Investigating the quality and nature of teachers’ professional development in South Africa and Nigeria

Abstract

Regular professional development of teachers has not only been seen as traditions but also an effective way to ensure quality education. The quality of education in any country is facilitated by the quality of teachers in the system. This interpretive study explored teachers’ views on the quality and nature of in –service professional development activities they access every year in South African and Nigerian high schools. Andragogy theory was used as theoretical framework to underpin this qualitative research study in both countries. Semi-structured interviews with 6 Heads of department from both South African and Nigerian high schools were used for data collection. The purpose of teachers’ in-service professional development (IPD) is to enhance classroom instructional delivery, which ultimately will improve learners’ academic performance. Findings of this study revealed that teachers in both countries do not access regular in-service professional development every year. The study also established that there was no regular monitoring and support for teachers towards in-service professional development; so also, the use of “one-size-fits all” type of professional development workshops for teachers in these countries are not effective. This study therefore, recommended regular interval of professional development activities for teachers, well-designed and well-structured subject-based IPD activities to enhance teachers’ classroom practices every school term to ensure continuity of IPD.

Keywords: Teachers’ professional development, nature, quality, classroom practice, regular, continuity.