The education system in any country has a major and crucial role to play in

its developmental thrust and therefore it has to be continuously and consistently improved and upgraded to meet new challenges and synchronised with global changes.
Within the education system teachers perhaps are the most important people in ensuring that it serves its aims, objectives and goals and functions with optimum effectiveness and efficiency.
However, if teachers are to discharge their duties in an effective manner, they have to be properly equipped not only academically but their level of professionalism has to be of the highest standard.
Professional development is about life-long learning and growing as an educator. You always have the potential to progress and refine your skills. There is always more to learn and new skills to attain.
Professional development can help you figure out why you make certain decisions, and can look into the way you think about and deal with certain situations.
Professional development and goal-setting go hand in hand. It can seem hard to schedule in time to devote to courses and seminars, but the extra time is worth it for becoming the best teacher you can be.
Setting goals that are both realistic and attainable can help you achieve what you want. Goals need to be measurable by setting a timetable. It’s important for you to see how far you’ve come. Setting goals on a schedule gives you focus as well as a time limit. When you achieve your goal, it will give you a sense of greater accomplishment.
Professionalism in a teacher is important for several reasons: the first and most important is to present a consistent, authoritative attitude for the benefit of students. Students are more likely to respect a teacher who exhibits professionalism, which increases the odds of good behaviour and academic success.
Parents and community members also judge their schools on the basis of the professionalism (or lack thereof) that teachers demonstrate. Finally, teachers need to act professionally to promote an environment in which educators and administrators can share opinions and work as a team for the benefit of all students.
Several different qualities figure into professionalism in a teacher. According to the University of Illinois, these qualities fall into three broad categories: competence, performance and conduct. Competence refers to the teacher’s mastery of a subject area, as well as his understanding of the methods of teaching.
Performance refers to practical classroom instruction techniques and the teacher’s ability to communicate material from a defined curriculum to his students. Finally, professional conduct includes behaviour, language and personal appearance, which reflects a teacher’s overall attitude.
Teachers need certain innate skills to acquire a high level of professionalism, but they also need to go through formal training.
Teacher training encourages professionalism by combining formal instruction on the methods of teaching and an academic background in a given subject area with hands-on experience in the classroom. Most teachers first serve as student teachers, observing an experienced teacher at work and learning professionalism first-hand.
In our country, while we can boast of having many teachers who display a high level of professionalism, there is still a large number whose levels of professionalism leave much to be desired. We have in our midst teachers who do not teach in the classroom during official school hours so as to facilitate paid extra lessons; we have teachers who are absent frequently; we have teachers whose deportment, attitude and behaviour run counter to the norms of the noble profession; we have teachers who are not committed to the profession, but are only using it as a stepping stone for greener pastures.
It is because of such type of teachers that our education system is not as efficient, effective and productive as it ought to be despite some of its inherent weaknesses.
On this note, it is most heartening to see that the Ministry of Education, in collaboration with the Guyana Teachers Union, is moving in the direction of raising the level of professionalism among our teachers.
This clearly shows that those who are in charge of our education system are cognisant of its needs and are implementing measures to fulfil these needs.
In this regard, consultations are ongoing with respect to the establishment of Teachers’ Councils which will focus on raising the level of professionalism among our teachers
Chief Education Officer, Mr. Olato Sam has correctly pointed out that if the country is to benefit from the highest level of potential output from the system, it must ensure that teachers are the consummate professionals they are expected to be.
Sam said a partnership is required where teaching and professionalism are so intricately tied that they are almost mirror images of each other.
“We must create the enabling environment for this to occur and this begins with the establishment of professional standards for individuals in the profession. This means that we clearly set out who are the ideal candidates to join the profession, what skill sets, attitudes and general conditions we expect before they even step into the door. Beyond that, we should be also clear on what terms and conditions must govern their performance while in the profession. We must clearly outline the professional developmental pathway and also ensure that they are fully aware of the expectations required to move from one level of the system to the next,” he asserted.
Mr. Sam is certainly right and, therefore, every effort must be made to achieve these laudable goals. Our country needs nothing less.