Abstract:

This study looked at quality assurance as a means of enhancing learning and performance of students of secondary schools in South-East, Nigeria. Three research questions and hypotheses were posed to guide the study. The study adopted a descriptive survey design. The population included all the 17,560 teachers of the 978 public secondary schools in South-East, Nigeria from which a sample size of 3500 teachers was selected using stratified random sampling technique. This represents 20% of the total population. The instrument used for this study was Questionnaire tagged “Quality assurance for enhancing learning and performance of students’ questionnaire (QAELPSQ)”. The instrument was validated and the reliability determined at 0.86 using test-retest method. Mean and standard deviation were used as the statistical tools to answer the research questions, while z-test was used to test the hypotheses. The findings of the study revealed that the Infrastructural facilities enhance the academic performance of students by improving the quality of learning, energizing and enabling the achievement of school set objectives, making teaching and learning clearer, promoting the understanding of the subject matter, improving skills and knowledge among students, creating a greater chance of continuing success in students’ achievement, and bridging the gap between teaching and learning. Quality teaching enhances the academic performance of students to a great extent by preparing students for further education, an input for productive processes within an economy, production of quality graduates, helping students demonstrate respect for knowledge, allowing students use information to construct new concepts and create new understanding, empowering students to get employment after graduation, and helping students communicate effectively in their subject areas. School climate enhances the academic performance of students by promoting good working relationships in the school, maintaining a safe and healthy learning and working environment for students, improving cooperative learning among students, promoting teaching and learning understanding, enabling research and development, promoting skills, knowledge and attitude among students, and promoting social networking among students. Based on the findings, recommendations were made.

Keywords:

Quality assurance, learning, students’ performance, secondary schools, Nigeria.