Communication And Teacher Performance In Primary Schools In Kasulu District, Kigoma - Tanzania

Abstract

The study was conducted to establish the effectiveness of communication methods used by the administrators on the performance of primary school teachers in Kasulu District, Kigoma Tanzania. The study considered written, oral and electronic communication. The study was conducted by cross-sectional survey, data being collected during the month of April 2008, using questionnaires and interview guide from both teachers and school administrators. A total of 336 participants who were randomly selected from the target population participated in the study. The study tested the hypotheses on whether written, oral and electronic communication individually enhanced the performance of teachers in primary schools. The collected data was analysed using descriptive statistics and the Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient techniques. The study findings showed that written and electronic communication significantly influenced teacher performance where as oral communication which was the most commonly used method of communication had less influence on the performance of primary school teachers in Kasulu District.

In view of the findings the study concluded that written and electronic communication methods were perceived to have significant influence on teacher performance while oral communication though easily assessed was perceived to have less negative effect on the performance of primary school teachers. The study recommends that since written and electronic channels of communication seem strongly to enhance teacher performance, school administrators were called upon to improve on the ways in which such methods of communication. Besides, the researcher recommended that Government should improve on electronic communication facilities in primary schools to enhance teacher performance. For oral communication methods head teachers and other school administrators are advised to use it effectively since it the method which could enhance faster communication since it is the most frequently used method of communication