Ed. or
equivalent qualification) was significant. The students of Instructed
by teachers with M. Ed. or equivalent qualification groups obtained
highest mean score. But Instructed by teachers with I. Ed. or
equivalent qualification groups had low performance and secured
low mean score. Hence, the achievement level among the three
groups of students, Instructed by teachers with M. Ed. or equivalent
qualification groups secured highest mean score. Thus, the result
concludes that mathematics achievement level of students
Instructed by highest qualification was higher than other groups of
students.

A significant F does not show which means differ significantly,

but that at least one is reliably different from some other. Hence, in
order to compare mean scores of two groups at a time t-test was
used. The difference between the mean scores of two groups and t-
test are given in the following table 3.

Table 3
Difference Between Mean Scores and T-Ratios

Mean
Differenc
e 95% Confidence
Between Interval of the
two Sig. (2- Difference
Groups groups t-ratio tailed)
Upper
Lower
Group B & A 6.43 5.06 0.00 3.93 8.95

Group C& B 7.74 5.26 0.00 7.74 1.47

Group C& A 14.17 9.93 0.00 11.36 16.99

 As shown in the above table, the highest mean difference
between Group B & A was 6.43. T- Ratio was 5.06 at p = 0.00 which is
greater than 0. 05. Its lower limit is 3.93 and upper limit is 8.95.
However, mean score of the students of Instructed by teachers with B.
Ed. or equivalent qualification groups obtained highest mean score
than Instructed by teachers with I. Ed. or equivalent qualification
groups. But its lower limit and the upper limit is positive. Hence, it is
concluded that there was significant difference between the students
of Instructed by teachers with B. Ed. or equivalent qualification groups
is highest than students of Instructed by teachers with I. Ed. or
equivalent qualification groups.

Similarly, the highest mean difference between Group C & B was

7.74. T- Ratio was 5.26 at p = 0.00 which is greater than 0. 05. Its
lower limit is 7.74 and upper limit is 1.47. Both lower limit and the
upper limit are positive. Hence, it is concluded that there was
significant difference between the students of Instructed by teachers
with M. Ed. or equivalent qualification groups is highest than students
of Instructed by teachers with B. Ed. or equivalent qualification groups.
Again shown in the above table, the highest mean difference
between Group C & A was 14.17. T- Ratio was 9.93 at p = 0.00 which is
greater than 0. 05. Its lower limit is 11.36 and upper limit is 16.99.
However, mean score of the students of Instructed by teachers with M.
Ed. or equivalent qualification groups obtained highest mean score
than Instructed by teachers with I. Ed. or equivalent qualification
groups. But its lower limit and the upper limit is positive. Hence, it is
concluded that there was significant difference between the students
of Instructed by teachers with M. Ed. or equivalent qualification groups
is highest than students of Instructed by teachers with I. Ed. or
equivalent qualification groups.
The above findings reveal that the students Instructed by
teachers with M. Ed. or equivalent qualification groups or teachers
having highest degree in mathematics performed significantly better
than lowest degree in mathematics.

Conclusion
This study reveals that teachers' with high qualification is
important to improve student achievement. This study gives a clear
picture of relationship between student achievement and teacher’s
qualification. So, it indicates that the decision makers and schools
administration need to pay attention on appointing mathematics
teachers who posses necessarily appropriate degree in mathematics.

References
1. Best, John W. and James V. Kahn (2000).
Research in Education, New Delhi: Prentice
Hall of India.
2. Garrett, Henry E. (1981). Statistics in
Psychology and Education, New Delhi: Vikas
Publishing House.
3. Joshi, Hemant. (1997). Determinants of
Mathematics Achievement Using Structural
Equation Modeling, Ph. D. Dissertation,
University of Alberta. Published (Pub No:
NQ23000).
4. Lockhed, Marlaine et al. (1988). School
Effects on Student Achievement in Nigeria
and Swaziland (Working Paper), The World
Bank.
5. Shrestha, Prakash Man. (1999).
Achievement Level of Grade Five Students
in Mathematics, Journal of The Mathematics
Education Forum, 1 : 3.
6. Sharma, R. A. (2000). Essentials of Scientific
Behavioral Research, Delhi: Surya
Publication.
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