All About The Teachers’ Continuous Professional Development (TCPD) : Full Explanation

Here is all you need to know about the Teachers’ Continuous Professional Development (TCPD). This article contains detailed Explanation of the recently introduced Teachers’ Continuous Professional Development (TCPD).

What Is Teachers’ Continuous Professional Development (TCPD)

Broadly, Teachers’ Continuous Professional Development (TCPD) is a systematic and sustained process by which a teacher not only maintains, but also improves and expands his/her professional knowledge, values and skills. The Teachers’ Continuous Professional Development Framework (‘TCPD Framework’) is designed by the National Teaching Council (NTC) of Ghana and formalises a teacher’s
responsibility and commitment to being a professionally competent and relevant practitioner.

About The Teachers’ Continuous Professional Development Framework (‘TCPD Framework’)

The Framework serves as a guideline for Teachers, Education Directors, Teacher Education Service Providers and other stakeholders on provision of quality teacher training programmes for In-Service Teachers. The Framework has identified different activities which have been grouped as Mandatory, Ranked Based and Recommended activities. The latter is also grouped into categories based on the
complexity nature of the activities and level of involvement of the teacher. This is to ensure consistency in calculation of and validity in assigning credit points. Teachers at specific ranks are to access activities from both Mandatory and Ranked Based Trainings. In addition, they are required to select any of the categories within the Recommended Trainings to meet a required TCPD point at that rank in a-3year
TCPD cycle.

Teachers Access To The Continuous Professional Development Framework

The teacher can access trainings from the employer either at the school level through Professional Learning Communities-PLC (School Based, Departmental Based or Cluster Based) Community of Practice-CoP (Workshop for Heads of Institutions or School Improvement Officers (SIO) or teachers for a particular subject or teachers of a particular class (BS3, BS1, KG2) or teachers
assigned with common roles and responsibilities. Such programmes are mostly supply driven.

Teachers can also use the teachers’ portal to access TCPD activities from Accredited Service Providers on Demand. Development Partners and NGO’s working closely with the Ministry of Education are also certified to collaborate with District Education offices to provide supply driven programmes to teachers. NTC will collaborate with NIB to monitor such trainings to ensure standards are met.

Teachers’ Continuous Professional Development Framework (TCPD) And NTC Licensing

The framework provides formulas for calculating TCPD points at their respective ranks. TCPD activities are documented in Teachers’ Logbook as backup records which are transposed to the teacher’s online account. Names of certified activities are saved in the portal for CPD providers to select and award points to teachers who may attend that programme.

This point you accumulate would come handy when your time is up to renew your license. You are expected to meet a target umber of 37 points in a three years cycle.

In addition to the TCPD points, teachers are also required to build their own portfolio for assessment and these two (TCPD points and Portfolio Assessment Grade) are used to determine the professional standing of the teacher. Should a teacher meet the TCPD point requirements but failed in Portfolio Assessment or the other way, that teacher cannot renew his or her license and cannot practice as a teacher according to the Teacher Regulatory ACT of Ghana.

Teachers who accept postings to where the employer and the National Teaching Council define as deprived area are given additional opportunities to access 2 demand deriving CPD programme which shall be organised by the employer in collaboration with the National Teaching Council without any payment by the employee except for transportation and feeding.

Teachers’ Continuous Professional Development (TCPD) And Stakeholder institutions

These are Institutions that provide similar regulatory framework for professionals. A brief synopsis of such institutions provides foundational information to both teachers and TCPD providers on the need to comply with this regulatory framework.

In Ghana, the Nursing and Midwifery Council, Dental and Medical Council as well as Ghana Legal Council have similar frameworks that guide the professional growth of their practitioners.

Again, tutors in Colleges of Education in Ghana have since 2013 been attending TCPD programmes, once every week. This has enriched the professional competencies of tutors in Ghanaian Colleges of Education and has translated in their professional routines.

In addition, all member countries of Africa Federation of Teaching Regulatory Authorities such as Zambian Teaching Council, Teacher Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) and South African Council for Educators are all operating under similar regulatory framework.

It is, therefore, not limited to Ghanaian Teachers alone, as a result, stakeholders are encouraged to embrace this framework and support its implementation to improve the academic achievements of the Ghanaian child who is the ultimate beneficiary of this framework. It is believed that the future of the young generation and our country depends on a well-equipped and skillful teacher who is abreast of the
modern trends of teaching and learning.

This framework has therefore been designed as the operational document of the National Teachers’ Standards with the surety that teachers will build their competencies, enhance their professional values, practices and knowledge as they access the relevant TCPD activities specified in this document.

To achieve the purpose of this framework, NTC will enforce the implementation process which is the responsibility of the employer and other accredited TCPD Service Providers. In addition, National Inspectorate Board shall support the DPDT and license departments of NTC to monitor teachers’ training records and license.

Also, any training materials developed by or for TCPD Service Providers shall be submitted to Department of Professional Development of Teachers (DPDT) in NTC for evaluation and accreditation before it would be used for training of teachers.