Effectiveness of the Teachers’ Training Programs Offered in the Government Teachers’ Training Colleges in Providing Quality Teaching at Secondary Schools in Bangladesh

Abstract

The goal of a quality education is to prepare students for life, not just tests. Teacher training programs can generate competent educators who can support high-quality education by creating high-quality learners through high-quality instructional strategies, materials, learning environments, and intended outcomes that are tailored to the needs of the moment. This study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the one-year duration teachers’ training program which is known as Bachelor of Education program offered by the Government Teachers’ Training Colleges to provide quality teaching at secondary schools in Bangladesh. A convergent (concurrent) mixed-method research design guided the investigation. Five secondary school head teachers, five principals, and five training coordinators from the nominated Teachers' Training Colleges comprised the sample, along with 156 secondary school teachers who completed the one-year training program. Convenience and judgmental sampling methods were used in tandem to choose the samples, taking into account the need for and availability of pertinent data. It involved locating and choosing people who were available to provide information and who had a special level of knowledge about the phenomenon of interest. To find out how teachers felt about the efficacy of the teacher training program, a 41-item structured questionnaire was utilized. The instrument's validity was assessed using the Pearson Correlation. Furthermore, the instrument's reliability was assessed through the application of Cronbach Alpha (α). FGD sessions with the teachers were held in conjunction with unstructured classroom observation as a means of gathering qualitative data. In-person interviews were conducted with principals, head teachers, and training coordinators. For the quantitative data, descriptive analysis was used, and for the qualitative data, thematic analysis was employed. The results demonstrate that the current one-year teacher training program provided by government institutions is meeting quality standards and assisting secondary teachers in their classroom instruction. To improve the effectiveness of the training program, a few areas must be prioritized, including the relationship between theory and practical courses, need-based training, technology integration, opportunities for ongoing mentorship and support, updated curricula, introduction of contemporary instructional strategies, and infrastructure development.