Competence of Distance Upgraded grade A Teachers in Teaching Mathematics at all levels of Primary Education: A case study of Mtwara and Lindi Regions.

This study investigated the competence of the upgraded grade B/C to A teachers in teaching Mathematics at all levels of primary education. The sample of the study comprised; two districts each from Mtwara and Lindi regions; one being is rural and the other urban. Respondents comprised 39 upgraded B/C to A teachers, 19 head teachers from primary schools with upgraded grade A teachers, 14 ward Education Coordinators and 12 District School Inspectors. They filled questionnaires and open ended interview questions. The findings show that the upgraded grade A teachers are incompetent in teaching Mathematics in standards V to VII due to lacking content knowledge of Mathematics but used limited teaching strategies to teach standards I to IV. This is an important feedback to tutors and Ministry officials to arrange for in-service courses for capacity building academically and professionally in Mathematics. It is recommended that candidates intending to enter the teaching profession must pass Mathematics at CSEE. For further research, more case studies are recommended to gauge the pervasiveness of the problem not only in Mathematics but also in English