Training and Performance of Students in Lira Municipality. The Case of Ojwina Division

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.0 Introduction This chapter presents the background of the study, the problem statement, general objective, and specific objectives, and research questions, scope of the study, significance of the study, justification and operational definitions. 1.1 Background to the study Training is important in building and improving skills and knowledge of people. In the US, 40% of adult are functionally illiterate, and experts have defined literate as individuals who have acquired a sixth grade education or level (Bihiander, et al: 2001). According to Sierra & Rico (1996), performance of primary school teachers in Spain who acquired specialty training in mathematics, music and foreign language improved. In the UK, newly qualified teachers serves probationary period of one year, upon being monitored and supported for development, are encouraged to join in-service training to pursue continuing professional development relevant to their own responsibility and development of the school (http://ww2.prospects.ac.u~p/typesofjob/primary_schoolteachersiraining~Isp) According to Ministry of Education, Pakistan (1999), primary school teachers don’t have sufficient opportunity for in service training on a continuous and regular basis. This account for the poor performance of teachers. Only a few primary school teachers from public sector do attend the limited number of in service training after 5 years on the job. In Kenya since independence, Eshiwani (1993) observed that most of the districts by 1976 had 30% of their primary school teachers untrained. This prompted the 1 government to reduce in-service training from two years to one year. This move gives us the impression that training is ubiquitous to quality and performance of teachers. When Uganda attained her independence in 1962 training became very vital since most of the citizens were not trained especially in professional areas. The few government schools by then could not employ many teachers besides most of them were foreigners. This is so since not many teachers were trained let alone gone through refresher courses. This adversely affects performance of the schools. Lira was a little known district although the presence of the then president Milton Obote made the area known politically but nothing much was done to teachers’ development.