Assessment of continuous professional development needs among teachers of twi in the senior high schools

Abstract

This study assessed the CPD needs among teachers of Twi in the Senior High Schools (SHS) in Birim South District, Birim Central Municipal, Asene-Manso-Akroso District, Akyemansa District, and West Akim Municipal of Eastern Region. A descriptive census survey was used in the study; thus, all teachers of Twi in the Senior High School of selected Districts and Municipalities in the Eastern Region. Questionnaire was used to gather data from the respondents. Through a descriptive (frequency, percentages, means, and standard deviation), the study found that teachers of Twi participated in CPD activities like school In-Service Education and Training (INSET) Day, workshops/conferences, collaborative learning, further study, personal research, and reading. They, however, need CPD in subject knowledge, pedagogy, new theories and practices of Twi, curriculum planning and development, and multi-cultural settings. It was also found that CPD influences their instructional practices; however, they faced several challenges such as lack of necessary information on programmes, inadequate fund, lack of Ghana Education Service (GES) /school support, lack of prior consultation/needs identification, and conflict with work schedule. The study, therefore, recommended that the Ministry of Education (MoE) should organize and implement school-based CPD as part of the performance of teachers’ career structure development criteria.