Teacher Related Factors Influencing Teaching and Learning in Adult Basic Education Learning Centers in Naivasha Sub-county, Kenya

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the teacher related factors influencing teaching and learning in Adult Basic Education centers in Naivasha sub-county. It sought to provide valuable information on the challenges facing adult education in regard to teachers in the sub-county to educational stakeholders and the directorate of adult education and to suggest recommendations to curb the problems. The objectives of the study sought to determine the extent to which teachers’ qualifications, teachers attitudes, teaching and learning resources and the teaching methodologies the teachers of adult education used influenced teaching and learning in Adult Basic Education centers in Naivasha sub-county, Nakuru county, Kenya. The study was conducted using descriptive survey design. The target population was 14 adult education centers in Naivasha sub-county. The target respondents consisted of one Adult Education Officer, 14 teachers of adult education and 526 adult learners. From 541 members of the target population, the researcher used purposive sampling procedure to select a sample size comprising 1 Adult Education Officer, 14 teachers and 250 adult learners. The research instruments used included questionnaires and interview schedules. The analysis done was both qualitative and quantative. Qualitative analysis considered the conclusions from the opinions of the respondents. Quantitative analysis considered use of frequency counts and distributions, tabulation, totals and calculation of percentages. Data collected was analyzed using statistical package for social sciences (SPSS). In the study it was found out that teaching and learning in adult education was faced by numerous challenges and the most prominent ones were lack of adequate trained and qualified teachers, inadequate teaching and learning resources. Therefore the researcher concluded that there were challenges facing the teachers of adult education which could negatively influence teaching and learning in the adult education centers. The government should employ more trained and qualified teachers and also hold in-service programmes to improve the skills of the present teachers and also provide more teaching and learning resources which are inadequate and some of them unavailable in order to improve teaching in adult education centers. The researcher suggested that more studies should be conducted on other factors influencing teaching and learning in adult education centers.