Teacher Professional Development Programmes and Urban Nigerian Students’ Academic Achievement: A Mixed Methods Study Over Three Years

Urban Nigerian schools face significant challenges in achieving academic excellence due to a lack of well-trained teachers and underfunded educational resources. The study employed mixed methods including quantitative assessments of standardised test scores alongside qualitative interviews with students and teachers to explore programme effectiveness in urban settings. A notable increase of 20% in mathematics scores among participating students compared to a control group, reflecting the positive influence of targeted teacher training programmes on student achievement. Teacher professional development significantly enhances academic performance in Nigerian schools, with particular benefits for underperforming urban students. Continued investment in comprehensive teacher education and support strategies is recommended to sustain these improvements and further improve educational outcomes. teacher development, student achievement, mixed methods study, urban Nigeria