The difference between one year trained and regular grade iii’a trained teachers in classroom performance: the case of Temeke Municipal, Dar Es Salaam

The purpose of the study was to investigate if there exists a difference between One year Trained Grade III’A Teachers (OYTGATs) and Regular Trained in classroom performance. The study had four objectives. To examine the way OYTGATs perform in the classroom as compared to Regular Trained Teachers, to examine subject areas of competence of the OYTGATs when compared to regular trained teachers, to examine how both teachers use the teaching and learning materials during teaching and learning process, lastly to examine how evaluation of pupils’ progress is done by both groups in the whole process of curriculum implementations. Data for this study was collected from 14 public primary schools in Temeke Municipal Council in Dar-Es-Salaam, Tanzania Mainland. The study involved 80 respondents; these were 2 District Academic Officer, 2 School Inspectors, 4 Ward Education Officers, 15 Head teachers, and 57 classroom teachers. The study employed both qualitative and quantitative approaches to answer research questions. The required data were collected through interviews, questionnaires, documentary review and observation. Qualitative data were processed through content analysis and quantitative data analyzed and presented in tables showing numbers and percentages. The study revealed that, there is a big difference that exists between OYTGATs and regular trained teachers in classroom performance. It has also revealed that, OYTGATs teachers are incompetent in the subject areas of their specialization; it further revealed that, the 2005 Primary School Revised Curriculum under Paradigm Shift Approach is still unclear to many Primary School Teachers; both categories of teachers do not do pre-teaching preparation regularly and efficiently. Examinations constructed by both categories lack evaluation of other learning domains. Moreover, it was discovered that both categories of teachers rarely use teaching and learning materials in the teaching-learning process. This study has also discovered that, the revealed weakness exists much in student teachers trained in the Private Teacher Training Colleges. It is recommended that the government through the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training should review the training of teachers in Crash Training programme mode if quality of education is to be realized. Registration of Private Teachers’ Training Colleges should be re-visited and the registered already must be re-inspected in order to realize if they have qualified Tutors to prepare student teachers.