Teacher Professionalism and Ethics in Public Secondary Schools in North Central Nigeria: An Empirical Assessment

This study empirically assesses the state of teacher professionalism and ethical practice in public secondary schools in North Central Nigeria, examining dimensions of professional behaviour, ethical conduct, and their relationship to student learning outcomes. Teacher professionalism encompasses commitment to students' welfare, maintenance of competence, adherence to ethical standards, collaborative practice, and engagement with professional communities. In Nigeria's North Central zone, where teacher quality concerns have contributed to poor examination outcomes, understanding the professionalism landscape is practically important. Data were collected from 320 teachers across 25 secondary schools in Niger, Benue, and Plateau States through a structured professionalism and ethics scale covering punctuality, lesson preparation quality, fair student treatment, sexual harassment prevention, and professional community engagement. Student learning outcomes were assessed using examination scores. Principal ratings supplemented self-report data. Structural equation modelling and regression analysis were applied. Results reveal moderate overall professionalism levels, with significant weaknesses in lesson preparation consistency, examination integrity, and professional development engagement. Ethical violations including accepting gifts from students, favouritism in grading, and sexual harassment were reported at concerning frequencies. The study concludes that teacher professionalism deficits are a significant contributor to poor learning outcomes in North Central secondary schools. It recommends that the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria establish a mandatory professional conduct audit system and introduce a professional ethics training module as a condition for annual practice certificate renewal.

Keywords: teacher professionalism, ethics, secondary school, North Central Nigeria, TRCN.