An assessment of the process of employees training and development programmes in local government in Tanzania: a case study of Bukoba municipal council

This study examines the process of Employees Training and Development Programmes in Bukoba Municipal Council. Four questions guided the study: What are the criteria used to select an employee for Training and Development (T&D)? What are the challenges facing employee during the process of Training and Development programmes in Bukoba Municipal Council? To what extent is the Human Resource Department involved in the whole process of employees Training and Development programmes? And lastly, what are the views of the stakeholders about the effect of Training and Development programme in Bukoba Municipal Council? The study involved Municipal Executive Director, Heads of Departments and subordinate employees. Quantitative and qualitative approaches were used. Data were collected through questionnaire, interview guides and documentary review. The study used qualitative approach in data analysis and interpretation. On the other hand, quantitative data collected from the field were statistically analyzed using SPSS for Windows and percentages, frequencies, tables, graphs, and charts. Findings indicated that T&D is accorded low status. The criteria for selecting employees for training were not clear. The training programme was facing a lot of challenges like lack of funds and top management of the council were not transparent to the subordinate employees. That is to say: internal politics and favouritism existed. The involvement of Human Resource Department into the whole process was questionable. These were some of the challenges that led the (T&D) programme to be ineffective. This study recommends that in order to attain the effectiveness of the whole process of Training and Development programme, the challenges aforementioned have to be ameliorated.