| dc.description.abstract | The purpose of the study was to assess-the factors affecting the effectiveness of in-service programme for CRE teachers in public secondary schools in Mwala district. The objectives of the study were:- to establish the teacher factors, school factors, training factors and factors emanating from the Ministry of Education which affect the effectiveness of in-service courses for CRE teachers. Descriptive research design was used and data were collected using questionnaires. There were three types of questionnaires for head teachers, teachers and ZQASOS.
The target population consisted of 40 public secondary schools. Simple random sampling was used to pick 20 head teachers, 40 CRE teachers and 3 ZQASOS. Data collected were analyzed and presented in tables, graphs and pie charts. The findings indicated that in-service courses in Mwala district are not effective.
The study further revealed that very few teachers (25%) had attended any inservice course in their teaching career. The study also revealed that schools do not offer enough support to teachers by funding them for in-service or releasing them to attend in-service training. The main issues which make in-service courses ineffective include, lack of advance communication to teachers and schools about the courses, timing of the courses which are mostly offered when schools are in session and courses targeting few teachers.
The Ministry of Education has offered little support for in-service training. In light of the findings, the study concluded that in-service courses were not effective. The study therefore recommends that schools make efforts to avail teachers for in-service training through funding and releasing them to attend the courses. the teachers need to have a personal initiative by availing themselves for in-service and even using their own funds for further training as the courses benefit them.
The Ministry of Education through INSET should make efforts to have more regular programmes which should be organized at lower levels for example at the district level. There is need to target more teachers by having convenient dates for example during holidays and making advance communication.This study suggests that a similar research be conducted using a larger population of public secondary schools in the whole of Machakos county as well as country wide in order to elicit a more representative perspective on the factors affecting the effectiveness of in-service courses for CRE teachers in secondary schools. | en_US |
