Continuous Professional Development and Its Point-Based Metrics.
NTC, GES, and Teacher Unions collectively made final decisions on Teacher Continuous Professional Development (CPD) Reforms.
It is illuminating to examine the standardisation of teacher professionalism (through CPD) via historical lenses
GES, in collaboration with JICA, institutionalised CPD at pre-tertiary institutions. Since 2009, the GES has been implementing a nationwide INSET programme and whipping up interest in CPD activities
- Teachers were required to seek out CPD service providers and pay for *self-sponsored workshops* in order to obtain certificates and add them to their appraisal and personal record form before considered eligible for promotion or placement. In most cases, the programs were irrelevant to the teacher’s need, and the service providers were unregulated.
- Teacher unions, GES, NTC, and other essential partners assessed the difficulties related with the CPD ecosystem. This led to the implementation of the Continuous professional development allowance in 2020.
- The stakeholders agreed that the allowance would be used to support teachers’ continuing professional development. The Ministry of finance was tasked to effect the payment each year in consonance with the 2020 Collective Bargaining Agreement for teaching staff under GES.
- For each CPD session teachers attend, they earn CPD points. The CPD metrics empowered by the CPD framework and section 60 (k) of the Education Regulatory Act, Act 1023 creates persuasive defense for payment of the CPD stipend. It also assists teachers in tracking their CPD growth, identify their learning gaps and serves as a data source for stakeholders in decision making in order to improve teacher professionalism
- When the CPD framework was implemented, there was a lot of uproar from stakeholders (Teacher Unions, GES, NTC, teachers, Ministry of Finance, and so on) over it. Issues raised factored
- The cost of accessing CPD programs.
- The number of CPD credit points to be accrued within the specified time frame;
- Over 100,000 teachers haven’t accrued a single CPD point
- Teachers indifferent attitude towards CPD programs.
- Issues of financial exploitation
- Infiltration of the system by unaccredited service providers and unapproved CPD modules.
6. Based on the foregoing, stakeholders deliberated to establish a long-term solution to the highlighted issues. The intervention aims at harmonizing and developing a strong structure to promote, improve, and sustain teachers’ CPD activities.
7. The proposal argues for teachers to earn 20 CPD points per year and have access to supply-driven trainings at no cost.
8.Teachers will gain:
- 6 points from PLC at no cost
- 6 points from three National CPD days within the academic year at a cost of GH150
- 4 points from demand-driven programs (targeted or specialized programs) organized by service providers.
- 4 points from Recommended and self-initiated CPD programs offered by Teacher Unions, Development Partners, and other organizations that are normally free.
9. The key points highlighted in the proposal seek to
- Promote CPD accountability,
- Provide a fertile environment to sustain CPDA payment, and
- Strengthen teacher capacity development to promote learning outcomes.
10. It is worth noting that the CPD architecture is in harmony with global expectations and standards for teacher professionalism and this explains why countries like Zambia, Uganda, South Africa, Namibia, Rwanda, Finland, Singapore etc. are committing to enhancing the knowledge and competences of teachers through CPD programmes
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