Lecturer competence and perceived impact on students' academic performance in Uganda national teachers' colleges: a case of muni and mubende

Abstract

The study was about lecturer competence and perceived impact on student's academic performance in Uganda National Teachers' Colleges. The purpose of the study was to establish whether there was a significant relationship between Lecturer competence and perceived impact on students' academic performance in Uganda National Teachers' colleges. The research was carried out in National Teachers' Colleges Muni and Mubende. The study used both quantitative and qualitative data analysis techniques. The study sample was selected through simple random and purposive sampling techniques. The sample size comprised of three college administrators, eight business education lecturers and one hundred nineteen students. Data was collected through questionnaires, interview and document analysis. The research established that more than half of the lecturers in NTC's are Master's degree holders and some had Bachelor's degrees thus need to be assisted to upgrade to higher academic qualifications. The findings further revealed that upgrading improves on lecturers' pedagogical competence. The findings indicated that in 2014 students' in first class were 3.7% and second class upper were 29 .62% and in 2015 first class increased to 4.83% and second class upper increased 89.51 % which means majority of the students passed in first and second class diploma. The study therefore recommended that lecturers' in National Teachers' colleges should be encouraged to upgrade to acquire higher qualifications, and do Continuous Professional Development, attend seminars, workshops to update their knowledge, pedagogical competence for efficiency and effectiveness in their jobs. Furthermore, the Ministry of Education and Sports should have a standardized system of recruitment of lecturers to avoid incompetent lecturers being recruited in National Teachers' colleges.