INFLUENCE OF RESOURCE AVAILABILITY ON TEACHERS’ JOB PERFORMANCE IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION

The success or failure of any nation’s educational system depends on the quality and quantity of resources made available to it. Resources are used directly and indirectly for supporting, facilitating, influencing or encouraging knowledge transmission or acquisition, competence and skills. Presently, there has been serious agitation from stakeholders in Nigerian educational sector on the need to look into the factors that could influence performance of early childhood school teachers in Kwara State. Therefore, this study investigated the influence of resource availability on teachers’ job performance in early childhood schools. It was discovered that television sets, DVD and cartoon CD, beds/ baby cots, electricity supply and fans were unavailable while resources such as play toys, nursery books, classrooms, chairs, tables, chalkboard, crayons, wash bowl and wall chart were available in all the sampled schools. The study also revealed that resource availability had a positive significant relationship with teachers’ job performance in early childhood schools. It was recommended among others: that government and Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) should donate generously to make resources available for early childhood classes; and resource supply should be periodically evaluated by the Ministry of Education and State Universal Basic Education Board.