Teachers’ motivation and its influence on quality assurance in the Nigerian educational system

This paper discussed extensively Teachers’ Motivation and its influence on Quality Assurance in the Nigerian Educational System. The Nigerian educational system like wise the school is an arena which accommodates various resources (both human and material). These human resources including students, teaching and non-teaching staff are inputs that operate within the whims and caprice of this arena. Most essential of these inputs are the teachers that facilitate the teaching – learning process for the achievement of educational goals and outcomes. Given adequate teachers’ motivation will enhance quality instructional delivery, quality output and quality assurance in the school system. Highlighted in the paper are definitions of some terms and the significance of teachers’ motivation and quality assurance to the Nigerian educational system. Different motivational theories were also highlighted in the paper in order to show the nexus between teacher motivation and quality assurance. The paper also analyzedthe educational implications of motivational theories and proffers motivational strategies that guarantee quality assurance in the educational system. Motivational strategies like staff training and development, promotion, salary, remuneration, working conditions, status and participatory decision making, acted as a barrier towards achieving quality assurance in the educational system. Some challenges that negatively influenced teacher motivation and recommendations were also highlighted. Among such recommendations included: government recognition of teachers motivational needs such as promotion, good salaries and remuneration in order to achieve quality assurance; and staff training, retraining and development as one of teachers’ motivational needs/strategies strengthened in order to promote teachers efficiency, productivity and performance forquality outcomes. The importance and purpose of this work is to address these issues as it influences quality assurance in the Nigerian educational system.