AN OPEN LETTER TO THE DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF GHANA EDUCATION SERVICE

Re-evaluating the National Continuous Professional Development (CPD) Day: A Proposal for Virtual Training

Esteemed Director-General,

As a dedicated educator invested in the professional growth of teachers in Ghana, I am writing to express my thoughts on the Ghana Education Service’s (GES) recent declaration of March 28, 2025, as National Continuous Professional Development (CPD) Day. This initiative acknowledges the importance of continuous training for our teachers. However, I am concerned about the chosen implementation method and its potential repercussions on teaching hours, teacher welfare, and resource management.

Highly Revered Director-General, while CPD plays a vital role in enhancing our educational quality, requiring our teachers to leave their classrooms for training disrupts the academic schedule. Ghanaian teachers face a packed academic calendar filled with public holidays, sports events, cultural celebrations, and various extracurricular activities. For schools operating on a shift system, these interruptions are especially harmful, they diminish crucial instructional time. The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NaCCA, 2019) recognizes the importance of maximizing classroom hours for effective learning, making the additional hours lost to CPD days contradictory to this principle.

Moreover, research continually demonstrates that time dedicated to direct instruction significantly influences student learning outcomes. A study by the Education Policy Institute (2022) indicated that reduced instructional time often leads to declines in literacy and numeracy, especially among students from less privileged backgrounds. To truly enhance learning outcomes, I suggest we must prioritize methods that increase teaching time rather than diminish it.

The Dangers of Physical Attendance: Safety and Welfare Issues

In addition to instructional concerns, we must also consider the risks of attending CPD programs in person. Each year, tragic incidents involving teachers commuting to training sessions remind us of the dangers involved. Some teachers sustain severe injuries, while others sadly lose their lives, often without any formal support system in place for victims or their families. A recent report by the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT, 2023) pointed out the absence of comprehensive welfare policies for our teachers facing injuries or fatalities during official duties.

Honourable Director-General, the financial and logistical strain of travelling to CPD venues adds to the problem. Many teachers, particularly in rural regions, must incur travel expenses on their own. They travel to these training centres using precarious public transport, while others need to secure accommodations if the training site is too far from their residents. These additional costs, compounded with teachers’ already modest salaries, create an unnecessary financial burden that could be alleviated through a virtual format for CPD.

Let hasten to say that, traveling great distances for CPD training can also lead to physical fatigue, which diminishes the effectiveness of the sessions. Teachers often arrive exhausted and unfocused. This hinders their ability to engage meaningfully with the training material. Rather than empowering educators, this scenario can turn into a mere formality with limited influence on teaching practices.

The pressing question remains: why should our teachers face these risks and inconveniences for training that can be effectively conducted online? The COVID-19 pandemic illustrated that virtual learning is not only feasible but also efficient and cost-effective. The education sector shifted to online teaching during the lockdown. This demonstrates that training programs could transition similarly.

Arguing for Virtual CPD: Enhancing Efficiency and Accountability

Esteemed Director-General, doubts regarding teachers’ commitment to virtual training are outdated and unsupported. Successful integration of digital platforms for teacher training has been achieved in countries like Finland and Singapore-leaders in global education (OECD, 2021). If Ghana aims to modernize its education sector, it must harness technology for professional development.

Virtual CPD programs would offer a multitude of advantages. Firstly, they would enable our teachers to participate in training without leaving their classrooms, thus preserving instructional time. This flexibility would allow training to be scheduled during non-teaching hours, like weekends or after school, making it more convenient for educators.

Additionally, online CPD would eliminate travel and its associated risks. Teachers can partake in training from their homes or schools. This would reduce the likelihood of accidents and easing financial burdens. The approach would also make the professional development more accessible in rural areas where teachers often struggle to attend in-person sessions.

Recommendations for Effective Virtual CPD

To ensure accountability in virtual CPD sessions, GES can consider the following measures:

• Mandatory Participation and Assessment: Design CPD modules to include quizzes, discussions, and interactive elements that promote active engagement, linking participation and completion to professional development records.
• Integration into Promotion Criteria: Similar to in-person workshops, incorporate virtual CPD into promotion and license renewal criteria.
• Recorded Sessions for Flexibility: Virtual training sessions can be recorded for teachers facing connectivity issues, allowing them to catch up at their convenience.
• Partnership with E-Learning Platforms: Collaborate with universities and ed-tech companies to create engaging and interactive CPD programs tailored to Ghana’s education framework.

Adopting virtual CPD is not merely a temporary fix; it represents a long-term commitment to the future of teacher training. Many international education systems have embraced this model, and Ghana should not fall behind. By utilizing digital platforms, we can ensure continuous, inclusive professional development that aligns with global best practices.

A Request to GES and Teacher Unions

It is time to reconsider traditional teacher training methods. The world is advancing towards digital solutions, and we must keep pace. Teacher unions, policymakers, and education stakeholders should advocate for a virtual CPD model that prioritizes teacher safety, instructional time, and resource efficiency.

I humbly, implore the Ghana Education Service to consult with educators, unions, and ICT experts in developing a framework for virtual CPD that would reflect global best practices. As a country, we have the potential to lead this transformative change, and I trust GES has the vision to realizing it.

Furthermore, teacher unions must take a definitive stance on this matter. GNAT, NAGRAT, and CCT-GH should advocate for reforms that safeguard teachers from avoidable risks and ensure professional development does not encroach on instructional time. Our concerns must be addressed with urgency, and our voices must resonate.

Education is a cornerstone of national development, and teachers are central to this system. Their professional growth should enhance, not disrupt, learning. The advantages of virtual CPD far exceed those of the outdated physical attendance model, and it is high time for us to embrace innovation in teacher training.

Let us champion innovation. Let us safeguard our teachers. Let us rethink CPD for the 21^st century.

 

YOUR SON: WISDOM KOUDJO KLU, EDUCATIONIST/COLUMNIST, GREATER ACCRA REGION. [email protected]