Educational Research

Abstract

This paper seeks to discuss the impacts of teacher training and retraining in primary and secondary schools for a better teacher’s performance. Teacher training and retraining is defined in the paper as the continuous provision of knowledge, skill and ability that are relevant to the professional life of a teacher. Teachers' training, retaining programmers are essential aspects of developing and deliberately improving the educative process targeted at the realization of the nation goals and educational objectives. The paper focused on the benefits of teacher training and retraining to include knowledge acquisition, skills, ability, competence, development of positive attitudes among other professional benefits. Teacher training and retraining is program that equips teachers with techniques and modern pedagogy strategies that help them to better connect with, manage, and teach to their students in a manner which ensures that all students are learning and benefitting. This paper further identified that Teacher performance is an ability that shown by the teacher to performing their task or job. The performance its can be said good and satisfying if the goals that has been achieved its accordance with standards that has determined. The paper also identified some factors that can affect the performance of teachers as students’ characteristics, effective school management, infrastructure, curriculum reform and language of instruction. teachers had a positive attitude towards teacher training and its effectiveness in classroom situation including actual instruction/academic work, classroom management, evaluation procedures, assignments, and developing human relationships with students, principal, and society in general. It was recommended among others that training and retraining workshops for teachers should be considered necessary, more funds are voted for to achieve quality education, teachers be motivated and given incentives, teachers be encouraged to develop themselves.

Keywords

Professional skills, Re-training, school management, Training, Teacher’s performance

INTRODUCTION

The teacher is a key player in the education system. He shapes the direction and influences to a great extent other educational inputs to achieve the stated goals of the education industry. The extent to which this can be done depends on the quality of training received by teachers. It is important to note that no nation can grow above the quality of its teachers. Training is a very important aspect of staff development. This is essential especially with the frequent policy changes in education and also in the evolving new knowledge and technology based society. Retraining teachers can help to reduce mistakes and improve innovations in the teaching profession. Training and retraining of teachers can be done in the following ways: in service training, conferences, workshops, seminars and demonstrations. The purpose of training and retraining according to OECD in Musset (2010) is to update, develop and broaden the knowledge that teachers had acquired during the initial teacher education and/or provide them with (Ngala et al., 2010) training and retraining were seen as a vehicle to improve on teachers teaching effectiveness.

The functions of in service training includes: increased productivity, improvement of quality of work, improved skills, knowledge, understanding and attitudes (Ojiemhenkele et al., 2014). The benefit of train and retrain to both the teacher and the school system cannot be over stated. (Mwesigwa et al., 2010) noted that training has a positive impact on teachers’ work behaviour. He further observed that this impact is more significant in boarding schools. The effect is observed through teachers’ working as a team and assisting each other where they are conversant, share ideas for effective and efficient teaching and learning.

The importance of training and retraining teachers is basically to better the output of teachers in the demanding profession of teaching, especially in this rapid changing world which has in turn influenced the review of several curricular. Training and retraining equips teachers with the required technical skills needed to effectively drive the contemporary modifications in the teaching-learning process.

Unfortunately, the idea of training and retraining teachers is not considered as pertinent by many school administrators. As there is little or no effort made by many administrators, school heads or managers, proprietors and even the government of Somalia, to get teachers retrained. They may view retraining teachers as a waste of resources while it’s actually not. This paper seeks to underscore the need for retraining of teachers, particularly in the primary and post primary institutions. (Rahman et al., 2011) found a statistically positive relationship between teacher training and students’ achievements.

Training and retraining can help teachers improve their teaching which in turn affects students’ performance. (Harris et al., 2014) affirms that when teachers are productive, it enhances students’ learning.

DISCUSSION

Concept of teacher’s training and retraining

Several authors have given series of expositions on training and retraining of teachers. Basically the idea behind training and retraining of teachers is to improve the knowledge of teachers, skills, ability, competences, understanding, relevant to upgrade their professional output.

Training as viewed by (Ezeani, Oladele 2013) is the development of specific skills and attitudes needed to perform a particular job or series of jobs to maximize the productivity of the individual and improve the overall organizational efficiency. (Ezeani, Oladele 2013) defined it as a continuous assistance or coaching, given to an employee in order to make him have current knowledge of the job content, scope and relationship within the organization. Retraining on the order hand, according to Zunker as cited in Igbo, (Eze et al., 2012) is an on-the job training used by organizations to bring about development and improved competency in the workers. Training of teachers in the view of (Rahman et al., 2011) provides them with the knowledge, skill and ability that are relevant to the professional life of a teacher. Going further, they posited that it moulds the personality of the teachers such that their attitudes are reshaped, their habits are reformed and their personality is reconstituted.

Teachers' training, retaining programmers are essential aspects of developing and deliberately improving the educative process targeted at the realization of the nation goals and educational objectives. If developed countries still embark on retraining teachers especially, one will wonder why this lofty trend is not taken seriously in Somalia and many countries in Africa that should need this more.

The supervisory ministry of education and teachers are faced with the desire to update themselves with global changes in the education sector. Excellent performance of every institution is dependent on its key human resource. Although there are many other factors that play a major role in its success, every educational institution must have quality teachers in order to improve upon the knowledge, skills and general performance of its students. Teacher education, training and development are a means for professional upgrading which deals with all developmental functions directed at the maintenance and enhancement of their professional competence. The quality of teachers that work in a specific educational system help in the attainment of positive learning outcomes in schools.

Performance of teachers is partly dependent on their preservice training in addition to the in-service training given to the teachers. Pre-service teacher training programs (PSTP) are very crucial in order to upgrade teachers’ skills, knowledge and performance and also to enable them to be more effective. On the other hand, In-service training programs (ISTP) are necessary to re-orientate teachers to new goals and values, to train them in new teaching and learning methods, to prepare them to cope with curriculum change, and to provide them with the knowledge and skills to teach new learning areas (Al-Zoubi et al., 2010).

Teacher’s performance

The performance of a teacher is simply the skills and attitudes of the teacher which bring about positive outcomes in the learners academic achievement. This is evident in the teacher’s effectiveness in planning, lesson presentation, his creativity and innovations to achieve success in the classroom teaching and learning process, student’s motivation and interpersonal relationship, effective communication, use of appropriate illustrations and instructional relevant materials, above all, having mastery of his subject.

The performance problem is always getting a attention in management, because it’s very close with the productivity of institution or organization. The main factor that can be affect performance is ability and desire. Indeed is recognized that many people who can do the job but do not necessarily want, so it does not produce a good performance.

The Government Regulations No.19 of 2005 Somalia, about the National Education Standards. Identifies teachers performance, as having four competences such as pedagogic competence, personality competence, professional competence and social competence;

First, the pedagogic competence is the ability to manage students, in the following ways; a) understanding of insight or educational foundation, b) understanding of students, c) curriculum/ syllabus development, d) learning design, e) implementation of educational and dialogical learning, f) evaluation of learning result, g) development of learners to actualize the various competencies it has (Susanto et al., 2016).

Second, the personality competence is a personality ability that includes: a) steady, stable, adult, wise and prudent, authoritative, noble, be role model for learners and society, evaluating own performance, developing themselves is sustainably (Susanto et al., 2016).

Third, the professional competence is the ability of learning materials mastery in a broad and deep, which includes: a) the concept, structure, and methods of science / technology / art that is shade / coherent with the teaching materials, b) the teaching materials that is exist in the school curriculum, c) the relationship of the concept of the interrelated subjects, d) the application of scientific concepts in everyday life, e) the professional competence in a global context while maintaining national values and culture (Susanto et al., 2016).

Fourth, the social competence is the ability of educators as part of the community to play a role in matters: a) communicating in verbal and written, b) using the communication and information technology with functionally, c) socializing an effectively with learners, fellow educators, parents of learners, d) get along well with the surrounding community (Susanto et al., 2016).

The internal factors that affect, for example is a belief system to life view as a teacher. This factor is have so greatly affect and even be the most potential for the work ethic formation of someone, not depend solely on the religious values or the belief system and the theological views that’s embraces, but the influence of education, information and communication is also responsible for the formation of a performance. Furthermore, the external factors of teacher performance, Arifin identified in some ways, including: a) the volume of work pay that can meet the needs of a person, b) an exciting working atmosphere or climate that is supported by a harmonious and humane democratic communication between the leaders and staff, c) honest and credible attitude of the leaders that it's manifested in reality, d) an appreciation of achievement that needs (desire and need for progress) or an appreciation for that achiever, e) the facilities that supported to mental and physical prosperity, such as sports venues, mosques, recreation and entertainment (Susanto et al., 2016)

Factors affecting teacher’s performance in Somalia

A teacher may be trained and retrained but his competence could be negatively affected by other intervening factors outside his personal skills. Some of these intervening factors that are likely to impair teacher’s performance may arise from the students’ characteristics, school management, inadequate infrastructure, poor motivation and others. (Sulayma, 2016) identified the following factors that could impair teacher’s performance in Somalia regional state.

Students’ capacity and motivation to learn: Students’

capacity and motivation to learn are determined by the quality of the home and school environments, the students’ health and nutrition status and their prior learning experiences, including the degree of parental stimulation. Family income influences teacher’s outputs indirectly through the status and process variable. The principal source of children’s capacity and motivation to learn is the family, through genetic endowment and the direct provision of nutrients, healthcare, and Stimulus School systems work with the children who come into them.

Teachers’ experience and motivation: The more people know the more they can do. The better-educated staff, the better they will be table to achieve quality outputs. It is the quality of the teacher that influences the quality of teaching in the class rooms. Effective teaching is determined by the individual teacher’s knowledge of the subject matter and master of pedagogical skills, which create a strong positive effect on student achievement. For this happen adequate preparation is required. This means that a teacher needs professional training to be able to understand the needs of the students and to assist them expertly in a more effective way. Teachers in secondary schools are responsible to bring a large number of knowledge of their pupils.

Relevance and development of the curriculum: The curriculum defines the subjects to be taught and finishes general guidance regarding the frequency and duration of instruction. Curricula and syllabi should be closely linked to performance standards and measure of outcome (World Bank, 1995). Curriculum should emphasize problem solving that stress skill development as well as knowledge acquisition. Curriculum should also provide for individual differences, and focus on results or standards and targets for student learning. In addition, curriculum structure should be gender-sensitive and inclusive of students with diverse abilities and backgrounds, and responsive to emerging issues such as conflict resolution (UNICEF 2000) cited in (Suleyman, 2016). The problem is that curriculum changes are made without assurance that teaching materials to implement the changes are available. This gap poses a serious constraint on the teacher’s performance. Preparation and development of a curriculum should be considered in light of what has been done to include the interests, needs and educational background of the students and their level of achievement. The content of the curriculum should be appropriate and proportionate to the knowledge level of the learners, if the learners must achieve academically.

Quality of infrastructure: Physical learning environments or the places, in which formal learning occur range from relatively modern and well-equipped building to open airgathering places (UNICEF, 2000). Therefore, infrastructure includes classrooms, study rooms, offices, toilet rooms, water and electricity service, etc. According to ministry of Education (MoE, 2002) cited in (Suleyman, 2016), school facilities include water, latrines, clinic, library, pedagogical center and laboratories. These materials are required to be proportional to the number of teachers and students in the school. In developed countries where choice is the norm, parents visit schools to look at availability and condition of facilities before making decision on where they enroll their children. Even in developing countries like Ethiopia, the Ministry of Education believes that school facilities have impact on the access, quality and equity.

1. Library and laboratory

Facilities appropriate to the level of education and sufficient Playground (MoE, 1994). In addition to this, (Joshua et al., 2012) explains that, the quality of the school buildings and furniture will determine how long such will last while comfortable classrooms and adequate provision of instructional resources facilitate teachers’ instructional task performance and students’ learning outcomes.

Library is one of the school facilities, which is useful for education to be carried out properly. A school library serves a school’s needs in that it is the working tool of education. In it are stored information, ideas and opinions that will provide the basis for learning by pupils. Furthermore, it is described as the center of the school’s intellectual life To achieve this purpose, a secondary school library will need first of all an adequate, up-to-date and comprehensive stock; need to have enough space to accommodate students and finally need to have trained personnel to promote effective library service.

Laboratory is also one of the schools facilities, which is useful especially for science teaching. For teachers to succeed in science teaching, they need a laboratory. To acquire scientific knowledge systematically in depth, the most important means is the teaching of science that should give an increased emphasis in enhancing student involvement in scientific investigation through laboratory work and field study. If a school is lacking laboratory, the professional competence of the teacher in teaching that subject will be negatively affected.

2. Class size

A class-size is a group of pupils who follow one class of a teacher at the same time, normally one section makes a class. Class-size is useful in organizing teaching-learning process, assessing utilization and in assessing quality indirectly large classes are very difficult to manage. It is also very difficult for teachers to meet the individual needs of learners. Many schools in Somalia have very large classes especially in primary schools.

3. Text books

After chalk boards and chalk, text books are the most common and most significant instructional materials in most countries. Textbooks in particular complement the teacher’s effort to a large extent. They contain information, pictures, processes and necessary explanations required to teach lesson content. Unavailability of textbooks for learners is a significant setback to teacher’s performance.

4. School management

The school leadership and management play a key role in enhancing teachers’ performance. They give the much desired support to teachers in terms of providing teachinglearning materials. Motivation and incentives to teachers supervise and guide teachers, and ensuring a conducive school climate. Without the meaningful practices and activities of the leadership and management of the school, the prevailing school factors will affect teachers’ performance negatively.

5. Language of instruction

Most of the time, the language of instruction is the concern of all teachers. Not simply because it is through the language of instruction that, the content of the subject is delivered to students, but also, because it is through linguistic interaction that, the students acquire the desired intellectual abilities which makes the constructive activity possible. Language of instruction is a vehicle which transmits knowledge. Somalia in particular, there is a barrier in the language of instruction, since Arabic language before now has been the official language of instruction at the primary and secondary school levels. With the paradigm shift in the language of instruction from Arabic to English language by the Ministry of Education. This has created a serious problem to both teachers and learners. Since many teachers are not conversant with English language, it affects their level of performance.

Impacts of teacher training and retraining on teacher’s performance

Training teachers is necessary in the 21st century mainly because of the fact that current generation students don't comprehend traditional teaching methods. We cannot teach students of today with methods of yesterday. Students in the 21st century need personalization in education. The education system has been following the habit of seeing the classroom as a whole and not as individual students, which is unfair to the majority of students. Each student is unique in myriad ways including in the way they think, analyses, understand and go about academics.

It is therefore important for our existing system to bring in this change. Training teachers to know how to view their students as unique individuals with different learning styles is the game changer. Once teachers understand this and know how to cater to the various learning styles, they will positively impact hundreds and thousands of students. Teacher training is also more critical now than ever because teachers today are struggling with identifying and filling the learning gaps in students to bring them up to grade level. Plus, they need to complete the current year’s syllabus as well. If there were ever a mammoth task, it is this. Without the right knowledge, tools, and skills, teachers cannot be reasonably expected to navigate these challenges on their own.

Purpose of training is to generate the conditions that enable the practice to be selected and used appropriately. There are many critical elements in teacher training and retraining that should be given due attention. (Hoffman et al., 2004) have summarized from (Cruickshank et al., 1990), the findings from the literature on training in terms of the following critical elements of teacher training and retraining: Trained and retraining teachers should

1. Establish clear performance goals and communicate them to learners. They should determine learners' present skill level, and ensure that learners are aware of the requisite skill level of mastery.

2. Introduce only a few basic rules during early learning stages.

3. Build upon learners' present skill level during early learning stages. Ensure a basic understanding of the skill to be learned, and when and why it is used.

4. Provide sufficient, spaced skill practice after understanding has been developed and that practice of the skill is followed by knowledge of the results.

5. Provide frequent knowledge of the results in the learning process and after incorrect performance.

6. Provide for transfer of training and provide full support and reinforcement for the use of skills in natural settings.

Training and retraining of teachers provides them the knowledge, skill, and ability that are relevant to the professional life of a teacher. Teacher training and retraining moulds the personality of a teacher such that their attitudes are reshaped, their habits are reformed and their personality is reconstituted through teachers training. Training and retraining is of two types.

Pre-service training: It is the training provided before employment of teachers and is generally a pre requisite for it. It is aimed at professional growth of the teacher and is planned and provided in such a way that it leads to the development in him a positive attitude towards education and towards improving his own performance in terms of better student learning. . Pre-service training is an essential prerequisite for teaching in primary, middle, and secondary schools of the country

In-service training: It is an on-going process that goes on continuously throughout the educational life of a teacher. As one does not finish learning with graduation, likewise the teacher’s training goes on improving with the passage of time by gaining experience and study through-out the life span of a teacher. It is a means to achieve educational change that will persist In-service education and training refers to all those activities that contribute to professional growth and qualifications of an employee e.g. reading educational journals, participating in workshops, seminars, conferences and visits to educational institutions that give the employee a sense of security and a feeling of self-confidence while discharging his routine duties in the school. It is a continuing education of teachers and other educational workers leading to the improvement of their professional competence. With the rapid increase in human knowledge new approaches, new methods of teaching, and new avenues for the teachers are being introduced. If a teacher fails to keep himself in touch with these developments he is proving himself as inefficient and ineffective. In order to achieve this end it is necessary that a great many opportunities of in-service education should be provided for teachers.

CONCLUSION

With the advent of the "internet plus" and the era of intelligent manufacturing, the traditional technology model and the global industrial pattern have undergone profound changes due to the impact of new science and technology and new industrial forms (Y Sun, 2020). The rapid development of manufacturing and new technologies in various countries cannot be separated from the support of a large number of compound skilled personnel. From the perspective of personnel training, the key to realize technological innovation depends not only on academic and scientific research talents, but also on the experience accumulation and practical exploration of a large number of first-line applied technical talents (C Cai, 2022) (HX Wang et al., 2021). Facing the problems of backward industrial structure and weak competitiveness of traditional technology, the United States put forward the "manufacturing revival plan" in an effort to develop the Internet-high-tech industry (JJ Liu et al., 2020). The EU put forward the "enhanced industrial revolution". Germany even put forward "National Industrial Strategy 2030", aiming at supporting key industrial fields and further improving Germany's innovation ability, so as to maintain Germany's leading position in the new round of world industrial competition (K Kou et al., 2019). In contrast, there are still many bottlenecks in China's new technology industries, such as chip technology, mask aligner technology and new energy industry (ZX He et al., 2020) (Pan H et al., 2021). The reason is the lack of high-end applied talents.

On the one hand, the existing talent training mode can no longer adapt to the rapid development of international technological upgrading and industrial integration. On the other hand, in the face of the accelerating popularization of higher education in China, local undergraduate colleges, as a part of it, have become the main force of talent training and education in China. However, due to the unclear training objectives of some local undergraduate colleges, the training mechanism of applied talents needs to be improved. Moreover, the applied skilled talents are in short supply. Therefore, it is of great significance for the country to propose a new talent training model for applied science universities based on the demand of new technology industries for talent training.

RECOMMENDATIONS

There should be a mandatory and institutionalized training and retraining programme for teachers at various stages of their career as this would also serve as a quality assurance strategy. The recommendations are that;

1. Adequate teachers' training programme should be promoted at frequent periods in order to be abreast with present realities.

2. Seminars, conferences, workshops and symposiums be organized and sponsored by the government for capacity building.

3. Educational policy and curriculum reform should be followed by retraining programmers for teachers for development education.

4. Development education for growth is encouraged and well-funded by the government towards national development.

5. School managements should equip teachers with the necessary learning materials such as modern textbooks, laboratory equipment etc.

6. More funds should be voted for capacity building.

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