Teachers’ Professional Development and Instructional Effectiveness in Public Schools in Kebbi State

This study examines the relationship between teachers' professional development participation and instructional effectiveness in public schools in Kebbi State, North West Nigeria. Despite growing government investment in teacher training workshops and seminars, questions persist about whether professional development activities meaningfully translate into improved classroom instruction in Nigerian public schools. The study adopts a descriptive survey design, targeting 270 primary and secondary school teachers from schools in Birnin Kebbi, Argungu, and Zuru local government areas. Data were collected using a professional development participation log and an instructional effectiveness observation checklist. Pearson correlation and regression analysis were applied. The study is grounded in the Professional Learning Community Framework and Guskey's Model of Teacher Change. It examines participation in formal training, peer learning, instructional coaching, and self-directed professional reading as dimensions of professional development. Findings are expected to indicate that teachers who engage in collaborative and job-embedded professional development demonstrate significantly higher instructional effectiveness scores compared to those who participate only in one-off workshops. The study also assesses differences in professional development access between rural and urban schools. Recommendations are directed at the Kebbi State Universal Basic Education Board and the National Teachers' Institute on redesigning professional development to prioritise sustained, school-embedded approaches. The findings contribute to the teacher education knowledge base on effective professional learning in North West Nigeria and offer a model for other states seeking to improve instructional quality through teacher development. Keywords: professional development, instructional effectiveness, public schools, Kebbi State, teacher training