The Impact of grade a teacher education curriculum changes on teaching/language process: a case of Muheza district

The study sought to examine student teachers preparation in colleges as well as their classroom performance and the problems encountered during the execution of the programme. Student teachers, school inspectors, ward educators and, head teachers in Muheza district together with tutors from three colleges: Korogwe, Singachini and Eckenforde were involved in the study. The sample of the study included 80 student teachers, 60 head teachers, 20 ward education coordinators, 3 school inspectors, and 3 college tutors from each of the 3 colleges. Five methods of data collection were used, namely; questionnaires, interviews, focus group discussion, classroom observation and documentary review. The collected data were summarized in tables or charts, while non-numerical data were subjected to content analysis. The study found out that time allocated for training was not sufficient. Student teachers’ qualifications were not satisfactory to cater for professional skills training. On the other hand, college tutors qualification did not meet the minimum requirement for tutors. In colleges, ther were no proper methods for preparing teachers to handle crosscutting issues. At schools, new teachers did not have professional support from experienced teachers or from education authorities. For the classroom performance of student teachers it was found out that they managed well their classes, employed few participatory approaches in teaching, and had limited abilities in asking questions, using immediate environments for teaching aids improvisation. Financial, logistical, technical and professional problems were encountered during the execution of the programme. The implication from these findings is that the revised curriculum did not fully achieve the quality improvement goals apart from producing a large number of teachers to cater for the enrolment expansion in schools. It is recommended, among other things, that time allocation for training should be revisited and that the curriculum should include both academic knowledge and professional skills.