Background: In response to declining educational standards, the Ekiti State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), in collaboration with the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), has made significant financial investments in Continuous Professional Development (CPD) programmes. Despite increasing investments in teacher development programmes in the area, concerns persist over declining teacher productivity and instructional effectiveness in public basic schools. There is limited empirical evidence on the extent to which these programmes have improved teacher productivity, particularly in Ekiti State. This study, therefore, assessed the impact of UBEC/SUBEB Continuous Professional Development programmes on teacher productivity in Ekiti State.
Objective: This study assessed the "Value for Money" (VFM) of these investments by evaluating their impact on teacher productivity in primary schools in Ekiti State.
Method: Underpinned by the Human Capital Theory (HCT), and adopting a descriptive survey research design, the study sampled 160 teachers selected via the simple random technique across 16 LGEAs in Ekiti State who participated in the 2023/2024 UBEC/SUBEB CTPD programmes. The completed questionnaire was analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26. Face and content validity of the questionnaire were determined using the Cronbach alpha reliability coefficient of 0.83, depicting that the questionnaire was valid and reliable. Data was analysed using descriptive statistics (frequency counts and percentages, mean and standard deviation).
Result: Findings indicate moderate improvement in teachers’ productivity. However, while training programmes are frequently conducted, the "transfer of learning" to classroom productivity is hindered by systemic bottlenecks, including inadequate post-training support and limited resources.
Conclusion: The study concludes that current CPD models emphasise "output" (number of teachers trained) over "outcome" (improved pedagogical efficiency).
Unique Contribution: This study fills a knowledge-practice gap by providing insights into the value chain of educational investment, particularly with respect to teachers’ professional development and its impact on teachers’ productivity.
Key Recommendation: It recommends a transition toward needs-based, school-located training to ensure a higher return on this capacity-building investment.
Publication Date: 2026-06-15