Analysis of Student-to-Teacher Ratio and Its Effect on Academic Performance in Secondary Schools in Taraba State

Student-to-teacher ratio is a widely used indicator of educational quality, and its statistical relationship with academic performance outcomes in Taraba State secondary schools, North East Nigeria, has not been quantified using school-level administrative data. This study analyses the relationship between student-to-teacher ratio and academic performance in secondary schools in Taraba State. Administrative data on student-to-teacher ratios and school-level West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) pass rates were obtained for 80 secondary schools across Jalingo, Zing, and Takum LGAs for the period 2019 to 2022. Descriptive statistics characterised ratio distributions and WASSCE performance. Pearson correlation and simple linear regression examined the ratio-performance relationship. Partial correlations controlled for school type (public vs private) and urban-rural location. The mean student-to-teacher ratio was 48:1, well above the recommended 35:1, with rural public schools averaging 61:1. WASSCE five-credit pass rate averaged 44 percent across all schools. Pearson correlation between ratio and WASSCE pass rate was -0.61 (p < 0.001). Regression showed each 10-unit increase in student-to-teacher ratio was associated with a 5.8 percentage point reduction in pass rate (R-squared = 0.37). The negative effect was stronger in public schools than private schools in partial correlation analysis. The study recommends teacher recruitment targeted at Taraba State rural public schools to reduce student-to-teacher ratios and improve examination outcomes. Keywords: student-teacher ratio, academic performance, secondary school, Taraba State, regression analysis