Study on the Development of a Teacher Training Program to Improve the Pedagogical Knowledge of Unskilled Teachers in a New Nation: Focusing on Improving the Teaching Skills of Teachers Engaged in Literacy and Numeracy in South Sudan

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to implement and evaluate a developed teacher training program aimed at enhancing the pedagogical knowledge and teaching competencies of unskilled teachers or beginner teachers in South Sudan, particularly those teaching literacy and numeracy in secondary schools. In a February 16, 2024 interview with Eye Radio, Kuyok Abol Kuyok the then Undersecretary of the Ministry of General Education and Instruction reported that only 20% of South Sudan’s 64,000 teachers—about 15,360—are professionally qualified. This indicate that, there is a general lack of adequate programs to improve the quality of education, particularly in the areas of literacy and numeracy. This study sought to bridge the gap between unskilled teachers’ existing instructional practices and the learner-centered pedagogical approaches required for effective teaching and learning. The program development intervention (PDI) focused at equipping teachers with effective instructional methods, classroom management techniques, and learner-centered approaches, the program belief to directly improve lesson delivery and student engagement. This shortage of qualified teachers stems largely from rapidly growing school sectors which is being aggravated by a number of other factors too, including government recruitment policy, the aging teaching population, the high turnover rate of teaching staff, and the unattractiveness of teaching as a career compared to other careers (Ingersoll, 2002; Santiago, 2002).