ABSTRACT
This study examines the Influence of Training Programmes on the Job
Performance of Senior
Secondary
School Teacher in Niger State, Nigeria. To guide the study, five (5) objectives
were
formulated which includes; assess the influence of workshop programmeson
teachers
job
performance in Niger state, and determine the influence of seminar programmes
on
teachers
job performance. In line with the stated objectives, five (5) research
questions, five
(5)
null hypotheses and five (5) basic assumptions were raised for the study.
Relevant and
related
literatures were reviewed. Descriptive research design was used for the study
on the
total
population of9222 made up of 387 principal, 8613 teachers and 222 supervisors.
The
Research
Advisors (2006) and multi-stage sampling technique was adopted to achieve the
sample
size for the study with the total number of 363 made up of 45 principal, 293
teachers
and
25 supervisors. A self-developed questionnaire which comprised of fifty six
(50)
structured
item statements were modified on a five (5) point Likert scale which was used
to
collect
data from the respondents, the instrument was validated by the researcher‟s
supervisors.
Pilot study was conducted in schools to ascertain the reliability and a
reliability
coefficient
of 0.82 was obtained. Bio-data collected for the study were analyzed through
the
use
of inferential statistics of frequency and sample percentage, weighted mean
otherwise
known
as decision mean was used to answer the five (5) research questions while
descriptive
statistics
of one way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) statistical tool was used to test the
five
(5)
hypotheses postulated for this study at0.5 level of significance. The finding
of the study
revealed
that training programmes play vital roles in enhancing the performance of
teachers
in
Niger state secondary schools. It was concluded therefore that, teachers who
participated in
various
medium of training on the job tend to be more abreast with current and
innovative
skills
in teaching. Hence the study recommended that, as much as possible, teachers
should
be
availed the opportunity to attend at least a training programme on different
areas of
teachers
performance indices such as; training in classroom management, record keeping,
content
knowledge, methodology of teaching etc. annually. This will help keep them
abreast
of
current techniques and innovations in teaching
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study
To assert that teaching is the oldest profession in the modern Nigeria
should attract little or
no
controversy both in non-formal and formal setting. Against the modernist
theorists
depictingwesternization
of Africans as the mark of real development, an average African trained
her
wards ever before the advent of colonialism. From a personal point of view,
colonialism
process
only tinkered with the normal course of African educational process.
More
so, the rise of modern teaching profession in Nigeria coincides with the coming
of
Christian
missionaries who held tenaciously to the belief that proper Christianization of
African
hinges
on impartation of western education. The colonialist intervention in Education
was
regulatory
in nature through the issuance of ordinance, and progressively establishment of
government
schools. Consequently the sprang of schools, both by the missionaries and the
colonial
government necessitated the establishment of training schools where prospective
teachers were taught in the science of teaching and learning (Osuji, 2009)
In
retrospect, the majority of teachers employed by the missionaries and colonial
government were considered untrained. The issue was a prominent focus of Ashby
Commission report on
Investment
in Higher Education in 1959. Lord Ashby – an educator per excellence and one
time
Vice
Chancellor of Cambridge observed that; “the quality of teachers at the primary
and secondary level is poor and great majority of teachers have neither enough
general education to qualify themto teach, nor adequate professional training”.
The situation was very critical during the missionary era. Pupils in higher
classes were used to train pupils in lower classes in the same school. The senior
ones were taught in the morning while the senior turned to junior ones from
noon till closing hours (Ajibola 2008).
With more commitment from the government, and pursuant to implementation of
Ashby report, the country witnessed a substantial improvement in training and focus
on professionalism
Teacher
as one of the most important inputs in the education system shapes the
direction andinfluences to a great extent other educational inputs to achieve
goals and objectives as indicated in
the National Education Policy (1998-2010, p. 47), that “the teacher is
considered the most crucial
factor in implementing all instructional reforms at the grassroots level”. It
is a fact that the
academic qualifications, knowledge of the subject matter, competence and skills
of teaching and the commitment of the
teacher have impact on the teaching-learning process. Since thequality of educational outcomes depends to a
great extent on the quality of teachers, the extent of their performance depend
on the quality and quantity of the training they received. In recognition of
this enormous role that the teacher plays, Ukeje (2007) observed that the power toheal or kill, build up or tear apart depends
particularly much on the teacher who is the hub of the educationprocess.
Furthermore,
teacher performance seems to be a nagging issue in education. Several
researchers
pointed
to the low quality of teachers (Adeyemi,2011), This could be attributed tomany
factors and could also have adverse effects on students‟ performance which is
one of the outcomes of teacher performance. Performance in the words of
Vipinosa(2015) is the result of the efforts exerted and the resources utilized.
It can be measured as a ratio of output to input. Inthe context of school system,
Ajayi and Afolabi(2012) observed that performance is measured in terms of both efficiency
and effectiveness of teachers‟ job practices,
However,
many factors are responsible for shaping the quality of teachers, trainingprogramme
being
an integral part of the education system, has greatly expanded and will expand
further for catering to the fast emerging needs of the country
educational system. According to Lawal (2004)
teacher
training is an important aspect of education process that deals with the art of
acquiring new skills in the
teachingprofession.
Training
according to Ezeani and Oladele (2013) involves the development of specific
skills and
attitudes
needed to perform a particular job or series of jobs tomaximize the
productivity of
theindividual
and improve the overall organizational efficiency. They contended further that,
it is a form of assistance or coaching, given to an employee to help him have
current knowledge of the job content, scope and maintain optimum performance
within the organization. This is essential especially with the frequent policy
changes in education and also in the evolving newknowledge and technology based
society. Training teachers can help them reduce mistakes and improveinnovations
in the teaching profession.
Teachers
are different with respect to their attitudes and respond to emerging realities
in teaching; Hammond (2000) observed that organizers of training programmes are
usually faced with five major tasks in preparing new teachers or helping
experienced teachers become better. These tasks are; determining the curriculum
content of teacher training program, methods to use in conducting the training
program, motivating teachers to learn, assessing teachers' learning, and
dealing with individual differences among teachers. That is why teacher
training programmes often include imparting knowledge about content and skills
in instruction, classroom management, assessment, and developing teacher
knowledge and skill.
According
to Asu (2004, p.15) there are several outcome areas that are potentially
affected by
teacher
training programmes. These include: 1. Teacher knowledge,
2.
Teacher records keeping,
3.
Teaching methodology and techniques
4.
Classroom management, and
5.
Student discipline.
Teacher
training is broadly categorized into; pre-service and in-service program,
according to
Beardwell
and Holdin (1994), pre-service is the training provided before employment of
teachers
and
is generally a pre requisite for it. It is aimed at the professional growth of
teacher and is
planned
in such a way that it Leads to the development of a positive attitude towards
education and towards
improving their performance in terms of better teaching.
Since
unarguably it appears the training received in teacher institutions has little
or no relevance
with
thepractice in schools. There is, therefore, the need to address this mismatch
through
continuous
training programme such as conferences, workshops, seminars and symposium etc.
This
enables teachers to be abreastwith the changes in the field of education
orchestrated by
modern
technology.Kamau (2011).asserts that, the purpose of continuous training
according to
Musset
(2010) is to update, develop andbroaden the knowledge that teachers had
acquired during
the
initial teacher education and/or provide them withnew skills and professional
understanding.
Regardless
of the training type or method adopted the important thing is for the teacher
to be better equipped in instructional performance.Olagboye (1999) indicated
that in order to meet the
challenging
demand of teaching occasioned by innovation and development in teaching
practice,
teachers
must be availed the opportunity to constant training in addition to their
background
teachers
education.
Generally
speaking, training improves the effectiveness of teachers. In the words ofNgala
and
Odebero
(2010) training is seen as a vehicle to improve on teachers
teachingeffectiveness. They
further
noted that teachers getting involved in training program, particularlypursing
higher
education
and training motivate them into taking their teaching roles more seriously.
However,Feiman-Nemser(2007)
noted that despite the benefits associated with training of
secondary
school teachers, it is to a large extent neglected. Even at that, teachers
express astrong
desire
for such professional development. The benefit of training to both the teacher
and the
educational
system cannot be over stated.Oyitso&Olomokor (2012) revealed that training
brings
greaterconfidence
on workers, enriched employee knowledge and increased performance skills,
creates
greaterefficiency and effectiveness and leads to higher productivity.
From
the above discussion, one can infer that continuous training of teachers have
become
imperative
in the face of new development since changes in the field of education has
become
more
frequent thanever before. For teachers to remain relevant and productive in the
face of these changes,
their training must be pursued with renewed vigour. This is because educational
concepts, content, classroom management skills and teachingmethodologies keep
changing with time. These changes impact on both educational delivery and
outcomes.
1.2.
Statement of the Problem
The education system is plagued by a myriad of problems – low performance
on the part of
teachers
resulting in poor students‟ academic performance and decline of quality of
education in
general
to mention but a few.There is a school of thought that believes that, these
problems are
associated
with inability of available training programmes to address teacher performance
needs.
Although,
government at various levels provides training opportunities for teachers in
secondary
schools,
the extent at which they have been effective in improving teachers‟ job
performance is a
major
concern. For instance, Niger state government through its education Board and
ministry
conduct
continuous training programmes for both new and old teachers. There is yet
indication that the quality of teachersleave much room to be desired
going by student performance in external
examination.
Lawal (2004) asserts that most of these training programmes are either poorly managed
or ineffective at improving the performance of teachers.
It
is believed that teachers‟ performance will be generally enhanced and
thequality of educational outcomes improvedwhen training programmesare tailored
towards equipping teachers with current techniques in specific performance
indicators such as; teaching methodology, classroom management, records
keeping, improved usage of instructional materials and teachers‟ knowledge of
subject matter thereby improving the available medium for teachers‟ continuous
training.
However,
as it is evident that training programmes givestrength or vigor to the
efficiency and
output
of the already employed and new teacher. It is of high value regarding the
achievement of
the
educational objectives in a way that it‟s familiarizes teachers with the
techniques to implement educational plans and programmes.
Nevertheless,
the need to examine policies and contexts that support the implementation of
effective
professional learning opportunities for teachers is also a bone of concern in
Nigeria, after many years of neglect. Reports and studies in the past have
shown institutional inadequacies in the trajectory of teacher growth and
development. However, there is a growing attention towards teacher professional
growth and development efforts in the country‟s education policy frameworks (Agbeko,
2007). Currently, there are a number of changes occurring in the ways that the
education system is responding to current needs of teachers‟ education in the
country. These changes are also shaping teacher education to move away from
being a single event that happens at the beginning of a teaching practice. With
such changes taking place in the teacher development landscape, the country‟s
teacher education programmes are expected to provide teacher trainees with the
requisite competencies to support and reinforce quality classroom instructions
in their life-long career development (Agbeko, 2007). With the country‟s
educational reform initiatives consistently stressing the need for continuous
teacher learning programmes, this research espouses current training modes and
their effectiveness at meeting the needs and providing professional support for
teachers
1.3
Objectives of the Study
The objectives of this study are to:
1.
Ascertain the influence of seminar programmes on job performance of secondary
school teachers in Niger state.
2.
Evaluate the influence of study circle programmes on job performanceof
secondary school
teacher
in Niger state.
3.
Evaluate the influence of symposium programmes on job performance of secondary
school
teachers
in Niger state.
4.
Assess the influence of conference programmes onjob performance of secondary
school teachers in Niger
state.
5.
Determine the influence of workshop programmes onjob performance of secondary
school
teachers
in Niger state.
1.4
Research Question
This research work seeks to ask the following questions:
1.
What influencedo seminar programmeshave on job performance of secondary school teachers in Niger state?
2.
How do study circle programmesinfluence onjob performance of secondary school
teachers
in
Niger state?
3. To
what extent do symposium programmes influence onjob performance of secondary
school
teacher in Niger state?
4.
What influence do conference programmes have on job performance of secondary
school
teacher
in Niger state?
5.
What are the influences of workshop programmes on job performance of secondary
school
teachers
in Niger state?
1.5
Research Hypotheses
The following hypotheses are postulated for the purpose of this study:
1.
There is no significant difference in the opinions of teachers, principals and
supervisors on
the
influence of seminar programmes on job performance of secondary school teachers
in
Niger
state.
2.
There is no significant difference in the opinions of respondents on the
influence of study
circle
programmes on job performance of secondary school teachers in Niger state.
3.
There is no significant difference in opinions of respondents on the influence
of symposium
programmes
on job performance of secondary school teachers in Niger state.
4.
There is no significant difference in the opinions of respondents on the
influence of conference
programmes on job performance of secondary school teachers in Niger state.
5.
There is no significant difference in the opinions of respondents on the
influence of
workshop
programmes on job performance of secondary school teachers in Niger state.
1.6
Basic Assumptions
The following are basic assumptions about the research study;
1.
Effective seminar programmes for secondary school teachers in Niger state will
impact
positively
on their job performance..
2.
Whenever there iseffective study circle programmesjob performance of secondary
school
teachers
in Niger state will be improved.
3.
Effective symposium programme will impact positively on job performance of
secondary
school
teachers in Niger state.
4.
Effective conference programme will enhance job performance of secondary school
teachers
in Niger state
5.
Whenever effective workshop programmes are organize for secondary school
teachers in
Niger
state their job performance will be improved.
1.7
Significance of the Study
It is undeniable that people get educated from the experience and
literature of others, this work will serve many people in a number of ways, it
will particularly guide teachers on how to tailor the knowledge garnered in any
training programmes towards addressing their capacity needs.
Also,
government agencies concern with staff development such as national teachers institute(NTI) will find the content of this work very useful in
determining an efficient way to plan and administered training to their staff.
More
so, this research will be of tremendous help to planners,educational
institutions and
curriculum
developers in identifying areas that require improvement and urgent attention
towards the realization of secondary school
goals as stated in the national policy in education (2004). Finally, the study is targeted at assisting other
researchers and students who aspire to conduct study in the same or related topic.
1.8
Scope of the Study
The study titled “Influence of Training Programmes on the Job Performance
of Secondary Schools Teachers”
covered only public secondary school in Niger state, Nigeria. More so, the
study covered the entire principals, teachers and supervisors of the
ministry of education in Niger state. However, due to limited resources and the
challenge of time, the study does not include private secondary schools
situated within Niger state, Nigeria.
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