ills taught in the several programs are both inconsistent and incompatible with one another. The introduction of a national uniform system of primary education in Liberia demands that the country's teacher development programs be consistent with respect to course con tent and skill training.
This current study attempted to identify the problems affecting the production of trained teachers in Liberia. Thestudy emphasized both the pre service and the in service educa tion of teachers.
Statement of the Problem
Studies of the educational system in Liberia frequently cite the quality of teaching in the country's schools as the major problem confronting efforts to increase school attendance 3and literacy (Ministry of National Planning and Economic Affairs, and Ministry of Education, 1988, pp. 4.13, 5.9). A significant problem also exists with respect to the distribu tion of students in teacher education programs. As an example, only 9.9 percent of the students enrolled in the Teachers Col lege of the University of Liberia in 1987 majored in primary education, while the great majority majored in secondary educa tion (Ministry of National Planning and Economic Affairs, and Ministry of Education, 1988, pp. 6.5 6.10). Further, both enrollment in and graduation from teacher training programs in Liberia have been in decline since 1984. As an example, the number of Bachelor degrees in teaching awarded in Liberia is 1987 was only 41.4 percent of the number awarded in 1984 (Min istry of National Planning and Economic Affairs, and Ministry of Education, 1988, p. 6.7).
The problems confronting teacher development in Liberia are numerous. They are also complex, and interrelated with other facets of Liberia's social and economic environment. Recruitment of high quality and motivated students for teacher training programs, the creation of effective educational a...