CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

          This study relates to issues of professional autonomy and identify professional autonomy in teaching is suggestive of total involvement of education experts. Professional associates in all matters related to the education of the people often, people with little or no knowledge of professional training and competence are assigned positions of authority to dedicate how educational policies in Nigeria should be run.

        Factors influencing choice of teaching as a career, journal of educational research association vol. No. 1, University of Benin says teaching as a career is not seen as an entity but a loose confederation group of major components performing certain task often with practically no coordination among professional members. At the moment, a male student of College of Education, Ekiadolor wants to take teaching as a career but there are factors influencing it.

        Many people assume instructional responsibility without ever having acquired basic professional training or training from any of the professional schools, among education students, many having not meditated seriously on their genuine reasons for wanting to become a teacher. Many education teachers view their professional preparation or teaching as a meal ticket or as stepping stone some students into teaching just because they feel they lack competence and intelligence to read lucrative course like medicine, law and engineering. Teaching will only become a career preparation as last resort.

        Some education students have the attitudes and perception of teaching as a profession, as a dumping group for less intelligent people and they also see it as a stepping stone towards better occupation. This set of people lack dedication, respect for the value and objectives of teaching and this constitute a stumbling block in the channeling of ideas for authentic or genuine career development. Many of the teachers in Nigeria today and the education students in the career will not publicly declare that teachers making this lead to the factors influencing choice of teaching as a career identity among teacher among male students of College of Education Ekiadolor.

        An investigation into the factors that motivate people to have choice of teaching as a career will help to correct some of the erroneous view people are help to confirm or refute some of the criticism against teaching as a career in the decision of what career to choose, several motivating factors can be summed up as:

1. The employment situation in the country, that is a situation that many influence people to choose a job of which they do not have the natural inclination.
2. The second reason that may motivate people to choose a particular career is the nature of the job itself. The job, which may give plenty of free time after the days work.
3. The remuneration given to the particular job attracts or discourages people to take up the job.

According to Afe (2002) becoming a teacher is with obstacles and problems from the time deciding to become a teacher. There is a factor influencing teaching as a career, according to Awake (2002) summering the teacher’s job is a thankless job as far as income is concerned. His pay has always been below the standard minimum. The salary is so poor that it is hardly sufficiently bills. This includes his accommodation, feeding, medical and clothing and transportation.

STATEMENT OF PROBLEMS

        The objective was to have an insight into the factors influencing the choice of teaching as a career among male students of the College of Education Ekiadolor. The problems to be studied are poor salary, inadequate relevant text books, inadequate teaching aids and lack of guidance and counselling. I am attempted to suggest solutions to the problem, the following questions would therefore serve as a guide to the study of determine which factors influence choice of teaching as a career.

1. Does poor salary influence teaching as a career?
2. Does inadequate relevant textbooks influence teaching as a career?
3. Do inadequate teaching aids influence the choice of teaching as a career?
4.  Does lack of guidance and counselling influence choice of teaching as a career?
5. Does student’s attitude influence the choice of teaching as a career?

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

        The main purpose of this study is to find out the factors influencing choice of teaching as a career among male students in College of Education Ekiadolor. The factors include:

1. Poor salary
2. Inadequate relevant textbooks
3. Inadequate teaching aids
4. Lack of guidance and counselling
5. Student’s attitude towards teaching

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

        The significance of this study is to make the government and supporters of education to invest more on materials resource and finance in teaching line. That is for those that want things will make them have the choice to make teaching as a career.

RESEARCH QUESTIONS

          In an attempt to find solution to the problems stated above the following research questions were formulated.

1. Is it because teachers’ salaries are not paid regularly that made you shy away from making teaching as your career?
2. Does guidance and counselling influence teaching as your choice of career?
3. Is your choice teaching as a career influenced by inadequate textbooks?
4. Will inadequate teaching aids influence the choice of your teaching as a career?
5. Do you have value and interest for teaching as your career?
6. Your choice of teaching as career influenced by the environment in which you live?

DEFINITION OF TERMS

In order to make the study clear and precise, the following terms are given operational definition:

Choice: an act of choosing

Career: this means the choice of occupation

Constraint: this means a thing that limits or restricts

Fraguat: this means unpleasant