Enhancing the quality of teaching and learning in Tanzania through improved English language teaching and educational management skills

2018 IJRSLL – Volume 7 Issue 2

Author/s:

Mkonongwa, Luka Mathayo
Dar es Salaam University College of Education, Tanzania (mkonongwa@gmail.com)

Komba, Sotco Claudius*
Sokoine University of Agriculture, Tanzania (sotratz@suanet.ac.tz)

Abstract:

In 2012, the British Council and the Government of Tanzania through the then Ministry of Education and Vocational Training, now Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, implemented a four-year project, known as Education Development and Quality Improvement Project for English Language Teacher Training in Tanzania (EQUIP T-ELT). The purpose of the project was to improve the quality of teaching and learning in teachers’ colleges, secondary and primary schools, with a specific focus on English as a language of instruction and communication. The project implementation ended in March 2016. Therefore, this study was conducted to examine the impact of the project on both institutions and staff. A total of 207 participants were involved in the study, including college principals, 181 tutors, 12 district teacher trainers and 10 material developers. The study employed mixed methods research design, in which both qualitative and quantitative methods were used during the data collection, analysis and presentation. Specifically, the data were collected through survey questionnaires, interview schedules, focus group discussions and document desk reviews. Data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) and ATLAS.ti. 6.2. The findings indicated that the provision of two complementary interventions, English language improvement and improvement in pedagogy and educational management skills, had a significant impact on the participants as they were able to use the knowledge and skills from the two interventions simultaneously in their day to day teaching and institutional management. Moreover, the findings revealed that there were vital professional changes at both institutional and individual levels which emanated from the interventions. The changes include improved human resource capacity, improved English language proficiency, and improved pedagogical and leadership skills. It was also found that the project enabled tutors to share knowledge and skills acquired from the two interventions with their colleagues, hence developing a sense of team work in teaching as well as in accomplishing college administrative activities. Based on these findings, it is recommended that the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, should encourage the tutors, who had their knowledge and skills improved through their involvement in the EQUIPT-ELT project, to share their knowledge and skills with their colleagues who were not involved in the project, in order to have an everlasting impact of the project.

Keywords: education development; English language improvement; teaching and learning; teacher training; Tanzania

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.5861/ijrsll.2017.1705

*Corresponding Author