The Influence of Teachers’ Competence on Academic Performance in Mathematics of Upper Primary Pupils in Uganda

  • Unique Paper ID: 204714
  • Volume: 13
  • Issue: 1
  • PageNo: 4033-4044
  • Abstract:
  • This study examined the influence of teachers’ competence on the academic performance of upper primary pupils in Mathematics in Nkozi Sub-County, Mawokota County, Mpigi District, Uganda. Specifically, it investigated the effects of teachers’ educational qualifications, teaching experience, and pedagogical skills on pupils’ Mathematics achievement, as well as factors affecting teacher competence. A parallel mixed-methods descriptive design was employed. Data were collected from a sample of 439 representative participants selected from a target population of 1,449 using purposive, stratified, and simple random sampling techniques. The study used Survey, interviews, focus group discussions as methods of data collection. Qualitative and Quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS, while qualitative data were analyzed thematically. The findings revealed those teachers’ educational qualifications, teaching experience, and instructional skills significantly influenced pupils’ academic performance in Mathematics. Pupils taught by qualified and experienced teachers generally achieved better learning outcomes. The study also identified inadequate instructional materials, ineffective teaching methods, limited professional development opportunities, unconducive school environments, and insufficient supervision as key factors constraining teacher competence. The study concludes that teacher competence is a critical determinant of Mathematics achievement among upper primary pupils. It recommends continuous professional development, adequate provision of teaching resources, strengthened instructional supervision, and enhanced teacher capacity-building initiatives to improve learning outcomes and educational quality.

Copyright & License

Copyright © 2026 Authors retain the copyright of this article. This article is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

BibTeX

@article{204714,
        author = {Henry Omara and Assoc. Prof. Mark Kiiza},
        title = {The Influence of Teachers’ Competence on Academic Performance in Mathematics of Upper Primary Pupils in Uganda},
        journal = {International Journal of Innovative Research in Technology},
        year = {2026},
        volume = {13},
        number = {1},
        pages = {4033-4044},
        issn = {2349-6002},
        url = {https://ijirt.org/article?manuscript=204714},
        abstract = {This study examined the influence of teachers’ competence on the academic performance of upper primary pupils in Mathematics in Nkozi Sub-County, Mawokota County, Mpigi District, Uganda. Specifically, it investigated the effects of teachers’ educational qualifications, teaching experience, and pedagogical skills on pupils’ Mathematics achievement, as well as factors affecting teacher competence. A parallel mixed-methods descriptive design was employed. Data were collected from a sample of 439 representative participants selected from a target population of 1,449 using purposive, stratified, and simple random sampling techniques. The study used Survey, interviews, focus group discussions as methods of data collection. Qualitative and Quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS, while qualitative data were analyzed thematically. The findings revealed those teachers’ educational qualifications, teaching experience, and instructional skills significantly influenced pupils’ academic performance in Mathematics. Pupils taught by qualified and experienced teachers generally achieved better learning outcomes. The study also identified inadequate instructional materials, ineffective teaching methods, limited professional development opportunities, unconducive school environments, and insufficient supervision as key factors constraining teacher competence. The study concludes that teacher competence is a critical determinant of Mathematics achievement among upper primary pupils. It recommends continuous professional development, adequate provision of teaching resources, strengthened instructional supervision, and enhanced teacher capacity-building initiatives to improve learning outcomes and educational quality.},
        keywords = {Teacher Competence, Mathematics Performance, Teacher Qualifications, Teaching Experience.},
        month = {June},
        }

Cite This Article

Omara, H., & Kiiza, A. P. M. (2026). The Influence of Teachers’ Competence on Academic Performance in Mathematics of Upper Primary Pupils in Uganda. International Journal of Innovative Research in Technology (IJIRT). https://doi.org/doi.org/10.64643/IJIRTV13I1-204714-459

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