TEACHERS CONTINUOUS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND JOB PERFORMANCE IN INCLUSIVE EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION IN NORTH-CENTRAL, NIGERIA

The quality of inclusive early childhood education depends largely on teachers' professional competence and their ability to respond effectively to the diverse learning needs of young children. This study examined the influence of teachers' continuous professional development (CPD) on job performance in inclusive early childhood education in North-Central Nigeria. A descriptive survey design with a correlational approach was adopted. The study involved 842 preschool teachers selected through purposive sampling from public and private inclusive early childhood education centres in Jos, Makurdi, and Minna. Data were collected using the Teachers' Continuous Professional Development and Job Performance Questionnaire (TCPDJPQ) and a classroom observation checklist. The instruments were validated by experts, while a Cronbach's alpha coefficient of 0.84 established their reliability. Descriptive statistics (frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation) were used to answer the research questions, whereas Pearson Product Moment Correlation and multiple regression analyses were employed to test the hypotheses at the 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed that teachers' participation in CPD programmes was moderate, but CPD had a significant positive influence on teachers' job performance and professional competencies for implementing inclusive practices. Teachers who participated in CPD demonstrated improved lesson planning, instructional delivery, classroom management, differentiated instruction, learner assessment, and confidence in managing inclusive classrooms. However, inadequate funding, limited instructional resources, irregular professional development opportunities, and overcrowded classrooms constrained teachers' participation in and application of CPD. The study concludes that sustained, practice-oriented, and adequately supported professional development is essential for improving teachers' job performance and strengthening the quality of inclusive early childhood education. The study recommends institutionalizing regular CPD programmes, increasing investment in teacher development, strengthening collaborative professional learning, and providing adequate instructional resources to support inclusive educational practice.