Abstract: Education plays a pivotal role in fostering learning. Education in the 21st century extends far beyond basic literacy, embracing the concept of creating lifelong learners. This paradigm shift recognizes that the ability to learn, adapt, and acquire new skills continuously is paramount in our rapidly evolving world. Education now focuses on developing competencies that enable individuals to become autonomous, adaptable learners throughout their lives. This study explores the paradigm shift from viewing education solely as a means of achieving literacy to recognizing its role in developing lifelong learners. This paper examines the importance of lifelong learning competencies in the context of rapid technological advancements, global economic shifts, and evolving societal needs. It argues that in the 21st century, education must transcend basic literacy skills to foster a set of competencies that enable continuous learning throughout life. The research examines how traditional educational models often fall short in preparing individuals for the rapidly changing global landscape, where adaptability and continuous skill development are crucial. By analyzing current literature and case studies, the paper identifies key lifelong learning competencies, including critical thinking, digital literacy, and self-directed learning. It also investigates the challenges in implementing this approach within existing educational frameworks. The findings suggest that reorienting education towards developing lifelong learners is essential for individual success and societal progress. The study concludes by proposing strategies for educational institutions and policymakers to cultivate these competencies, emphasizing the need for a holistic approach to education that goes beyond mere literacy.

Abstract: Education is an important adventure in the progress of human life and there are numerous elements attached to its effective achievement, one being the availability and use of learning materials. This paper analyzes role of parents in providing learning materials for numeracy acquisition among Pre-Primary II Learners in Suba Sub-County, Kenya. A pilot study was done in Mbita sub-County to establish validity and reliability of the research tools. The study used Descriptive Survey research design and two sampling techniques to select participants: purposive and simple random sampling. The study was guided by two theories: Cognitive Load Theory by John Sweller, and Social Interaction Theory by Lev Vygotsky. Target population for the study was 199, which comprised Early Year Education coordinator, Early Year Education zonal supervisors, head teachers and pre-primary II learners’ parents. A sample size of 63 respondents was selected; 52 participated with response rate of 82.5%. Questionnaires and Interview Schedule were used to collect data. Discourse analysis and Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) were used to analyze qualitative and quantitative data respectively. The study established that learning materials influenced acquisition of numeracy skills, despite less involvement of parents. The study further revealed that there was inadequate learning materials in most pre-primary centres. The study recommends that parents should be involved by the school administration to provide learning materials. Parents should be encouraged to provide learning materials. A further study needs to be conducted on” effects of education level of pre-school learners’ parents on provision of learning materials.”

Abstract: This study assessed the effects of the home environmental factors on students’ academic achievement in secondary schools in Dodoma city, in the Dodoma region – Tanzania. The study was qualitative in nature whereby data were collected through interviews and observations. The findings indicated that, excessive household chores such as cooking, collecting firewood, fetching water and taking care of siblings, to mention just a few, had significant negative impact on students’ achievement at school. These home activities hindered students to study at home as they lacked ample time to concentrate on their studies, which led to poor attendance and performance at school. The study also revealed that sometimes students failed to concentrate during class due to tiredness. Additionally, the study revealed that poor family income, low level of parents’ education, parents’ conflicts and divorce, poor supervision at home, and long distance from home to school negatively affected students’ academic achievement. The study recommends that parents need to be educated on how they can create a supportive home environment for the academic success of their children. The study also recommends the need of strengthening parent-school cooperation, supervising and motivating children at home when they perform better in their studies.

Abstract: Integrating content and language in learning different subjects helps English as a Second Language Learners (ESL) develop Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency (CALP) that empowers learners to cognitively engage in listening, speaking, reading and writing. Integrating content and language also develops the necessary literacies for learners to do well in school. Using a multiple case design in a study underpinned by the Four Resources literacy model and Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) approach, the study sought to understand; teacher conceptualisation of CLIL in helping learners develop CALP, its application in teaching humanities subjects at the Advanced Level and how the use of the approach can be optimised. Nine Advanced Level Teachers and three Heads of Departments (HODs) from the Humanities Departments of three purposefully selected schools participated in the study. Interview guides were used for both teachers and heads of departments to gather data. The study established that there is a very low conceptualisation of CLIL and its use in developing CALP is constrained. To optimise the use of CLIL, the study recommends the inclusion of the CLIL Approach in the teacher training curriculum and re-training of teachers who are already in service. The study also recommends the capacitation of HODs for them to play a supervisory role in the implementation of CLIL to develop CALP in teaching Humanities subjects at the Advanced Level.

Abstract: This study aimed to investigate the influence of instructional materials on students’ academic performance in mathematics. The use of instructional materials in teaching has been a subject of interest and debate in the education community, with proponents arguing that they enhance learning experiences and outcomes, while skeptics question their true efficacy. This research seeks to provide empirical evidence on the topic by examining the use of instructional materials on students’ academic performance in mathematics. The study employed a descriptive research approach, quantitative data collection and analysis method. Quantitative data was gathered through survey questionnaires to measure the availability and the use of instructional materials on the learners’ academic performance in mathematics. The study was conducted in four selected schools, encompassing various ordinal levels to ensure a comprehensive understanding of the topic. The population of the study was 1313 students and 10 mathematics teachers, totaling 1323 participants from four sample schools selected purposively. The sample of 328 students was selected randomly in line with the census survey method and a whole 10 mathematics teachers took part. The findings showed that the instructional materials are available and their use improved the academic performance of students in mathematics. Therefore, the findings had the potential to inform educational practices and policies, helping educators make informed decisions about the integration of instructional materials into their teaching methods.

Abstract: The study examined effects of cooperative learning strategy on Students’ Academic Achievement in work, energy and power in 12YBE secondary schools of Gasabo district. This study employed quasi-experimental design, using non-equivalent quasi-experimental design. Purposive sampling technique was used to select two schools for the study. One intact class in each school was used as the control group and the other class as the experimental group. The sample size consisted of 200 students comprising 94 in the control group and 106 in the experimental group. The experimental group was taught work, energy and power using cooperative learning ( learning together) while the control group was taught using the traditional way of teaching work, energy and power. Research instrument used for the study for data collection was Physics Achievement Test (PAT). The instrument was developed by the researcher in order to measure the rate of students’ academic achievement in physics. The instrument was administered to the students before treatment to determine the level of knowledge about the subject matter (pre-test). Then, the same instrument administered again after the treatment had been given to obtain the post test scores. The scores of the students were analysed using mean and standard deviation. The hypotheses were tested at .05 level of significance using t-test. The study found that Cooperative learning method enhances active student participation and interaction. This quality led to significant learning effect in Physics. It was recommended that science teachers should be encouraged to adopt cooperative teaching/learning strategy so as to enhance active students’ participation in scientific operation.

Abstract: This study aims at investigating factors that lead to Kiswahili poor Speaking Skills in Kicukiro Secondary Schools, Rwanda. The study was guided by constructivism theory by Jean Piaget (1896-1980). Different methods were used to collect data, including interview, classroom observation and document analysis. As a result, this research used three Kiswahili teachers from three different secondary schools and twelve students from those schools. Data from the research were analyzed qualitatively. The target population was selected purposively. Findings showed that students do not speak Kiswahili effectively owing to different reasons, namely: shyness of students while speaking Kiswahili, lack of motivation, fear of speaking Kiswahili in public, lack of Kiswahili spoken vocabulary as well as lack of confidence in speaking Kiswahili language. Therefore, this study recommends various educational institutions, including the ministry of education and its stakeholders to provide enough teaching resources in schools, cooperation of learners with parents’ involvements in learning development of their children, teachers must be well equipped in strategies that help students acquire Kiswahili speaking skills.

Abstract: This study examined the extent to which instructional supervision contributes to the enhancement of teachers’ professional development in public secondary schools. For the purpose of this study, instructional supervision refers to overseeing instruction as a means to promote teachers’ professional growth and so ensure effective teaching and learning. The study was guided by instructional leadership theory that was developed by Ronald Edmonds in the year 1970. The study, adopted mixed research approach with convergent parallel design. Cronbach Alpha Correlation Coefficient was used to ensure validity and reliability of research instruments. Quantitative data were collected through questionnaires and analyzed using descriptive statistics with the help of Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 21. Qualitative data were collected through interviews and analyzed thematically. A sample of 92 respondents who included one District Education Officer (DEO), one District Quality Assurance Officer (DQAO), three Ward Education Officers (WEO’s), four heads of schools and eighty-three teachers were involved. Stratified, simple random and purposive sampling was used to select the desired number of respondents. The findings indicate that instructional supervision contributes to enhancing teachers’ ability to use different instructional methods, ability to prepare teaching materials and enhances teaching performance. The study suggests instructional supervisors to continue providing feedback and giving suggestions for improving timely supervision process as intervention strategies to ensure teachers’ professional growth.

Abstract: The study investigated influence of school learning environment on quality education in public secondary schools in Arusha City Council. The study objectives were to: find out the influence of school learning environment on quality education in public secondary schools and determine the intervening measures to the challenges the school management face in providing the necessary school learning environment in public secondary schools in Arusha City. The study adopted convergent mixed methods design to gather data. The sample size of one CEO, 6 school heads – purposively involved in the study, 30 teachers and 61studentsselected by simple and stratified random sampling techniques participated. Questionnaires and interview guide were used for data collection. The research experts evaluated the instruments to determine content validity. Reliability of the questionnaires were tested in pilot study and Cronbach Alpha coefficient and found TQ at r = 0.705 and SQ at r = 0.705. Quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive statistics in the SPSS version 20 and results were presented in tables of frequencies and percentages. Qualitative data was analyzed thematically alongside research questions. The study findings revealed that adequate facilities create healthy learning environment & adequate staffing also influence quality education. Moreover, Poverty, staffing, cooperation, provision of adequate funds and facilities are possible measures to address the challenges facing school management in the provision of school learning environment. The study recommends that school heads should maintain good public relations with education stakeholders for healthy school environment necessary for quality education.

Abstract: The present study argues that instructional factors are key determinant for teacher training colleges (TTCs) students’ low motivation of learning mathematics in language education option. Findings are drawn from a large study that investigated factors behind the low motivation of TTC students in learning mathematics as a subsidiary subject. The research was informed by learning theories which affirm that what is learned depends on one’s prior knowledge, on the social context for learning, and on the connections between what is being learned and the real world. Through a questionnaire and classroom observation in two teacher training colleges (TTCs), qualitative data were collected from 34 participants and analyzed using thematic approach. The theme of this study was created based on literature review and findings from respondents. The results of the study revealed that teaching strategies and teaching resources take over the mathematics content to explain the low motivation of students in language education option. Therefore, the study recommends mathematics tutors in TTCs to put more effort in using teaching and learning materials to enhance learner-centered teaching approaches.