Professional Development Needs of Arabic Language Teachers in Government Secondary Schools in Kano Metropolis

The professional development of Arabic language teachers in Nigerian secondary schools is critical to improving instruction quality and learner outcomes, yet the specific training needs of teachers in urban government schools remain under-assessed in the literature. This study identifies and analyses the professional development needs of Arabic language teachers in government secondary schools in Kano Metropolis, examining gaps between current teaching competencies and the demands of contemporary Arabic language pedagogy. Using a needs assessment survey design, the research administers a validated Professional Development Needs Inventory to 120 Arabic language teachers drawn from thirty government secondary schools across Kano Municipal, Nassarawa, and Fagge local government areas. The inventory covers competency domains of linguistic knowledge, pedagogical content knowledge, assessment literacy, technology integration, and learner diversity management. Focus group discussions with 20 teachers and interviews with ten school principals supplement the survey data. The study identifies significant development needs in the areas of communicative language teaching methodology, technology-enhanced instruction, and assessment for learning, with the greatest gaps found among teachers who received their training more than ten years ago and have had no subsequent formal professional development. The study recommends the establishment of a Kano State Arabic Teacher Professional Development Centre offering structured continuing education programmes. Keywords: Professional development, Arabic teachers, needs assessment, government secondary schools, Kano Metropolis.