SCHOOL TEACHERS' PERSONAL INITIATIVE TO IMPROVE PROFESSIONAL COMPETETNCES: THE CASE OF SOME SELECTED PRIMARY SCHOOLS OF AGARFA WOREDA, BALE ZONE, OROMIA

The purpose of this study was to assess the teachers’ personal initiative in improving their professional competencies in some selected primary schools of Agarfa Woreda of Bale Zone, Oromia. To realize the purpose of the study concurrent triangulation mixed research design was imployed. Mixed method research was employed in data gathering and analysis. To guide this study the pragmatism philosophical paradigm was employed because of pragmatism has opportunity to use mixed method of world views. Data were gathered from both primary and secondary sources. Primary sources were 71 primary school teachers out of 220, 5 primary school principals of 15, 3 cluster supervisors of 9 and 2 Woreda educational experts of 25 were selected. Simple random sampling technique was employed to select teachers from 10 primary schools of 48. Purposive sampling was employed to select from school principals , cluster supervisors and education experts at schools and woreda levels. To collect the quantitative data, questionnaire with closed and open-ended questions, interviews and document analysis were employed. Interview and document analysis were conducted to triangulate the information obtained through questionnaire. The quantitative data were first edited, organized, tabulated, and then were analyzed using frequency, percentage, SD, t-test and mean, while qualitative data from interview were narrated and analyzed to support the qualitative analysis. The results of the data analysis and interpretation indicated that the professional competence activities were important factors in improving professional competence of teachers. The findings also show that teachers have confidential understanding weather or not professional competence activities were important. However, these activities were very much limited and rarely implemented in primary schools due to lack of administrative support, recognition and incentives, teachers’ awareness and lack of school physical and financial resources. Hence, it was concluded that there were positive perceptions from teachers towards professional competence activities even though there are observed gaps of exercising and implementation. The support for these activities was not as much as it is needed to enhance its implementation at the grass root level. A number of factors challenged the activities. Unless acted on by concerned bodies, these challenges will further impede the professional development of teachers. Based on the major findings of the study and its conclusion, some recommendations were forwarded in the area of supports; recognition and rewards, teachers’ awareness and financial resources for the smooth running of the professional competence activities.