Influence of Instructional Materials on Academic Performance of Business Education Students in Federal Colleges of Education in Benue State

This study investigated the influence of instructional materials on the academic performance of Business Education students in Federal Colleges of Education in Benue State, North Central Nigeria. The availability and effective use of instructional materials are recognized globally as critical determinants of learning quality, yet many teacher education institutions in Nigeria continue to operate under severe resource constraints. This situation is particularly pronounced in the North Central geopolitical zone, where funding challenges limit access to modern teaching aids. The study adopted a descriptive survey design. The population comprised 350 NCE Business Education students in two Federal Colleges of Education in Benue State. Using simple random sampling, 175 students were selected for the study. Data were gathered using a structured questionnaire titled Instructional Materials and Academic Performance Scale, which was validated by subject matter experts. Frequency counts, percentages, and mean scores were used for data analysis. The findings indicate that schools with adequate instructional materials, including projectors, business simulation tools, and updated textbooks, recorded higher student performance in core Business Education courses. Teachers ability to improvise materials was also found to have a positive effect on student outcomes. The study recommends that the Federal Government and relevant agencies should prioritize instructional material provisioning in Colleges of Education under the Universal Basic Education Commission intervention programmes. Keywords: instructional materials, academic performance, business education, colleges of education, Benue State