TEACHING COUNCIL OF ZAMBIA

Council Basis for the Award of

Continuing Professional Development
Credit Points
Introduction
 The rationale for the award of Continuing Professional
Development(CPD) Credit Points to teachers and other
practitioners is to encourage them to look at CPD as
renewal mode through which one reboots/update/
renews individual systems (knowledge, skills,
competences and attitudes) to teach effectively. For
instance if a computer is not given chance and
connectivity to reboot, its software go out of date and it
either becomes slow, malfunctions or even shuts down.
So are professionals if they do not update themselves
through CPD activities.
The following content is based on the
provisions of the TCZ Continuing
Professional Development Regulatory
Policy document on pp.10-15 which the
Council itself officially ratified and
authorised for use in the promotion, support
and regulation of CPD.
Enhancing Practitioner Competencies

 The CPD activities being promoted by the Council

through the CPD Regulatory Policy shall be
directed at enhancing practitioner competence
in six (6) specific Competence Areas.
 as well as the Standards of Practice outlined in
the Standards of Practice Policy document of the
Ministry of Education.
 This shall be done with view to enhance teacher
practice so as to improve learner achievement.
Six (6) Competence Areas
1. Pedagogy
Demonstration of knowledge and competencies in the
use of different methods of teaching;
2. Teaching Subject Content
Command of the subject matter in the subject of or level
of specialisation;
3. Management and Administration
Competencies to manage oneself, others, resources,
time and facilities;
4. Professional Knowledge and Ethics
Demonstrate competencies and knowledge of education
policies, legal provisions in education and adherence to
the code of ethics in the teaching profession;
5. Digital Literacy & Teaching with Technology
Demonstration of competencies in the use of technology
to teach and /or administer;
6. Crosscutting Issues
Demonstration of knowledge of crosscutting issues that
affect education.
Extract from the Teacher Tracking System: Different Categories of CPD
Activities for the Award of Credit Points
(clarified in next slides)
1. Learning Activities in a Work Place
Self-directed Study to address identified needs.
Attending of locally scheduled professional
programmes:
Attending of professional events outside one’s
place of work relevant to one’s area of practice.
(minimum of 15 points/year)
2. Training Courses for Certification
e.g. attending workshops, seminars, certificate, diploma and
degree courses relevant to one’s field of practice; (minimum of
5 points/year)
3. Preparation and Presentation of Materials in
training sessions such as courses, conferences, seminars,
and workshops; (minimum of 15 points/year)
4. Contribution to Knowledge through Research
and Dissemination. e.g. conduct of action
research, surveys, case studies, etc. (minimum of 30
points/year)
5. Service to the Teaching Profession. e.g. mentoring
fellow teachers, managing classes as class teachers,
student clubs, production units and other core/extra
curricular responsibilities, etc. (minimum of 15 points/year)
6. Professional Standards of Practice (minimum of 6 x 5 = 30
points/year)
Professional Standards of Practice activities shall include demonstration of
high standards in the following areas of standards of practice/domains of
knowledge and the Code of Ethics:
A. Culture - outlines how a practitioner maintains and enhances a way of
practice that enables high quality and inclusive teaching and learning;
B. Teaching And Learning - how a practitioner plans, develops,
manages and applies a variety of teaching strategies to support quality
learning;
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C. Management how a practitioner creates an effective learning environment
through appropriate management practices;
D. Partnership and Networking - How a practitioner
collaborates with the wider school community and other
stakeholders to support and enhance teaching and learning;
E. Professional Improvement - How a practitioner develops
own professional best practice, knowledge and
competences and applies them to one’s practice through
CPD;
F. Code Of Ethics – How a practitioner conducts oneself in
upholding the provision of code of ethics for the teaching
profession.
Conclusion
The TCZ award of CPD Credit Points on the basis of different categories of activities
and not just attending meetings through the Automated on-line Teacher-Tracking
System which is already in schools with Head Teachers through the PS-PEO-DEBS
and DRCCs in every District of Zambia Categories of CPD activities include the
following:
1. Self Study aimed at addressing identified needs;
2. Attending professional CPD activities such as meetings ,workshop, seminars, etc
organised locally and outside one’s work places;
3. Presentation of professional materials in meetings, workshops, seminars, etc;
4. Conduct of research and dissemination of findings;
5. Contributions to the profession;
6. Performance in the Standards of Practice Areas in one’s field of work
This will lead to accrual of minimum of 50 points per year totaling to 150 points in
3 years. This has been reduced to only 30 points in the 2019 to 2021 renewal circle
because the program has started late.