GES train teachers to implement new Professional Learning Communities

The Ghana Education Service (GES) has trained 100 teachers to roll out a new Professional Learning Community (PLC) approach in Senior High Schools (SHS) and Senior High Technical Schools (SHTS) across Ghana.

The PLC sessions aim to strengthen teachers' adherence to the National Teachers' Standards and prepare them for a new secondary curriculum to be introduced in 2024/25.

GES piloted the PLCs in 12 schools in January 2022, which found it significantly improved teaching and learning.

This provided evidence for a national scale-up.

The GES Public Relations Unit in a tweet on Monday, May 22 said a 5-day training programme for the National Training Team was held in Koforidua, the Eastern regional capital from May 8 to May 12.

The training, according to the GES’ PR unit aimed to "equip the National Training Team with the necessary skills and resources to support teachers and officers across various regional and district education directorates to effectively implement PLCs in SHSs and SHTSs."

It added that the sessions showed teachers "interactive and innovative approaches to make teaching and learning more engaging for students."

It noted that the programme highlighted "the importance of socio-emotional learning in the classroom" and promoted "Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI), leveraging technology."

All approaches used were drawn from the National Teacher's Standards, "which sets out the values and attitudes, knowledge, and practices expected of all professional teachers in Ghana."

The GES aims to institutionalize PLCs across all schools through the National Training Team, following the successful pilot that found these weekly sessions had a significant impact on improving teaching and learning.