Teachers' perceptions of the role of key resource teachers (KRTs) as professional development resource persons: a study in a primary school in Nakuru Municipality, Kenya

Date of Award

2011

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Master of Education (MEd)

First Supervisor/Advisor

Dr. Mweru Mwingi

Second Supervisor/Advisor

Zeenat Sharif

Department

Institute for Educational Development, East Africa

Abstract

In 1999, the Ministry of Education Science and Technology (MoEST), initiated the school-based Teacher Development (SbTD) program, a country-wide professional development program for all teachers in primary schools. Five exemplary teachers from every school were nominated by their colleagues and trained as Key Resource Teachers (KRTs). After the course, they were mandated to liaise with Teacher Advisory Centre (TAC). Tutors to organize school-based in-service training (INSETS) and mentorship programs for teachers in their respective schools to disseminate the knowledge they had acquired in the SbTD course. Hence, they become school based professional development resource persons.

However, there have been reports that KRTs are not carrying out these roles successfully in their schools. This study, therefore, sought to explore the teachers’ perceptions of the roles of KRTs as professional development resource persons in their schools. The aim of the study was to gain insight into the teachers’ perceptions of the extent to which KRTs carry out their roles as school-based professional development resources persons.

A mixed methods approach was used to explore this issue both in depth and in breadth. Semi-structured interview schedules were used for the interviews. Document analysis and questionnaires were also sources of data. The study found that KRTs had, to some extent, fulfilled certain roles, for example, teachers agreed that they had conducted INSETs satisfactorily, whilst they were mostly dissatisfied with other roles like assessment of teachers’ lessons and development of a resources base.

However, KRTs faced challenges of negative attitudes from the other teachers, and inadequate time and support from the TAC tutors to enable them to satisfactorily carry out their roles.

Based on these findings the study gives recommendations for both KRTs and the Ministry of Education to enable KRTs to satisfactorily carry out their designated roles.

This document is available in the relevant AKU library

Share

COinS