Challenges facing kinondoni municipal public primary school teachers in professional development

This study investigated the challenges facing Kinondoni Municipal public primary school teachers in professional development. Specifically, the study examined the extent of public primary school teachers engaging in professional development, explore why public primary school teachers engage in professional development and investigate the challenges public primary school teachers face when engaging in professional development. The study employed case study design under a qualitative research. It used a sample of 68 respondents made up of 60 public primary school teachers, six head teachers, the Municipal Education Officer and the Municipal Director. Field interviews, focus group discussions, documentary reviews and observations were used to collect data which were analyzed using Miles and Huberman (1994) Model of Qualitative Data Analysis. The study found an increase in number of public primary school teachers engaging in professional development. In fact, Municipality allowed a large number of teachers who applied to engage in professional development. The study indicates that the number of teachers who leave their working station without permission to engage in professional development is increasing due to the Municipal Council programme of allowing two or three teachers in each school to go for professional development. Public primary school teachers engaged in professional development for individual interest and to increase skills and knowledge. Extrinsically, public primary school teachers engaged in professional development due to heavy workload, availability of higher learning institutions, head teachers harshness, change of the curriculum, salary increment, promotion and need for career change. The public primary school teachers face challenges such as the delay of the release letters and discouragement from fellow teachers. Moreover, they had to contend with inadequate financial resources for paying tuition fees, expensive accommodation and stationery expensive, and family obligations during their studies. Furthermore, after completing their studies public primary school teachers’ face challenges such as poor pay and remunerations, and lack of promotion. The study, therefore, recommends that the employer should timely promote teachers on completion of their studies. The employer should also modify the criteria for teachers wishing to engage in professional development. The government, through the Ministry of Educational and Vocational Training should also pay tuition fees, the accommodation and stationery for teachers engaged in professional development at all levels. In addition, the remunerations and other environments for teachers completing their professional development should be improved.