Teachers’ Pedagogical Competences and Pupils’ Academic Performance in Primary Schools in Kibuku District, Uganda

*Moses Wambi, Prof. Alice Merab Kagoda, Prof. Anthony Mowagga Mugagga & Wamika Christopher. Makerere University-College of Education and External Studies
*Corresponding author: moswambi@yahoo.com

Received May 6, 2019; Revised May 20, 2019; Accepted May 21, 2019

Abstract: The study examined the relationship between teachers’ pedagogical competences and academic performance of pupils in Kibuku District in Eastern Uganda. Four specific objectives were employed to guide this study. The purpose was to critically examine the significant relationship between teachers’ pedagogical competences and pupils’ academic performance. The breakdown of the relationships focused on: Knowledge about learners; context knowledge; subject knowledge; interpersonal skills; communication skills; teachers’ pedagogical competences; teaching skills; teachers’ content knowledge; class management skills; and academic performance of pupils. An experimental research design was used to conduct this study with a mixed methods approach of quantitative and qualitative methods. A sample size of 208 teachers was used with 130 questionnaires received back. Relationships among variables were established using Pearson correlation coefficients while hypotheses were tested using simultaneous linear regression coefficients at a confidence interval of 99%. The study established positive and significant relationships among; knowledge about learners, context knowledge, subject knowledge, interpersonal skills, communication skills, teachers’ pedagogical competences, teaching skills, teachers’ content knowledge, class management skills and academic performance. The major recommendations were that: Teachers should interact and inquire about the daily life experiences of pupils to enhance the use of appropriate teaching methods to facilitate learning; and that teachers must use activity-based strategies and participatory methods of teaching such as discussion, guided discovery, storytelling, demonstration etc. to enable learners master concepts based on the surroundings, contextualize, and interpret concepts easily.