Professional Practice Among Basic Education Teachers through Action Research

As most countries aspire for globalization, UNESCO further envisages education to provide globally competitive citizenry. UNESCO (2014) asserts that education is a right that transforms lives when it is accessible to all, relevant and underpinned by core shared values. Quality education is the most influential force for alleviating poverty, improving health, and livelihoods, increasing prosperity and shaping more inclusive, sustainable and peaceful societies, it is in everyone's interest that it is at the center of the post-2015 development agenda. In the position paper on post-2015 education agenda, UNESCO points out that the development agenda should be rights-based and should adopt an equity perspective, while reflecting the expanded vision of access to quality education at all levels, with a focus on learning. UNESCO recommends to its member states: "Ensure equitable quality education and lifelong learning for ALL by 2030" as a possible overarching education goal, aiming to achieve - just, inclusive, peaceful and sustainable societies. This overarching goal is translated into specific global targets to which countries would commit and could be held accountable, and for which corresponding indicators will be developed. Specific priority areas identified are basic education; post-basic & tertiary education; youth & adult literacy; skills for work & life; quality & relevant teaching & learning; and financing education. As proposed, UNESCO holds that ensuring quality and relevant teaching and learning in terms of inputs, content, processes and learning environments to support the holistic development of all children, youth and adults deserves the central place in post-2015 education agenda. UNESCO (2014) qualified that good-quality education is the process of equipping people with the skills, knowledge and attitudes to: obtain decent work; live together as active citizens nationally and globally; understand and prepare for a world in which environmental degradation and climate change present a threat to sustainable living and livelihoods; and understand their rights. Thus highlights the teachers' central role in ensuring good-quality education and learning. Accordingly, teachers' qualifications, competence, commitment and motivation to deliver quality education are central in achieving any goal related to education from which one of the essentials culled to achieve teacher quality is first-rate pre- and in-service training for teachers in general.