POST TRAINING NEEDS AND SUPPORT SYSTEMS FOR BASIC SCHOOL TEACHERS IN THE CENTRAL REGION OF GHANA

Training of teachers must not stop after college but must be continued to ensure that teachers are really up to date and effective on their job. The purpose of this study is to assess the regularity and effectiveness of the in-service education and training (INSET) teachers receive, the support systems available to teachers and the challenges that confront the directorates in organising such training sessions and the possible measures to mitigate the challenges. The cross-sectional survey was used in this study because the researchers wanted to cover a good number of the target population. The sample size of the study was 200 respondents. The instruments used in the data collection exercise were questionnaire and semi-structured interview. Some of the findings of the study were INSET helped teachers to expand their knowledge, and it also prepared teachers to cope with changes in education. Some of the support services provided by management for INSET as listed by respondents were on the job training by heads and circuit supervisors, provision of text books/reference materials, short courses by GES, inspection and supervision by GES among other things. The challenges that confront the directorates in organising INSET include; financial difficulties, lack of well equipped resource centres, inadequate committed training personnel, inadequate materials for training, non-payment of transport allowance, poor patronage of teachers among other challenges. The study recommends that the Ministry of Education makes sufficient financial provision for INSET in their annual budget. It is further recommended that training officers and teachers who participate in such training exercises are provided a good package of incentives by GES to motivate them.