Abstract
M.Ed.
The main aim of this research essay was to uncover all the educational aims
as an aspect of a teacher's educational foundation and to determine if those
educational aims have any impact on and implications for the management of
teacher competence.
The central premise of this study was that the teachers at various levels have
latent, innate abilities, which if fully developed and utilised by each teacher,
each learner can reach outstanding heights of achievement to the benefit of
the learner. A competent teacher, therefore, plays a major and decisive role
in enabling the learner to give meaning to his/her existence in life. It is
important therefore that all possible impediments and barriers on the way of
teacher competence must be identified and be removed.
The researcher was satisfied that the study was successful because of the
following summary of findings and recommendations that are exposed below.
Findings
The researcher was able to reveal empirically, that the most effective teacher
in terms of competence, is both educatively and collaboratively competent.
It was shown that the two levels of competence are intertwined in such a way
that none is noticeably effective without the other. Both are a synergistic
product of factors such as:
Positive experience in teaching;
Good teacher qualifications;
Existence of good educational facilities and equipment such as,
classrooms, furniture, laboratories, libraries, etc.; Teaching and learning through ones mother tongue;
Daily and timeous attendance of school by both teachers and learners;
• Diligence and commitment by both teachers and learners in the process
of teaching and learning. The research findings are all substantiated by
empirical evidence and existing literature.
Recommendations
The research findings carried a lot of weight. These enabled the researcher
make the following recommendations:
Effort must be made to identify and select to teacher training institutions
those who are teachers by calling;
Induction and in-service courses must be conducted from time-to-time
to keep teachers motivated and devoted to their work;
Ensure that all schools have enough educational resources such as
classrooms, furniture, laboratories, libraries, etc.;
Language proficiency must be given high priority attention;
Teachers must be encouraged to improve their qualifications by
engaging in life-long study programmes;
Plan of action
Teacher training institutions must establish criteria for selecting student
-teachers who are naturally gifted in teaching. The course-content at teacher training institutions must aim at
inculcating a strong sense of devotion, responsibility and accountability
among student-teachers;
Language proficiency among student-teachers, must receive high
priority at teacher training level;
The Department of Education must provide each rural school with the
same facilities and equipment as the urban school.
The proposed plan of action will, hopefully provide a strong base upon which
teacher competence may improve from strength to strength.