Abstract:
Career development has become an emerging issue as employees endeavor to cope up with
changing technology, job security and increase in salary and promotions in most organizations.
However in other sectors like education they have not been able to fund their employees for
trainings or provided time for them to attend trainings. Due to the absence of such policies,
primary school teachers have opted to school based programmes to further their career
development for various reasons. The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of school
based degree programme on teachers‟ work productivity; the study objectives were, four specific
research objectives were addressed: to examine the effects of SBDP on teachers productivity in
Nandi county, to investigate factors influencing teacher to enroll in SBDP in Nandi County, to
examine the expectation of teachers upon completion of SBDP in Nandi County, to identify the
challenges faced by teachers attending school based degree programmes in Nandi County and to
identify the gaps in SBDP and recommend remedies for addressing the gaps. The study adopted
a case study research design. The target population for the study was 202 respondents
comprising of teachers and quality assurance and standard officers from Nandi County. The
research tools included questionnaire and interview schedule. Descriptive statistics, frequency
tables and bar graphs were used to present the data. Chi-square test was used to establish the
relationship between school-based degree programme and teacher work productivity. The study
recommends that, there is need for the ministry of education to support primary school teachers
develop their careers through financial support like giving them loans and study leave. There is
also need for the ministry of education to set standards for universities offering the courses on
SBDP so that they are equipped with better library resources so that teachers can keep abreast
with the latest developments in the teaching profession. The study further recommends the need
for schools with teachers attending the SBDP to have extra time fixed for them so that they
compensate for their absence in school. The study established that several factors were
influencing teacher to enroll in SBDP in Nandi County, in particular the study established that
increase in salary, promotion, looking for greener pastures, career development, job security,
improved self-esteem, acquiring new skills and enrolling for a master‟s programme after
completion were the main driving force for primary teachers in Nandi County to enroll in SBDP.
Regarding the expectation of teachers upon completion of SBDP in Nandi County, the study
established that teachers expected an increase in salary, promotion, acquisition of new skills,
improved self-esteem, enroll in a masters programme, get greener pastures and improved job
security. Regarding the Effects of SBDP on teachers work productivity, the study identified that
improved instructional effectiveness, improved interpersonal relationships and development of
new skills. The results however found out that school based degree programme negatively
impacted on the teachers work productivity. In particular, absenteeism and inability to cover the
syllabus negatively impacted on teachers work productivity. Regarding the challenges faced by
teachers attending school based programmes in Nandi County, the study identified that lack of
employer support, fixed school time table, family responsibilities and inadequate facilities at that
institutions offering the courses were the major challenges faced by teachers. Regarding the
measures that could improve the nature of SBDP, sustainable training program for all primary
school teachers enabling them to further their careers, strong support from the ministry of
education in terms of resources such as finances and study leave, preparation of flexible time
tables and the need to increase the perspective on SBDP so that all people understand what
SBDP is and how it works were proposed.