Exploring Teachers’ Perspectives on the Availability of Professional Development Programs: A Case of One District in Ghana
George Atta, Emmanuel Mensah

Abstract
This qualitative research explored the perspectives of senior high school teachers on the availability of continuing professional development programs in the Sekyere East district in the Ashanti region of Ghana. Open-ended survey responses were used to explore respondents’ views. Thirty-two teachers from five senior high schools in the district participated in the study. Categories and themes that emerged from the data analyses indicated that teachers in the district have opportunities to access distance learning facilities and graduate courses from institutions of higher learning. In addition, professional learning programs for teachers in the district take the form of workshops, in-service training, conferences, and seminars. However, the study found that these models were structurally traditional, rarely organized, and limited to few teachers in the district, making them less effective in impacting the quality of teachers’ instructional practices and students’ learning outcomes. Recommendations for policy direction and future research have been discussed.

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