Evalution of the extension training program at comilla thana training and development center Bangladesh

Abstract

The central focus of this study is to evaluate the extension training program at Comilla Thana Training and Development Center (TTDC). This center is conceived as an experimental attempt where the thana level officers of nation building departments serve as teachers and village cooperative society representatives called managers and model farmers serve as extension agents by attending continuous weekly training programs at TTDC. They maintain liaison between TTDC teachers and farmer-members of village societies. Data were collected through personal interviews using three different interview schedules designed for TTDC teachers, village representatives and farmer-members. Twenty-five village societies were selected randomly and the managers and model farmers of each selected village along with two randomly selected farmer- members were included for interview. All eligible teachers at TTDC were interviewed. Five objectives were set for investigation - the relevance of subject-matter; strengfus,weaknesses and needed changes in the training program; process of feedback; 'methods of training and the conditions necessary for successful role performance by teachers. The study reveals the fact that the relevance of the subject-matter is not consistent. On one hand, more training time is spent o~ topics which are not high in priority of the trainees' choice, and on the other, eighty per cent of the farmers do not find adequate answers to their '. questions. The 'manager-model farmer' approach is appreciated by all groups, but the low level of teachers' knowledge, the lack of facilities for conducting effective training classes, and administrative inefficienciesare mentioned as major weaknesses in the 'training program. The process of feedback between the teachers and village representatives and between the village representatives and farmer-members seems to be reasonably effective. The training methods believed by teachers to be effective are not used by them for lack of facilities. Economic hardship is mentioned by the teachers to be the major impediment in their successful role performance. The findings of the study reflect a set of deteriorating conditions in the training activities at Comi11a which further may signal a trend of worsening conditions in the whole Comi11a program. The pipeline from where the knowledge used to flow from the TTDC to the villages in early / ' years has now stopped due to failure in the production of new information. More collaboration with research institutes is needed to solve farmers' problems and produce new information. The findings also suggest that the curriculum of the training program needs to be changed to incorporate the priority the trainees desire. Training, being a part of the rural development program of Comi11a, i,tneeds to reinvigorate the / system levels at Comi11a and revitalize the institutional approach in order to have impact not only in training activities, but also the whole Comi11a program.