Teachers’ Training in Sudan
By Dr Ahmed Gasm Alseed, Associate Professor- Applied Linguistics, Faculty of Education-University of Gezira -SUDAN
1- The statement of problem:
The standard of many English language teachers in the Sudanese schools (primary and secondary) is far from being satisfactory. This problem will, of course, affect negatively the standard of English learners at all levels, specially the university graduate levels and post graduate ones, where English is used as a medium of instruction at colleges of medicine, engineering and technology. This represents a real threat and big challenge for the whole educational systems in the country.
2- Historical background on teacher training in Sudan
English language was introduced in Sudan by the British to the country in 1889. At that time the British government was not enthusiastic about the spread of English in Sudan for the fear that it might cause political problems. This is why teacher training was not considered as an important issue in its polices.
Then the British thought of training a small group of Sudanese to help them run the affairs of the country. Sir James Currie opened primary schools. English was taught by Egyptian teachers; Then by a group of Sudan Gordon Memorial college graduates.
The need for English teacher training was first began in 1929 in response to the report of the commission of inspectors who examined English at primary level and criticized the methods by which the syllabus was taught as well as the teaching of English at the college. The commission accused the Sudanese Staff members for being the cause of deterioration.
The Government responded positively to that report. In 1930 an in service teacher training course for all intermediate schools teachers of English was organized by Mr. Griffith. later, in 1937 De la ware commission recommended sending Sudanese teachers of English to England for short training courses.
In 1948 the Intermediate Teacher Training College(I.T.T.C) was opened as a training section at Bakhat Er-Ruda Institute of Education.
Later, in 1959 the Girls intermediate Teacher Training Institute (G.I.T.T.I) was opened in Omdurman. Then, in 1970s an additional training college was opened in Omdurman for training men teachers to meet the need for more trained teacher which stemed from the expansion of education. The training programmes according to Gareeb Alla 2000: 16 “were more or less similar, based on the direct method and Audio Lingual”.
In 1972 the In- service Education Training Institute (I.S.E.T.I) was established with a support from the (UNICEF). The training system was described by Gareeb Alla 2000: 17 “It was something like a “distance training” where trainees were to come on a day release to meet their supervisors for feed back.
That system was, of course, not appropriate for English language teacher training.
Then in1979 a one year English teacher training for Intermediate stage was started as a substitution for the Diploma in TEFL which was formerly taught at Leeds in UK. During this course the focus in on the practical skills which the teacher will need in language awareness . But only a selective small group of teachers will luckily enjoy having this course. This because it required certain good standard level at English.
At the secondary stage there was no training Institution corresponding to the (I.T.T.I). Those teachers were only university graduates from various colleges which have nothing to do with the profession of teaching.
The existence of such teachers contributed a lot in spoiling what the intermediate teacher has built in the learners and in adding almost nothing to their stock of language.
This phenomenon was criticized and attacked by the conference held at university of Khartoum under the title “English in the Sudan” 1960-1963 as follows:
It was assumed that anyone who held a degree from a university of Khartoum specialized in Arabic or History or taught English in the Intermediate schools was responsible for the decline in the standard of English teaching and the student performance.
In 1962 the Higher Teacher Training Institute (H.T.T.I) was set up for secondary school teachers. It offered a 4 year diploma in science and Arts. However, that institute was affiliated in 1974 to the
university of Khartoum and promoted to a faculty status offering a degree of Bachelor in Education. Thus this affiliation to university robbed the Ministry of Education of a reliable source of steady flow of well trained teachers.
In addition, the faculty of education in Khartoum offered a post graduate diploma in TEFL to cater for in service English teacher training for the secondary schools. This diploma eventually became a prequisite for further English teacher training to master degree in TEFL.
In 1995 the faculty of Education University of Khartoum offered an English training programme for the basic level teachers. It is a 4 year programme leading to the award of the degree of B.A (general). This programme was criticized by Gareeb Alla 2000:19 as:
“This programme follows the same system of the courses offered to the secondary schools teachers”.
The same programme was followed by the newly established faculties of education. However, the programme used in faculties of Education University of Gazira is designed to lead to the award of B.ED (Honor). This means it has different features and additional courses.
1 comment