Journal of Education and Practice www.iiste.org ISSN 2222-1735 (Paper) ISSN 2222-288X (Online) Vol.4, No.12, 2013 217 Staff Development Programmes and Secondary School Teachers' Job Performance in Uyo Metropolis, Nigeria Ekpoh, Uduak Imo*, Edet, Aniefiok Oswald and Nkama, Victoria Inyang Department of Educational Administration and Planning, University of Calabar, Calabar – Nigeria, Email: druduakekpoh@yahoo.com Abstract Staff development programmes act as a catalyst for teachers effectiveness. It is a potent means of updating teachers' skills and knowledge for improving instruction and learning. This study was carried out to investigate the influence of staff development programmes on secondary school teachers' job performance in Uyo Metropolis, Nigeria. A single hypothesis guided the study. Data were collected using two sets of questionnaires titled "Staff Development Programme Questionnaire" (SDPQ) and "Teachers' Job Performance Questionnaire" (TJPQ). SDPQ was administered on 450 teachers while TJPQ was administered on 1800 students to assess teachers' job performance. Data collected were analyzed using Independent t-test statistic at 0.05 level of significance. Findings showed that teachers who participated in staff development programmes were more effective in their job performance than those who did not, in terms of knowledge of subject matter, classroom management, teaching methods and evaluation of student's work. It was recommended among others, that the Ministry of Education and State Secondary Education Board in Akwa Ibom State should on a regular basis organize training programmes for teachers. Such programmes should relate to subject contents, use of teaching aids, lesson preparation and delivery, classroom management and student's evaluation. Keywords: Staff development programmes, job performance, secondary school teachers. 1. Introduction Teachers constitute an important factor in the implementation of the curriculum. The quality of teachers is known to be a key predictor of students performance. Stressing this point, Hammad (2001) points out that the simple most important determinant of what students learn is what teachers know. Teaching as a profession demands continuous development of knowledge and ability through training programmes. Such training programmes include workshops, conferences, seminars, induction and orientation for new staff, refresher courses, in- service training and so on. Staff development has been accepted as an effective method of increasing the knowledge and skills of teachers in order to enable teachers to teach more effectively. According to Lawal (2004), staff development programmes for teachers are important aspects of education process that deal with the art of acquiring skills in the teaching profession. They are essential practices that enhance subject mastery, teaching methodology and classroom management. The objective of staff development programmes is that it ensures the promotion of professional growth, helps to improve pedagogical skills, keeps teachers abreast with new knowledge, meets particular needs, such as curriculum development and orientation, helps in leadership responsibility, helps new teachers to adjust to teaching field, helps to promote mutual respect among teachers and recognizes the need for modern teaching methods( Madumere-Obike,2007). In Akwa Ibom state, the State Secondary Education Board employs both professional teachers and non- professional teachers. Most of the professional teachers have not received any other form of training after the initial pre-service training. The non- professionals have never received any form of training in the art of teaching, neither were they properly inducted into the school system. Thus making them ill prepared for the task of imparting knowledge. Uche and Enukoha (2004) points out that teaching is a profession, therefore all who desire to work as teachers should be well groomed in the art of teaching. Brennen (2001) asserts that new teachers are faced with several challenges upon beginning their teaching career; such as: class assignment, classroom discipline and management, demanding teaching loads with assignment of extra duties, motivating students, dealing with individual differences among students, assessing students and so on. Hence the need to provide effective staff development programmes which will assist novice teachers as they begin their teaching career. Mohammed (2006) noted that many teachers after graduation have little or no opportunity for re-training and their training ends as soon as they graduate with no opportunity for updating their knowledge and skills by attending seminars, workshops and conferences that will subsequently enhance their knowledge and skills and their classroom teaching. Subscribing to this view, Esu (1997) observed that there has been greater awareness