In-Service Training: An Essential Element in the Professional Development of Teachers

This paper reports on the interv ention of teaching and assisting teachers to acquire more knowledge to enhance their skills through the in-service training (INSET) and continuing professional development (CPD). It also presents a report on questionnaire s administered to approximately 200 teachers in the basic schools. The questionnaires were to find out how often they participate in INSET/CPD programmes. Data for the study were collected from these teachers who are being offered the Diploma Sandwich Programme organised by the Teacher Education Division in Ghana. The emergent picture is that more than 60% of the teachers are in favour of getting more training, acquiring new attitudes and skills in order to help them excel in their teaching profession and sharing their gained information with other colleagues and pupils/students they teach. Fina lly, probable suggestions and recommendations are made to assist the authorities concerned to adapt the best strategy to organi se and sustain the INSET/CPD of all categories of teachers not only in Ghana but also in other developing countries and in countries that seem to be already developed.