Factors that Can Aid Effective Utilization of Teachers at the Primary School Level
The notion of teacher utilization can be discussed along three basic perspectives (Egwu, 2009). The first of these perspectives is the determination of what teachers are expected to do as indicated by their employers versus what they actually find themselves doing at the classroom level. The second perspective is the determination of teachers’ actual workload viz-a-viz whether it is too heavy or too light although this perspective is aggravated by the fact that primary and secondary schools may not have a work load that is clearly defined by staff student ratio for the different disciplines/subjects.
Thirdly, assuming that we know all that the teacher does in any school system, there are certain indicators which enhance or mitigate teachers efforts, willingness or desire to utilize their skills for teaching effectively and efficiently. Thus, the level of teacher utilization is predication on several factors some of which may be intractable to the teacher.
Specifically, according to Adesina (1982) and Fredriksson (2004); factors that can aid effective utilization of teachers at the primary school level include the following:
– Staff development and training
– Participatory decision making
– Good working conditions; remunerations and salaries
– Promotion as at when due
– Job security
– Recognition of teachers’ profession (Teachers Professionalism)
– Conducive working environment
– Provision of adequate instructional materials/teaching aids
– Financial rewards, awards, teacher’s scholarship
– Sponsorship of both local and international seminars, conferences and workshop participation as it is done in other fields.
References
Adesina, S. (1982). Planning and educational development in Nigeria, second edition. Ibadan: Board Publication Limited.
Aghenta J.A. (1987) Towards A System Approach to Planning of Secondary Education in Nigeria. Ile-ife: University of Ife-Press.
Daresh, A. T. (2015). The effect of problems solving international strategies on pupils achievement and retention in basic science with respect to classroom situation in Enugu State. A journal of science teachers Association of Nigeria, 24(1); 94-100.
Egwu, S., (2009). A Handbook on Educational Situation. Abuja.
Fredricksson, U (2004). Quality Education: The key role of teachers. Retrieved April 4, 2008, from www.ei-ie.org/
Okumbe, J. A. (2018). Educational Management: Theory and Practice. Nairobi: Nairobi University Press.
Yukl, T. I. (2019). Classroom learning environment and classroom management. A Journal of Science Teachers Association of Nigeria, 10 (1), 80-82.
