This study investigated the teacher education and training situation in Liberia. The purpose of the study was to produce suggestions and recommendations for providing trained teachers for Liberia.
In this chapter, teacher education in Africa generally, and in Liberia specifically is examined. The topical areas of discussion in this review are (1) the training and qualifica tion of teachers, (2) the recruitment and retention of teachers, (3) the curriculum for teacher education, and (4) the quality of instructors in teacher education programs.
The Training and Qualification of Teachers
The training and qualification of teachers was reviewed in two contexts. First, the pre service training of teachers was considered, and, second, in service training for teachers was considered.
Pre Service Training and Qualification
Pre service teacher education is the responsibility of ministeries of education in Sub Saharan African countries (Draper, 1969, p. 23). In many of these countries, the
38pre serviceeducation for primary schools teachers is separate from that for secondary school teachers (Draper, 1969, p. 24). In many Sub Saharan African countries, individuals trained to be primary school teachers are not required to have completed their own secondary school education prior to receiving train ing for duties as primary school teachers (Draper, 1969, p. 24). In Tanzania, as an example, an individual who has com pleted primary school may, upon the successful completion of a two year training pro gram at a teachers college, be qualified as a primary school teacher (Draper, 1969, p. 26). Other coun tries have similar programs, with the principal differences between the programs being in the length of the training period at a teachers college (Uganda, for instance, requires that primary school teacher candidates successfully complete a four year program at a teachers college). Pre service education programs for pri...