Quality and productivity of teachers in selected public secondary schools in lower Shabelle-Somalia.

Abstract This thesis investigates teacher quality and productivity in public secondary schools in Lower-Shabelle, Somalia. The study aims to provide insights into the demographic profile, perceptions of teacher quality, factors influencing productivity, and recommendations for improvement. A mixed-methods approach was employed, involving surveys and interviews with teachers to gather data on demographics, educational qualifications, teaching experience, and perceptions of teacher quality and productivity. Key findings indicate a predominantly male respondent population (78.8%), with the majority aged between 20-29 years (80%) and holding bachelor's degrees (57.5%). Most teachers have less than 5 years of experience (47.5%), and a significant majority rated teacher quality in their schools as excellent (61.3%). Characteristics identified as crucial for high-quality teaching include content knowledge, classroom management skills, pedagogical expertise, and interpersonal skills. Teacher productivity was primarily defined by student learning outcomes (42.5%) and the quality of lessons taught (32.5%), influenced by factors such as student behavior and resource availability. Recommendations focus on enhancing professional development opportunities, improving teacher characteristics through targeted training, addressing classroom management challenges, ensuring adequate resource provision, fostering communication and collaboration among teachers, and implementing effective performance evaluation and feedback mechanisms. These findings and recommendations aim to guide policy-makers, educational leaders, and stakeholders in improving educational outcomes and fostering a supportive environment for teaching in public secondary schools in Lower-Shabelle, Somalia.