PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS' PERCEPTION OF INSECURITY AND POVERTY IN NIGERIA: IMPLICATIONS FOR SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, MATHEMATICS (STM) EDUCATION

Abstract

The United Nations, at its general assembly in September 2015, adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Several of the agenda items address poverty and insecurity because of their interconnectedness. However, Nigeria faces challenges in these two areas, which also have far-reaching effects on its Education. Hence, this study investigated pre-service teachers' perceptions of insecurity and poverty in Nigeria and explored the implications for STM Education. A mixed-methods approach of both quantitative and qualitative data collection methods with a valid and reliable instrument, the Perception of Insecurity and Poverty Scale on Pre-Service Teachers (PISPST; Cronbach's alpha, á=0.84), was adopted. The instrument was administered to 300 Pre-service teachers in science, mathematics, and technology departments in a first-generation Nigerian university, followed by a focus group discussion with 20 purposively selected participants The results showed that pre-service teachers perceived insecurity and poverty as significant challenges affecting the quality of education in Nigeria. They also identified inadequate infrastructure, lack of access to quality educational resources, and insufficient teacher training as major inhibitions to effective STM Education. Additionally, the study revealed preservice teachers' perception, as they posited that insecurity and poverty were responsible for the decrease in student enrolment in schools, an increase in students' dropout rates, and ultimately a reduction in academic performance in STM subjects. Based on the findings of this study, policymakers and stakeholders must invest in improving educational infrastructure, providing access to quality resources, and ensuring teachers' safety and well-being.