Teacher Upgrading and its effects on Learning Outcomes in Primary Schools in Bungoma Sub County, Bungoma County, Kenya

Abstract

The study was carried out in Bungoma East Sub County in Bungoma county. The study investigated the effects of teacher upgrading on learning outcomes in primary schools. A survey design was used because of large sample size. A sample of 297 teachers out of 1300 was selected. Purposeful sampling was used to select headeachers while simple random sampling was used to select schools and non upgrading teachers. Stratified sampling technique was use to select the boarding schools in the sub county. The study was based on production function theory. The theory states that output is dependent on the input thus learning outcomes are influenced by factors like physical facilities, textbooks and quality of teachers. The theory was used because teachers upgrading enhances teacher quality which is an input in the learning process. The study is significant because it will be a basis for further research. Questionnaires and documentary analysis were used to collect data whereby pupils mark list were used to obtained means for internal school tests. Both descriptive (means, frequencies and percentages) and inferential statistics (Chi-square, ANOVA, paired sample T-test and pearson correlation) were used to analyze data. Chi square goodness of fit test was used to determine weather the result could be generalized to the entire population, RM-ANOVA and independent sample T-test were used to determine weather means for headteachers and non upgrading teachers had significant difference while Pearson correlation was used to establish the relationship between learners' academic performance and upgrading of teachers. The results revealed that upgrading of teachers leads to improvement in curriculum implementation by teachers. With regard to workload, there was no variation between upgrading teachers and non upgrading teachers. However, the non upgrading teachers experience increased workload when upgrading teachers proceeded on teaching practice. Most teachers were pursuing irrelevant courses with regard to primary school curriculum. There was improvement in academic performance of learners taught by upgrading teachers as opposed to those taught by non upgrading teachers. Based on the findings, the study recommends the continuation of upgrading of primary school teachers. Teachers Service Commission should regularly provide guidelines to teachers with regard to relevance of courses, all school based programs to strictly fall within the school vacations and teaching practice should be done in primary schools.