Abstract

Business Education teachers play a pivotal role in developing entrepreneurial competencies, vocational skills and employability attributes among secondary school students. However, concerns over declining teacher productivity continue to undermine the quality of Business Education delivery in many Nigerian secondary schools. This study analysed strategies for improving the work productivity of Business Education teachers in secondary schools in Edo State, Nigeria. The study was guided by three research questions and three null hypotheses. An ex post facto research design was adopted. The population comprised 133 Business Education teachers in public senior secondary schools across the three senatorial districts of Edo State. Owing to the manageable size of the population, the entire population was studied. Data were collected using a researcher-developed instrument titled Business Education Teachers Questionnaire (BETQ). The instrument was validated by experts in Business Education and Measurement and Evaluation, while its reliability was established using Cronbach's alpha coefficients of 0.82, 0.81 and 0.72 for the three clusters, with an overall reliability coefficient of 0.93. Mean and standard deviation were used to answer the research questions, whereas independent-samples t-test was employed to test the hypotheses at the 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed that motivational strategies such as competitive salaries, annual salary increments, fringe benefits, job security, timely promotion and participation in organisational decision-making significantly enhance teachers' productivity. Regular professional development programmes and a supportive work environment were also identified as critical determinants of improved performance. Furthermore, the hypothesis tests indicated no statistically significant difference between the mean responses of male and female Business Education teachers regarding motivation, training programmes and work atmosphere as strategies for enhancing productivity. The study concludes that sustained teacher motivation, continuous professional development and conducive working conditions are indispensable for improving the productivity of Business Education teachers in secondary schools. It recommends the institutionalisation of continuous Information and Communication Technology (ICT)-based professional development programmes, improved teacher welfare packages and increased investment in instructional facilities to enhance the quality of Business Education in Nigeria.