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Continuing Professional Development of Teachers in Junior Secondary Schools in Botswana

P Macheng*

This paper examines the significance of teacher continuing professional development in junior secondary schools in Botswana. The junior secondary school situation is a fluid sphere that demands continuing professional development of teachers. Changes in school’s physical and social environment, curriculum, and educational policy take place too often. Teachers need to adapt to such situations to be effective in such a dynamic environment. Continuing professional development of teachers is critical to deal with the gaps in training due to time and changes. The paper is an extract of a study that investigated the availability of structures or programs that facilitate continuing professional development of teachers and factors that impede teacher development in seven randomly selected Junior Secondary Schools in northern region of Botswana. The study was quantitative and qualitative in nature. Data was gathered using questionnaires and interviews. A computer aided statistical analysis (SPSS version 20) was used to analyze the quantitatively derived data. The analysis engaged both descriptive and inferential statistical analysis. Qualitative responses were coded, categorized and analyzed into major and minor themes. The results indicated lack of structures or programmes in junior secondary schools which facilitate teacher development. Furthermore, results revealed other impediments to professional growth of teachers in junior secondary schools.