Effectiveness of Teachers Training Program in Enhancing Teaching Competence of Public Primary School Teachers in Ilemela Municipality, Tanzania

Abstract

The study aims to investigate the Effectiveness of Teachers Training Program in Enhancing Teaching Competence of Public Primary School Teachers in Ilemela Municipality, Tanzania. The problem of this study was answered by the one research questions; TCPD training programs in enhancing teaching competence. The study was guided by the Social Cognitive Theory. The current study employed convergent design under mixed research methods approach. The target population consisted of various stakeholders, including 81 public primary schools, 1,047 teachers, 19 Ward Education Officers, 81 head teachers, and 8 District quality assurers making total number of 1155 population. The sample size for the current study consisted of 16 public primary schools, 192 teachers, 16 head teachers, 6 Ward Education Officers (WEO), and 2 District School Quality Assurers (DSQA), totaling 216 respondents. Questionnaires, interview guides, and document analysis guides were used to collect data from respondents. Data collection instruments were validated by MWECAU research experts. A pilot study was conducted in two public primary schools. The reliability of questionnaires for Likert-type items was estimated using Cronbach's Alpha Coefficient whereby r= 0.889 for teachers while that of qualitative established through peer debriefing and triangulation. The study adhered to ethical considerations throughout the research process. Descriptive statistics were analyzed quantitative data using SPSS version 26. Qualitative data was analyzed thematically. The study found that the TCPD is highly effective in improving teaching competence through focused training on classroom management, instructional design, differentiated instruction, student engagement, and technology integration significantly improved their teaching skills. The study concluded that Continuing Professional Development (CPD) effectively Enhanced Teaching Competence of Public Primary School Teachers in Ilemela Municipality to the high extent. The study recommended that a similar training program should be implemented regularly to equip teachers with up-date skills and knowledge.