Professional development of the teachers in Republic of Macedonia - situation and perspectives

Taking into account the postmodern treatment of knowledge as capital with highest expanding power power and the fact that the school is still the most massive, the most organized and the most sistematized form of education, raising the quality of schools work is a constant preoccupation of all countries in the world.

The teacher is an important factor from whom depends the quality of the upbringing – educational work in the schools. Intensive technical- technological and scientific development as well as the expressed tendencies for democratization and humanization of school upbringing and education pose serious challenges for the teacher. It is no longer required from the teacher only to follow and accept innovations, but to competently participate in their producing (Петровска, 2010). This however is undoubtedly related to his professional development and his readiness to accept the lifelong learning as a basic principle in his work.

In the literature, teacher professional development is mostly defined as a process of continuous acquisition, expansion and deepening of knowledge, developing skills and abilities that are relevant for successful execution of curricular and extracurricular activities, acquisition of knowledge and skills that ensure quality and successful collaboration with colleagues, and a quality relationship with parents and the local community, preparing to accept the changes, their successful application and active participation and initiative in the implemention of the reforms (Попович, 2010, стр.2)

In this direction, this research is aimed at detecting situations of the professional development of teachers in Republic of Macedonia in terms of policies, legislation, institutional support (state, local and intraschool level) and detection of possible ways to promote them.