Examining Professional Training and Continuing Education of Teachers in the Junior High Schools of the Upper West Region of Ghana

Abstract

Purpose: Policy document on continuing education and training of teachers after entering the workforce emphasizes that teachers are expected to partake in their career professional training. However, the Ministry of Education (2018), explained that the policy implementation challenges make the policy only good on paper and, make it appear ineffective in Ghana. The study examined the avenues for continuing education, the determinant variables, and the outcomes of continuing education in the region. Methodology: Survey Design, qualitative and quantitative approaches, and Multi-Stage Cluster Sampling technique were used in addition to an interview guide and a questionnaire for the data. The analysis was done with the help of the Statistical Package for Social Scientists in the form of charts, percentages and quotations from key informants. Findings: Avenues for continuing education were teacher licensing, inductions, schools and field visits, promotions, workshops, seminars and conferences, collegial discussions, peer group teaching, mentoring, and teaching portfolio. The determinant variables when correlated affected the avenues of continuing education. variables like gender, current educational qualification, the necessity to have incense before being qualified to teach, and being licensed as a teacher were positively related but statistically insignificant. However, marital status was negatively related to teachers’ opinions but positively related to promotion. The outcomes of professional training and continuing education included enhanced certification, reflective practitioners, lifelong learning, progressive schemes of service, and subject specialisation.  Also, the teachers’ marital status had a consequential positive relationship with promotion, current education qualification, and license as a teacher. Unique Contribution to Theory, Policy and Practice: Continuing education, professional training, and continuous education skills are intertwined, an indication of its importance to the teacher and a wakeup call to the government for effective implementation of the policy and put in strategies to improve teachers’ skills. Also, the Human Capital Theory has been tested ant it reinforced the use of professional training and continuing education avenues for the career growth of the teachers, The Change Theory of In-service Training was also in consonance with the findings of the study and therefore, be upheld. These are significant contribution to knowledge. Teachers should give attention to continuing education and training in order to acquire more knowledge in the Region also, a call for vigorous sensitisation crusade by the study to persuade all teachers in the region to go for further education and training is in the right direction.