TEACHERS PERCEPTION OF THE VALUE OF CONTINOUS PROFFESSIONAL ON INSTRUCTIONAL SUPERVISION IN MAKUENI COUNTY PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS

ABSTRACT Despite the Kenya government investing a lot of tax payers money in continuous teacher professional development, learner performance remains poor especially in Makueni County as evidenced KCSE of 2011 and 2012. Continuous teacher Professional development is one practice set to prepare the teacher handle content effectively in their teaching subjects. This study purposes to investigate the teachers and the principals perception on the role of continuous teacher professional development in relation to instructional supervision in public secondary schools at Makueni County. The study shall be guided by five research objectives which include: to identify the types of continuous teacher professional development programs offered in and their relevance in instructional supervision; evaluate teachers preparedness and awareness of the continuous teacher professional development programs offered in relation to instructional supervision; assess the benefits of the continuous teacher professional development programs offered in relation to instructional supervision; examine the relationship between continuous teacher professional development programs and instructional supervision and lastly to establish factors affecting the implementation of continuous teacher professional development programs in Makueni County. The purpose of the study shall be to identify the role played by continuous teacher professional development programs in enhancing instructional supervision by teachers in Makueni County. The study will be guided by descriptive survey method enriched by quantitative research. The study will be conducted at Makueni County. The target population will include nine sub-county quality assurance officers, 324 public secondary schools principals and 2,149 public secondary school teachers in Makueni County; adding to a total of 2,4782 persons. Both Stratified sampling and random sampling techniques will be used to draw sample from principals and teachers. 32 principals and 215 teachers from different departments will be selected as a sample for the study. The 9 sub-county quality assurance officers will purposively be selected to participate in the study. The study will be grounded on the systems theory of organizations. Questionnaires will be used to collect date while interviews will be used to substantiate data collected through questionnaires. Standard deviations, percentages, mean and ttests will be used to analyze data obtained through questionnaires while data collected through interviews will thematically be analyzed. Pre-testing of the questionnaires and the interview schedule will be piloted to ascertain validity and reliability. Cronbach formula for analysis reliability will be used to establish reliability of the instruments, Questionnaires for samples principals and for teachers will be issued and collected after two weeks for analysis while an interview schedule for the sub-county quality assurance officers will be conducted at the subcounty education offices at a date organized earlier, at the same time, the relevant questionnaires will be administered. The results of the study will go a long way to establish the perception of teachers towards continuous teacher professional development programs offered in the county, device strategies for programme improvement and enrichment and offer relevant guidelines on educational policy planning frameworks.