EVALUATION OF STAFF DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES FOR TEACHERS IN PRIMARY SCHOOLS

The study evaluated Staff Development Programmes of Primary Schools in Zaria Metropolis, Kaduna State, Nigeria. The study has six objectives set to; examine conferences organized for teachers in Primary Schools in Zaria metropolis, determine workshops organized for teachers, examine orientation organized for teachers, examine symposium organized for teachers, determine the in-service training organized for teachers and determine mentoring organized for teachers in Primary schools in Zaria metropolis. Research questions and hypotheses as well as review of related literatures were in line with the set objectives. Survey research method was adapted and the population of the study consisted of 810 teachers, 35 head teachers and 60 LGEA officials of Zaria metropolis Kaduna State. Cluster sampling technique was used in the selection of sample of the study. Out of the population, 285 teachers, 35 head teachers and 40 LGEA officials were randomly selected from 35 primary schools. Therefore, the total number of 360 respondents was served as a sample for the study. The data for the study were collected through the use of self constructed questionnaire, the validity of the instrument was determined through vetting of the content by experts in Educational Administration. The reliability coefficient was obtained at 0.77. The data collected were presented by the use of frequency and percentages. The formulated hypotheses of the research were tested using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and analyzed the data at 0.05 significant level. The findings of the study revealed that there were regular staff development programmes through conferences and workshops for teachers, while there were no regular in-service training and symposia for teachers in primary schools in Zaria metropolis, Kaduna State. In view of this, the study recommended that government should double their efforts for staff development programmes through in-service training, symposia and mentoring for primary school teachers in Zaria metropolis, Kaduna State.

Staff  development  programmes  have  been  fully  recognized  as  a  dream  in

enhancing teachers‘ performance. It is therefore, to achieve teachers‘ performance and enhance credibility. Local Government Education Authority (LGEA) should emphasize the effective acquisition and utilization of human resources by investing in training or promotion on the jobs. The role of teachers in Primary school is multifaceted. They are always under great pressure to conduct research, teach, advise pupils, advise parents and serve on communities. Staff development has therefore, become the vehicle for meaningful change which play an integral part in developing the school philosophy, goals and expectation. It is through training and development programs which differ in breath in relation to the needs and resources of the school professionalism, productivity individual effectiveness and performance has been a contended issue in most countries due to poor work ethics.

This study rests on the human capital theory developed by Maicibi and Nkata (2005) which postulates that training involves both learning and teaching with improved employee job performance and productivity derived from short term and long term training. It argues that both knowledge and skill are a form of capital and that this capital is a production of deliberate investment acquisition of knowledge and skill is compared to acquiring the ―means of production‖ however, the concept of human capital implies a statement in people.