In-service training opportunities among secondary school teachers in private schools.
Date
2011-04-19
Authors
Banda, Noah Hamlet
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Abstract
In-service Training (INSET) opportunities among secondary
school teachers in Private Schools.
This study investigated the availability of INSET opportunities among teachers in
private secondary schools in Zambia (2001). Ten schools, five from Lusaka and
the other five from Copperbelt Province were randomly selected for investigation
in 2001. The instruments used in data collection included a structured
questionnaire and semi-structured interview guide. The collected data provided
both quantitative and qualitative information.The method called (SPSS) was employed to analyse the quantitative data. The
data was presented in form of tables, percentages, graphs, and charts.
Qualitative data from interviews was coded and emerging themes were grouped
into categories using constant comparative analysis technique. The themes and
categories of the initial data were compared with those in subsequent interviews. Then the categories were regrouped to get the most significant categories and
themes. The tables, percentages, graphs and charts were used to test the
following four major propositions:
(a) Availability of INSET among secondary school teachers in private schools.
(b) Factors that influence INSET provision to teachers in private schools.
(c) Problems faced by teachers and school authorities regarding INSET participation.(d) Views of teachers, proprietors and Ministry of Education regarding current
provision of INSET among teachers in private schools.
The findings of the study revealed that there was inadequate INSET opportunities among secondary school teachers in private schools. The major
cause of this was inadequate support from school administration and poor
conditions of service. The other factors revealed by the study were inadequate
financial resources, poor co-ordination between Ministry of Education and private
schools, ir. ,dequate time for INSET and non-availability of IN?n.T information.
Other findings were that in spite of government's concern on INSET provision to
all those involved in education, the National Education Policies have not been as
effectively implemented as to enable the Ministry of Education achieve all INSET
goals. The 1996 education policy in Zambia revealed that the Ministry of
Education would provide INSET to teachers of private schools but there were no
guidelines to be followed by both private schools and the Ministry of Education.
Furthermore, the study showed that the majority of teachers in private schools
were in need of in-service training.
The response from teachers revealed that they were unable to enroll in some
high institutions of learning because INSET programmes were usually carried out
during school days and that there were no provisions for evening classes on
INSET for teachers. The study also revealed that the majority of teachers have
not been exposed to INSET whilst serving in private schools.Since a large number of teachers in private schools have not been exposed to
INSET and are interested in INSET, it can be said that private school
administrations should start to support INSET for their teachers and that the
Ministry of Education should extend their INSET provisions to teachers in private
schools.
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Keywords
Teachers -- In-Service Training -- Zambia , Private schools -- Zambia