At the same time a significant deterioration in pass rate in Certificate of Secondary Education Examination (CSEE) has been observed. The extra ordinary trend has been observed in 2012 National Examination results whereby 43 percent of students passed.
To address this challenge and reverse the downward trend, student teacher enrichment programme (STEP) initiative was introduced to build capacity of teachers to identify and support low performing students various subjects namely: Kiswahili, English and Mathematics for primary schools; and Biology, English, Kiswahili and Mathematics for secondary schools.
Through this initiative it is expected teachers to pay individual attention to low achievers in their classes and assist them to catch up with the pace of fast learners. This article presents synopsis on the STEP guidelines and discusses its importance in achieving quality education delivery.
STEP initiative comprises of two-step Approach which In-Service Teacher Training (INSET) and Student Enrichment aimed at:
(a) Build capacity of teachers to conduct enrichment classes for low performing students sitting for CSEE through INSET; and
(b) Addressing low performing students’ learning needs who are at risk of failing their exam and bring them to the level of achievement.
It is expected that at the end of training, teachers will be able to:
(a) Identify what is meant by enrichment classes and its importance;
(b) Be aware of the Teachers’ roles in enrichment teaching; and
(c) Be acquainted with the process of providing enrichment class to target group.
During STEP training, the key players in STEP initiative at the classroom level are Head Trainers, Trainers and subject teachers, in which their roles and responsibilities are:
(a) Head Trainers are responsible for: developing training materials for trainers and teachers; to conduct training of trainers (TOTs); to assess trainers during training and to prepare a training report.
(b) Trainers are responsible for developing training materials for teachers; to conduct training of teachers; and to prepare training report.
(c) Subject teachers are responsible for administering and mark test exams; to conduct item analysis of test exams; to conduct enrichment classes to identified students; to assess learning process of students who attend enrichment classes; and to prepare a report on enrichment classes.
In order to support implementation of STEP, a handbook for each subject has been developed. This handbook identifies subject topics, provide skills on setting exams, identification of low performing students and choosing content for enrichment class.
From enrichment classes, students are expected: to acquire knowledge and skills in specific areas of weakness; to acquire appropriate techniques in tackling the examination questions; to reduce the gap between lower and higher achievers; and to improve their academic performance.
Through enrichment classes, students are expected to develop problem solving skills in reading and interpreting the given information appropriately. Moreover, they should apply the techniques in responding appropriately to various questions and hence improve their academic performance.
The topics in enrichment classes were selected because they carry the largest weight in examinations. Also, they have many applications in everyday life. Moreover, if these topics are well done in the examinations can help students to perform better.
It should be known that ‘enrichment class’ is the teaching and learning process whereby teachers use extra time apart from normal class to enable students acquire better knowledge and skills for areas which are easier to be achieved by majority of the students in particular subject.
These classes should be small, with focus on maximum teacher-students interaction, preferably 1:40 ratio and can take place after class hours or weekends (Saturdays). Students’ enrichment classes are expected to be provided to low performing students who are at risk of failing their CSEE.
The handbook for STEP has provided Assessment mode. There are heterogeneous learners in classes. Some have high learning ability that can grasp quiet fast and learn better but others need frequent guidance and support to enable them learn better. The two groups should be identified through observation and examinations.
The low performing students are the target group for these classes. They will assessed through exercise, homework and test exam so as to trace their learning progress.
There are a number of identification procedures for enrichment classes as follows:
(a) Preparation of test examination and distribution: test exams will be prepared centrally by the Secondary education unit of the Ministry of Education. The first test will be conducted in May and the second in September after completion of enrichment classes.
Test exams and marking schemes in hard and soft copy will be provided to Regional Education Officers, and they will distribute to the Councils. On the other side, the District Education Officer are responsible for printing and distribution of test exams to respective schools in their Councils; while the Head of Schools will receive the test exams and ensure it is done and marked according to the regulations of examinations at school level.
(b) Guidelines for conducting and marking test exams: on conducting test exams, it is instructed that test exam need to be done as though it is a terminal examination in the regular school timetable. Tests exam is to be administered to all students in the targeted class and subject. The subject teacher should make corrections on typing errors where necessary. All examination regulations need to be followed as usual (invigilation, time keeping and collection of scripts).
On the other side, during marking of test exam, it is instructed that marking scheme shall be provided with test exam. The subject teacher in the school to edit marking scheme to ensure correctness of answers and ensure marks allocation has been done per section of the test exam.
Moreover, teachers to provide model answers per questions to show the correlation to marking scheme. In panel, teachers to mark test exam, record and rank students’ performance within two weeks.
(c) Guideline for item analysis of test exam: it is instructed that teachers should check performance per question (identify well and poorly attempted questions), identify questions attempted by both many, few and none of student and analyse why this was so, match or align questions with the syllabus, National examination format and check skills assessed, analyse and interpret findings from students results; and develop a list of difficult topics.
(d) Identification of low performing students: it is instructed that after the test exam has been administered and areas of strength and weakness are determined and analysed, teachers have to decide the targeted students using the following criteria: those who scored below 40 percent in the test exam; and score less than 50 percent in the identified weak areas.
Apart from that, teachers have to check the following before registering students in the enrichment class: students’ willingness and self-motivation to learn, opinion from class teachers on performance records, and opinion from parents or guardians.
The final list of students has to be prepared in a special record revealing each one’s weakness and submitted to Academic Master.
(e) Choosing content for enrichment class: from the list of difficult areas identified, teachers have to choose few topics which can be covered within 10 weeks of the enrichment class. The choice has to consider its impact on the final examination for the needy students.
(f) Timetable: it is instructed that enrichment classes to take place between July and September of the respective academic year. It should be conducted in classrooms or laboratories depending on the topic. One session of this class should be 60 minutes.
(g) Class size: It is instructed that a class size should be 40 students. However, class size will vary depending on the demanding area of the enrichment content to the learners.
(h) Attendance: It is instructed that the teachers should prepare attendance list for effective follow up. Thus learners; attendance should be controlled accordingly.
(i) Class Management: The teacher should manage the class in such a way that students’ participation is enhanced. Also, the teacher should consider students’ mixed abilities in the learning groups. The learners should be responsible for knowledge exploration whereas the teacher should facilitate as well as correcting errors and misconceptions.
(j) Feedback: feedback is very important to learners to help them evaluate and rectify their academic progress. In other instances feedbacks can change the learners’ attitude negatively. In such painful feedback, it should be confidential, specific and personalized.
As I mentioned before, the major aim of introducing STEP was to curb the alarming drop out in pass rate at primary and secondary schools national examinations through building capacity of teachers in topics which deem to be difficult in selected subjects, which were also poorly performed in the said national exams.
Since 2013 STEP has been conducted for primary and secondary school teachers. I am optimistic that if this programme is going to be implemented effectively, there is a high possibility to uplift our staggering academic performance in primary and secondary exams. In the next article, I will make statistical analysis on status of implementation of STEP and responses from teachers, students and parents. Moreover, budgetary issues, challenges facing this programme and proposed solutions will be discussed.
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The write is a specialist in educational planning, policy, economics and finance. He is reached through: masozi.nyirenda@gmail.com or +255754304181
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