International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) |Volume VI, Issue X, October 2022|ISSN 2454-6186
Dr Florence Dube1, and Peter Njini2
1Former Principal of Mkoba Teachers College, Zimbabwe
2Principal Lecturer in Mathematics at Mkoba Teachers College, Zimbabwe
Abstract: The research was concerned with assessment of the Secondary Science Teacher Programme that was introduced in the three Primary Teachers Colleges namely Masvingo, Mkoba and Joshua Mqabuko Polytechnic. Interviews were held with Administration personnel in the three colleges to find out how administration dealt with financing and staffing of the programme. Focus group discussions were held with members of the lecturing staff running the Secondary Science Teacher Programme in the three colleges, to find out the support that they got from administration to run the program, how the program was structured and implemented. A questionnaire was administered to students of the pioneer group who completed the course to find their opinions on the course. Findings were that the three colleges received money from the government to buy science equipment, books and consumables to run the course. All the three colleges used lecturers already in college to kick-start the programme. Learning space was also shared between the Primary and Secondary programs. Generally, lecturers running the programs were qualified to teach at that level. Programs that were running in the three colleges were comparable in terms of content but differences’ were seen in assessment and lack of practical activities in the colleges. Recommendations were that the University of Zimbabwe could revisit assessment in the Handbook guidelines while colleges could revisit their criteria of selecting students and structure of the course in terms of subject combinations. It was recommended that the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development could help colleges by sourcing for equipment and resources from a central point. The Ministry could also provide colleges with learning space and more lecturers to run the programme.
I. BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
The quality of teachers has been viewed as the major influence on students learning in the field of Science (Darling-Harmond, 2000; Hattle , 2009 in Luft, etal, 2020). Science is the term for school subjects that deal with natural phenomena and the scientific exploration of them. Science in school draws on astronomy, physics, chemistry, geology, geography, and biology.
Plunkett & Dyson,(2011) observe that meeting the demand of highly qualified Science teachers can be challenging. Science and technology are seen as the keys to socio-economic