Lesson 2: Why CPD in education
Page 1
Induction
of Competence-based Curriculum (CBC) and life-long learning
Rwanda’s ambition is to become a
knowledge-based and technology-led economy. CBC has been introduced to achieve
the ambition by producing competent workforce. The CBC curriculum framework
stipulates that “Competences cannot be
taught directly like subject knowledge. They are acquired over time through the
cumulative effect of a competence approach to learning. They require students
to practice and employ the generic competencies throughout the subjects that
they study. They require the syllabi to be constructed with competences at
their heart. They require teachers to adopt approaches that encourage and
enable students to think critically, to carry out research, to solve problems,
to be creative and innovative, to communicate, to co-operate and to become
life-long learners.” (REB, 2015)
It suggests teachers a continuous effort
to adopt learning & teaching (L/T) approaches according to learns’ level,
learning needs and change in society. Teachers themselves need to become life-long learners as a role model to
think critically, to carry out education research, to solve learning problems,
to be creative and innovative to apply new L/T approaches, to communicate and
to co-operate with others all the time in school.
Therefore, teaching is now complex
professions, an effective teacher is the most important factor in producing
consistently high levels of student achievement and they need Competence-based
Education and Training (CBET). CPD is a form of CBET for teachers which enable
them to acquire competencies through the cumulative professional development
practice.
A large body of evidence shows that CPD
can have a positive impact on student performance and teachers’ practice (e.g.
Guskey, 2003).