Perception of Lecturers in Colleges of Education in the North West Province on staff development programmes

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the perceptions of lecturers at colleges of education in the North-West Province concerning staff development programmes. It is clear from literature, that because of the many changes that regularly occur in education, staff members have to continually upgrade their practice, in order to be more effective and productive. A questionnaire was sent to 210 respondents of which 152 responses were returned. The results of the indicated that very much needs to be done to provide staff development programmes as well as the resources if the college are to produce educators relevant to the present working conditions of the new South Africa. Programmes have to be instituted that ultimately will change the perceptions and so change the attitudes of educators towards teaching and learning at colleges in the North-West Province, in this post-apartheid era. All the role players in education in South Africa are facing a challenge of having · to help staff at colleges to improve their performance. Role players need to provide enough funding for resources and self-motivation, to make staff development initiated in colleges' programmes a success. The study has shown that little is being done in colleges in a way of organising programmes for in-service training and development of lecturers. The colleges, the District Office and the Ministry of Education do not invest much in the upgrading of lecturers. The study shows that lecturers are aware of their own shortcomings and so need assistance from all quarters to develop themselves. This concern is shown by the fact that lecturers are engaged in private study to become better lecturers.