TEACHERS’ SHORTAGES, RECRUITMENT QUALITY EDUCATORS’ AND STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN ILORIN SOUTH, KWARA STATE

This study investigates the impact of teacher shortages and the recruitment of quality educators on students' academic performance in public secondary schools in Ilorin South, Kwara State. Grounded in systems theory, the research views education as an interconnected system where inputs, particularly qualified teachers, directly affect outputs such as student performance. A descriptive survey design was adopted, targeting teachers and students from 14 randomly selected public secondary schools in the LGA. A total of 367 valid responses (145 teachers and 222 students) were analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics, including Pearson correlation and linear regression. Findings revealed a significant shortage of qualified teachers across core subjects, leading to increased class sizes, multitasking among teachers, and diminished instructional quality. The study also identified ineffective recruitment strategies, influenced by political interference and lack of merit-based recruitment, as major obstacles to attracting competent educators. Furthermore, teacher quality, including qualifications, teaching style, and continuous professional development was found to have a strong positive correlation with student academic achievement. The study recommends the implementation of transparent, merit-based recruitment policies, enhanced teacher training programs, and incentives to attract and retain educators, particularly in underserved areas. These findings have broad implications for educational policy, school administration, and national development efforts aimed at improving the quality of public education in Nigeria.