An investigation on university student teachers’ perceptions towards teaching profession and its implication on teachers recruitment in Tanzania
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Date
2014
Authors
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Journal ISSN
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Publisher
University of Dar es Salaam
Abstract
The study investigated the perceptions of university student teachers towards the teaching profession and its implication on teachers’ recruitment in Tanzania. Specifically, the study sought to explore how student teachers perceive the teaching profession, their motives for joining the teaching profession and the implication of their perceptions on teachers’ recruitment. The study employed descriptive design. It was conducted in two universities, namely University of Dar es Salaam (main campus) in Dar es Salaam region and St. Augustine University (main campus) in Mwanza region with a sample of 199 respondents. Purposive sampling, stratified sampling and simple random sampling techniques were used to obtain the target respondents. Data were collected through questionnaires, focus group discussion, documentary review and interviews .The data were analyzed both qualitatively and quantitatively.The findings revealed that the majority of student teachers had negative perceptions towards the teaching profession, which they perceive as of low status and a ladder towards acquisition of employment opportunities and the profession of the poor. The study revealed some factors leading to negative perceptions towards the teaching profession, including poor remuneration, heavy workload with low returns, wrong community constructed perceptions, as well as poor living and working environment. Furthermore, the study disclosed the motives that influenced student teachers in joining teaching profession that included getting loans from the government, poor National Examination results, parental influence and some of them stated that they love to work with children.The study recommends high enrolment and cost incurred in training teachers should go hand in hand with the preparation of good working environment such as infrastructure, and providing teaching and learning resources including paying better salary so as to encourage secondary school leavers to willingly join for education degree program and to take up career in teaching soon after graduation.Finally the study recommends for further study that, similar study on perception of student teachers towards teaching profession and its impacts on recruitment can be conducted in certificates and Diploma student teachers for the purpose of generalization.
Description
Available in print form, East Africana Collection, Dr. Wilbert Chagula Library, Class mark (THS EAF LB2175.T34M86)
Keywords
Student teachers, Recruiting, Tanzania
Citation
Munisi, C.(2014) An investigation on university student teachers’ perceptions towards teaching profession and its implication on teachers recruitment in Tanzania.Master dissertation, University of Dar es Salaam, Dar es Salaam.