Teacher Training

Renovated teachers houses

With the huge increase of the student population came an unprecedented demand for teachers. In order to meet the demands the Government reduced the qualification period for teachers, taking out the 1 year work experience where the teachers gain knowledge, confidence and get to test out their skills before being unleashed onto an unsuspecting world. This year has been removed and so the teachers are raw. The wages are low and the conditions often harsh, houses that the community are supposed to provide are not available so the teachers have to spend what little salary they get on rent. Teachers do not get a say in where they teach, they are appointed by the Education department, consequently new and old teachers a like leave to find better jobs in other fields.

With better trained teachers and a better environment in which to learn and we can help these students realise their ambitions.

In January 2008 we appointed Mr Moses to run our teacher training programme. The aim is to improve the teachers' knowledge of English and their confidence at talking. With this improved knowledge's they will be better placed to teach the students who will get better results.

This is a two year trial programme to see how it impacts on the students.

We have two streams running, one for those with good English and one for those struggling.

 SHORT REPORT OF THE ENGLISH COURE FOR WAANGWARAY AND SINAI TEACHERS. JANUARY TO DECEMBER 2008

1. GENERAL OBJECTIVE OF THE COURSE: To have Teachers of the above mentioned Schools acquainted with the English Language, which is one of the mediums of communication in Tanzania.
2. SPECIFIC OBJECTIVE: As Private Students, Teachers need a clear, but yet concise way to bring their competence in English to a level required, either to facilitate their further studies in professional fields or for increased efficiency at their work places.  The course has the aim of achieving this goal.

BEGINNING OF THE COURSE:

The course started effectively in January 2008 with only Teachers from Waangwaray Primary School; Those from Sinai failed to attend the course due to a long walking distance to the Waangwaray Centre where the course was being run.

However, Teachers themselves struggled to look for an appropriate central point in Babati town, which eventually became the teaching centre

ATTENDANCE:

Generally speaking the attendance in January and February 2008 was not satisfactory.  This tendency compelled Mr. Kahembe and myself, to approach the Town Education Officer to ask him to enforce the Teachers' attendance, the request which resulted into changing the course weekly attending day from Saturday to Friday in the afternoon.  This change has greatly improved the attendance. The total number of teachers required to attend the course is 31(thirty one) and the average attendance is at present 21(twenty one)

ACHIEVEMENTS 

The course started with lessons in tenses, which took about six months.  This has taken too long due to the fact that most Teachers proved to have very little English knowledge; yet tenses are basic elements in any Language.

We have started sentences construction classes which involves a lot of grammar elements, pronunciations and fluency.

PROBLEMS:-

1. There is a shortage of learning materials.  This problem has already been put forward to Mr. Kahembe who has promised to supply us with required materials immediately he receives the needs from us (the trainers)
2. Teacher's attendance was not satisfactory. Please be informed that there were days when teachers attend classes in big numbers and other days their number decreases. By changing the date to Friday the attendance has improved. We have also informed all teachers that there are tohers wanting to join the classes and failure to attend will result in their space being reallocated
3. The idea of starting this English class for Waangwary and Sinai Teachers has aroused a wonderful interest among the teachers in neighbouring schools. This kind of thing seems to bring a lot of trouble to me, Sinai. A good number of teachers are now approaching me asking for possibilities of joining the course. Unfortunately I have no direct reply to their requests as I am only assigned to teach the Waangwaray and Sinai teachers. I need your help as to how I can solve this problem with this course getting much publicity especially after the Town Education Officer had publicly instructed the Waangwaray and Sinai Head Teachers to allow their teachers to attend the course.

SUGGESTIONS

Since the present length of time for English teaching is limited to only one Friday of a week, and therefore not ensuring good learning of English Language, I would suggest a small Library be established in each of the two Schools which will cater for the teachers undergoing the course and also for students in upper classes in those schools. This will promote continued learning and sustain what the teachers will be taught as per present timetable.

CONCLUSION-

My colleague and I appreciate the way you have volunteered to promote the level of English Language among our teachers who will eventually impart the same knowledge acquired to pupils entrusted to them hence build a knowledgeable group of people.

Thanks,

Moses Mbesere