Teachers’ Preparedness for Managing Students with Emotional and Behavioural Disorders in Public Secondary Schools in Plateau State

This study assesses the preparedness of teachers to manage students with emotional and behavioural disorders in public secondary schools in Plateau State, North Central Nigeria. Emotional and behavioural disorders, encompassing conditions such as oppositional defiant disorder, conduct disorder, and anxiety-related difficulties, frequently disrupt classroom learning and place significant demands on teacher competence. In many Nigerian states, these students are often misidentified as disciplinary problems rather than receiving appropriate educational intervention, leading to suspension, expulsion, or school dropout. Adopting a descriptive survey design, the study samples two hundred teachers from public secondary schools across Jos North, Jos South, and Barkin Ladi Local Government Areas. Instruments include a teacher preparedness inventory measuring knowledge, skills, and confidence in managing behavioural challenges. Data are analysed using mean scores and standard deviations, with t-tests exploring gender-based differences in preparedness levels. The study also examines the availability of guidance counsellors and school psychologists as support resources for teachers. Findings are expected to reveal widespread unpreparedness and a near-total absence of formal training in behavioural intervention strategies. Recommendations include the revision of teacher education curricula in Plateau State Colleges of Education to include modules on behavioural disorder management, and the deployment of school counsellors to all public secondary schools in the state. Keywords: emotional disorders, behavioural disorders, teacher preparedness, Plateau State, secondary schools.