Technical and vocational teachers and trainers in the Arab region: a review of policies and practices on continuous professional development

This research was commissioned by UNESCO and the International Task Force on Teachers for Education for All (EFA). It focuses on the role of teachers and instructors in technical and vocational education and training (TVET) within the Arab region. It builds on international research and the outcomes of the Third International Congress on TVET organized by UNESCO in Shanghai (China) in May 2012 and the TVET Regional Expert Meeting held in Muscat, Oman (17-19 March 2012) which have drawn attention to the importance of the quality of teaching and training as a necessary condition for TVET achieving its social, economic and educational goals. Given that good quality teaching and training are crucial to the achievement of TVET goals, it is important to clarify what is currently known about the quality of teaching and training. Further, it is valuable to understand the factors that determine quality. Pre-service and in-service training are obviously important, but other factors also matter: recruitment, deployment, supervision, wages, career structure and management, performance assessment, qualification and leadership.