TTeachers’ conditions of service entitle them to continuous professional development (CPD). The founder of a school ensures that teachers and other staff engaged in the process of education receive remuneration while attending their CPD for at least five days per year. At least once every three years, pedagogical staff are obliged to improve their qualifications in the development of social and emotional competences and other areas, taking into account the specifics of their pedagogical activity. This provision is laid down in the Law on Education.
The process of CPD is comprised of non-formal education and self-education for the purpose of acquiring and developing those competences necessary for a teacher’s professional activities.
On 30 May 2012, the Teachers’ Professional Development Concept was approved by the Minister of Education, Science and Sport. The concept recognises the following forms of professional development:
- individual learning (including scientific activities and research and producing professional publications)
- sharing knowledge with colleagues (participation in methodological groups and associations of subject teachers, demonstrations and reflective supervision of lessons and other educational activities, coaching, mentoring and consultation)
- specialised events (seminars, courses, projects, internships, trainings)
- academic studies (higher degree studies, studies in another study field, study programmes aimed at retraining but which do not award a degree, etc.)
- public activities (social activities, cultural activities, artistic expression).
The concept states that teachers’ professional development should continue the training they received in higher education institutions and last during their entire professional career. Particular emphasis is placed on providing all the support needed to acquire the competences missing from their first years of teaching.
The Minister for Education, Science and Sport approves priority areas for professional development every three years. The following priority areas for professional development have been approved for the period 2023–2025:
- Strengthening digital competences
- Enhancing competences that implement the principle of inclusion
- Strengthening competences in civic education
- Enhancing competences in educational practice and didactics
- Developing competences in leadership for education and learning.
Organisational aspects
The Ministry of Education, Science and Sport plans funds for teachers’ CPD and, in conjunction with other relevant institutions engaged in the process, organises, co-ordinates and undertakes studies on the system of teachers’ CPD, analysing the need for additional professional development events.
Institutions providing teachers’ professional development include methodological centres at schools, municipal teacher education centres and professional development providers at higher education institutions. Other institutions, such as non-governmental organisations and agencies under the the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport, can also arrange professional development events.
Teachers wishing to attend professional development events can contact those responsible for their appraisal and continuing professional development in their schools or directly at the regional teacher education centres. The municipal education authorities and regional teacher education centres regularly provide information about the plans for CPD programmes, seminars and other events.
CPD providers charge fees for their services. The greater part of the costs related to professional development activities are covered from the state or municipal budgets and some costs are covered by individual teachers themselves. After launching the general education funding reform, funds for professional development are provided for in the school budget and depend on the number of pupils enrolled (the ‘pupil’s basket’).
After the adoption of the Teachers’ Professional Development Concept ,teachers’ professional development will continue to be financed from the state and municipality budgets, teachers’ own funds and other sources of financing.
Professional development programmes must meet the requirements of relevance, comprehensiveness, coherence of delivery, coherence of learning methods and activities, and their duration with respect to other parts of the programme and the expected outcomes.
Incentives, supporting measures and funding for participation in continuing professional development (CPD) activities
Participation in CPD activities is very important for teachers as five days of in-service training per year is a necessary pre-condition for a teacher to be appraised and to acquire a higher or indeed maintain the same qualification category. A higher qualification category is reflected by a higher salary.
Other incentives for participation in CPD activities include the teacher’s right and opportunity to freely choose the field and form of professional development in line with the needs of their education institution and the whole country, as well as an opportunity to pursue their career in management after gaining the necessary managerial skills and competence. In addition, CPD can promote self-actualisation and fulfilment.