INFLUENCE OF TEACHERS’ CAREER STRUCTURE SCHEME ON TEACHERS PERFORMANCE IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS OF KELEM WOLEGA ZONE, OROMIA REGIONAL STATE, ETHIOPIA

Abstract

This study attempted to assess the Influence of Teachers’ Career Structure Scheme on teachers performance in Secondary Schools of Kellem Wollega Zone. To realize this objective, attempt has been made to examine the extent to which teachers are motivated by the teacher’s career structure scheme in terms of socio economic status, its contribution in retaining teachers in the profession and its contribution in improving the teaching learning process. A descriptive survey method was employed. The sample consisted of three secondary schools in three woredas, 26 department heads, three supervisors, nine principals, three Woreda Education office Heads and 45 teachers. A total of 86 respondents were drawn from the Woredas and schools included in the study using Purposive sampling and systematic sampling techniques. However, 22 department heads, three supervisors, seven school principals and 43 teachers a total of 75 respondents return the questionnaire. To gather the necessary data both open ended and close ended questions as well as semi structured interview questions and document analysis were used. The data gathered through closed ended questions was analyzed using statistical packages for social science (SPSS) applied. Tools such as percentage, mean, t-test, and chisquare were applied. The results of the study revealed that evaluators give job descriptions for evaluatees and schools currently using Result Oriented Teachers Performance Appraisal principles to evaluate teachers. On the other hand, the study revealed selection criteria not in lined with Teachers’ Career Structure guideline, lack of adequate training to manage the career structure. Moreover, the study revealed that Teachers’ Career Structure contributed low or has not brought any remarkable change in improving the socio economic status, in retaining teachers in the profession, and in improving the teaching learning process. This could bring a negative impact on the improvement of the quality of education. Finally, it is recommended that providing training for both evaluatees and evaluators, in-service training that leads to better promotion, allowance such as housing families, and modification of Teachers’ Career Structure by considering the living cost. Moreover, to increase professional status, Ministry of Education, teachers and the society at large need to implement and strengthen integrated programs or new approaches in to the education sector in order to foster teaching profession along with career structure and indirect paying systems