IOSR Journal Of Humanities And Social Science (IOSR-JHSS) Volume 16, Issue 6 (Nov. - Dec. 2013), PP 47-52 e-ISSN: 2279-0837, p-ISSN: 2279-0845. www.Iosrjournals.Org www.iosrjournals.org 47 | Page The Attitude of Non-Education Lecturers to Education Students: Implication for Students’ Academic Performance Felicia I. Ofoegbu and Jennifer J. Agbaire Department of Educational Studies and Management, Faculty of Education, University of Benin, Benin city Abstract: Trainee teachers in Nigerian universities are generally required to undergo training not only in the theories, principles and practice of education but also in the content of their subject areas. Training in the latter often covers a large part of the entire programme and is usually offered by ‘servicing’ faculties such as Arts/Humanities, Sciences and Social Sciences depending on students’ area of specialization. The academic performance of university trainee teachers especially in courses received from servicing faculties has been observed to be poor, and the attitude of lecturers in servicing faculties has been cited as a major contributing factor. This paper is a study of the attitude of non-education lecturers to Faculty of Education students in the University of Benin, Nigeria, and the effects on the students’ academic performance. An Instrument titled Lecturers’ Attitude and the Effects on Students Questionnaire (LAESQ) was administered to a sample of two hundred (200) students. Findings from the study indicate that: the attitude of non-education lecturers to education students is negative and biased; the lecturers’ attitude is not significantly difference between the lecturers in the servicing faculties and lecturers’ gender; students’ academic performance is adversely and significantly affected by the lecturers’ attitude. Several recommendations were made based on the findings. Keywords: Attitude, Non-Education Lecturers, , Students’ Performance, Trainee Teachers I. Introduction The concept of education as the foundation of individual and national advancement has been expounded by several authors (Akinbote, 2007; Saint, Hartnett & Strassner, 2003; Nwagwu, 1976; Fafunwa, 1968). The African continent in general and Nigeria in particular, have come to view education as the key to constructive social change in the direction of cultural dynamism, economic progress, political stability and technological advancement. Hence it has been adopted as an instrument per excellence for human empowerment and national development (FRN, 2004). Since the attainment of political independence, Nigeria has strived to improve her educational system with a view to making it effective enough to achieve laid down national goals and objectives. In this regard however, many have widely acknowledged that no educational system can rise above the quality of its personnel, particularly its teachers. In fact, to Fafunwa (1967) and Afe (1995), the education of the teacher should be regarded as the bedrock for national development. This in the first place, justifies why Education exists as a discipline in Nigerian tertiary institutions. Many lecturers and students of education believe that the prejudice for education students by lecturers in the „servicing‟ departments is real and militates against the students‟ good performance in the subject areas concerned. This should be a matter of considerable interest that would need in-depth analysis to confirm this impression which has been created over time whereby education students are generally considered as material inferior to their counterparts directly admitted to the departments concerned. In the light of the foregoing, the study attempts to find out whether the attitude of non-education lecturers has any effect on the academic performance of education students. For several centuries, formal education has been carried out by individuals who acted as teachers. Hence Aregbeyen (2010) states that the role of teachers in the transmission of knowledge and skills is generally accepted and recognized. Consequently, Faculties, Institutes and Colleges of Education across the country have the onus of equipping students (potential teachers) with the theoretical knowledge, practical experience and other competences necessary to make them qualified teachers, educational managers and guidance counselors with a view to producing such calibre of personnel who are capable of improving the educational system. If indeed education is the instrument for all-round development and the teacher is the pivot of the educational system, it doubtlessly follows that the task of a teacher or any educational personnel is an enormous one. There is no gainsaying the fact therefore that training to be one is definitely not a “walk in the park”. Nevertheless, it has been observed that Education as a discipline and the students of Education are often not at the receiving end of positive reactions, perceptions and attitude. This can be traced to several factors ranging from the state of low esteem of the teaching profession in Nigeria to the low demand and regard for Education courses in comparison with courses in other faculties mainly due to ignorance or naivety on the part of the stakeholders.