The study looks for staff development programs related to good academic performance in the Lesotho Primary School Final Examination. The results of the study indicate that there were insufficient staff development programs in schools and that the programs were not well administered. Research should not only be done in primary schools; but also in post-primary schools where staff development programs may be as important as they are in primary schools.
More research needs to be done to investigate the quality of the programs that currently exist in schools, because according to the study it appears that the few that exist do not have much impact on academic performance in the schools studied. Good academic performance can be attributed to various reasons, one of which is staff development. So far no research has been conducted to identify staff development programs associated with good academic performance in the Primary School Leaving Examination in Lesotho, hence the need for study.
What staff development programs exist in academically high-performing schools compared to those found in low-performing schools. To discuss the implications of the findings, and to make appropriate recommendations on staff development with the hope that this will lead to improvements in academic performance in the Lesotho Primary School Final Examination.
Method used in the study
Outline of the study
Introduction
- Mentoring
- Appraisal
- Supervision
- In-service training
- Induction
These departments are responsible for developing goals designed to accomplish the goals of the school board. The actual appraisal procedures for implementing this process are best developed by involving representatives of the employees who will be appraised (Rebore, 1987). Thomson (1981, cited in Hartshorne, 1986) defines in-service training as a range of activities through which educational workers can extend and develop their personal education, professional competence and general understanding of the role they and schools are expected to play. their changing societies.
In-service training further includes the means by which the teacher's personal needs and desires, as well as the needs and desires of the system in which he or she works, can be met. Their main complaint is that activities are selected and developed for uniform dissemination without serious consideration of the purpose of these activities and the needs of individual teachers. In Lesotho, the induction program began in 1988 as part of the continuing professional development activities of the Faculty of Education (FED) at the National University of Lesotho (NUL).
It is part of the Center for In-service Education of Mathematics and Science Teachers, the in-service wing of the Science Education Department under FED. The main aim of the induction program is to support new teachers graduating from NUL, Lesotho College of Education (LCE) and Lesotho Agricultural College (LAC), during their first year of teaching.
Summary
Induction program is therefore designed to help novice teachers to get started and survive the initial difficulty, as well as to lay the foundation for a successful career for these new teachers (Sephelane, 1993). Introduction: This chapter discusses how the research was designed and how the data was collected from the four schools that represent the entire population of 128 primary schools in the Mafeteng district. It was indicated earlier that the researcher could not increase the population of the researched schools due to time constraints.
Rather, the researcher had to devise a way to capture the behavior of schools in the countryside and in the town.
The context of the study
Research Method
Population and sampling
Data collection instrument
Validity
Procedure for Data Collection
Data Analysis
Limitation of the study
Summary
Introduction
Highest Academic Qualifications
Professional qualifications
Introduction
The decision to investigate staff development programs related to good academic performance in the Lesotho Primary School Final Examination was not only influenced by the researcher's concern about why some schools do poorly than others in P.S.L.E. not, but also by the fact that there is no research on staff development programs in Lesotho.
Description of the procedures used
Summary of findings
However, these programs do not seem to have affected the academic performance of schools C and D, as their performance is low. Although responses vary from school to table, 4.5 shows that schools take into account the fact that induction is important for new teachers joining a school. However, in this study this was not achieved in School D, although the data in Figure 4.8.
Wallace (in Gerber 1998) states that induction is a process through which a new employee learns how to function effectively within a new organizational culture by acquiring the information, values and behavioral skills associated with his or her new role in the organization. When a new employee joins an organization, he or she is not familiar with the way work is to be done, how that organization functions, and how to act to fit effectively into the organization. Therefore, an effective introduction will encourage quality, commitment and performance for the teacher, as has been mentioned above.
If one is committed, he or she works hard to achieve the set goals. One of the school's goals may be to produce good academic results in P.S.L.E, as is the case in the schools examined. This is reflected in responses to question 7, where teachers were asked to rate their school performance.
In school C, for example, 40% of the teachers believed that their school's performance was excellent, while another 40% said it was poor. The inconsistency noted in their answers shows that they are not working towards a common goal. Therefore, in our case it appears that almost half of the teachers, as indicated above, were not sure when the school was failing and when it was performing well academically.
There was a discrepancy in responses when teachers were asked to indicate the average range of their school's performance. From the teachers' point of view, there is a need for programs for quality teaching to be introduced. Although there appears to be little regard for in-service training, mentoring and evaluation in all pilot schools, the fact that 85% of teachers need these programs to improve their attitudes, knowledge and skills suggests that such programs should be incorporated. in practice in every school and should be managed well so that the school performs well academically.
Limitation
Conclusion
Lack of monitoring and improper supervision can hamper the good intention of having staff development programs in schools. Without proper supervision, there will be no way to ensure that teachers in schools are helped to improve their teaching. In addition, there will be no way to ensure that standards are maintained in schools.
Recommendations for further research
Summative assessment is also essential, for example, when a senior position is open, the governing body of the school will be able to identify the most suitable candidate for the position. Schools must assign experienced, willing teachers who are able to mentor teachers when they arrive at the school. This is intended for day-to-day support until the individual adapts to the new work situation.
Research findings indicate that there seem to be only two staff development programs in researched schools induction and supervision. However, the existence of these programs in school C and D shows no impact to improve good academic performance. As stated earlier, this leads one to conclude that these programs are not well implemented.
The researcher believes that it is essential for the country to take the initiative to introduce these programs in all schools, and they must be well implemented in order to maintain good academic performance in the primary school leaving examination. Reducing the discrepancy between the known and the unknown in continuing education Phi Delta Kappan, Vol.63, No.6 pp. 338-385. The ecology of professional development in Hoyle, E. eds) World Yearbook of Education: Professional Development of teachers (London, Kogan Page).
Instructional Supervision Training Program As An Element of Tutor Training British Journal of In-Service Training Education Vol.
Letter to the principals and the teachers
The following questions are about programs available in the schools to support staff development. If you answered yes to question 13, will teachers be given the opportunity to determine what type of in-service training activities they want? Does the in-service training management at your school employ .. i) the expertise of teachers in the school?. ii) Seek help from outside the school? . iii) Both i and ii apply.
When you first arrived at this school, you were given a mentor (someone to guide you) to implement what you learned at college. If no, do you think it is necessary for newly qualified teachers to have mentors. If your answer to question 20 is no, do you think that such a program could be introduced?
23.Use the space below for any additional information you may wish to add regarding programs that enhance good academic performance at your school.
