Effects of Smasse Programme in Service Education and Training on the Teaching of Mathematics and Science in Secondary Schools in Koibatek District, Kenya

Abstract

Strengthening of  Mathematics and Science in Secondary Education (SMASSE) In – Service Education and Training (INSET) programme is one of the strategies that the Ministry of Education put in place to strengthen the teaching and learning of Mathematics and Science in secondary schools in Kenya. This study sought to establish the extent to which teachers were practicing the principles, skills and knowledge they learnt in the SMASSE INSET training programme in the course of their teaching and whether there is any relationship between teacher characteristics and the level of adoption of principles, skills and knowledge learnt in the SMASSE INSET programme in secondary schools in Koibatek District, Kenya. The study adopted an ex post facto research design. The targeted population included 150 Mathematics and Science teachers from 23 secondary schools. A sample of 22 Principals and 110 teachers was drawn from 22 schools. Data were collected using two sets of structured questionnaires (teachers and principals). Reliability was tested using Cronbach coefficient alpha to determine the internal consistency of the questionnaire items; A Cronbach’s Coefficient Alpha of 0.8139 was obtained. The collected data were processed and analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The descriptive statistics included frequencies, percentages and means. Inferential statistics using chi-square and Spearman Rank correlation coefficient were used and tested at µ = 0.05 significance level. Analysis was done using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). The study found that teachers implemented the principles, skills and knowledge they learnt in the course of their teaching and that individual teachers’ characteristics do not influence the adoption of SMASSE INSET. The study recommends that Headteachers should put in place mechanisms in their schools to ensure that teachers implement all the principles, skills and knowledge learnt from SMASSE INSET. There is also need for schools to take advantage of the high level of adoption of the SMASSE INSET to encourage more students to enroll and improve their academic performance in these subjects.