Perceptions of teachers on impacts of traditional practices on educational achievement among children in North-eastern Nigeria

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between traditional practices, beliefs, and perceptions on the educational achievement among children in the North-eastern Nigeria. Basically, the need for a new approach to study educational achievement of children is imperative. The study has explored the scholarly literature on the educational achievement of children by mixed methods design. Data were collected by the questionnaire filled and returned by 332 respondents- primary and secondary school teachers from 4 of the 6 Northeastern states. Data were analysed using window version 20 of the SPSS (Statistical Package Social Science); in-depth interviews with 20 persons from different backgrounds (education managers of public primary and secondary schools). The target group of the study was children in primary and junior secondary schools from 7-14 years of age; the informants were traditional stakeholders, medical personnel, and academics. The data from the interview in the qualitative section were thematically analysed by the use ofNVivo 10. The results indicated that parental perceptions (AE), and Positive effect of school environment (PESCE) have a significant relationship with EA (Educational Achievement) of children d; Cultural beliefs (CB) has negative relationship with EA. The study has a new perspective contribution to the entire perspectives of how traditional practices, beliefs, and perceptions influence the educational achievement of children To effectively manage the educational achievement of children, the study proposed a model as a guide to understanding and solving the problems of education in Nigeria. The study is practically imperative to be utilized among policy makers to investigate the relationship between traditional practices, perceptions, beliefs and the educational achievement of children. Methodologically, the study contributed to knowledge filling gap in studying beliefs, perceptions, traditional practices and educational achievement of children in Nigeria. Theoretically, the study contributed immensely to knowledge on the literature on the educational achievement of children with women in the North-east Nigeria.