Enhancing quality of education through training qualified teachers

Most recent research clearly shows that the quality of education of any particular country heavily depends on the quality of its teaching cadre and competent policy decisions in that sector. In Russia unfortunately teacher training remains largely neglected by policy makers: both pre"service and in"service teacher training systems are neither efficient nor effective, no substantial reforms have been undertaken in this sector in the course of the last fifty years. The paper discusses recommendations made by international surveys and reviews as regards to selection, training, recruitment and retention of qualified teachers. It argues that Russia needs to develop outcome-based standards of teacher training. The status of a qualified teacher recently revisited by the Teacher Development Agency in Great Britain is considered as regards to policy implications it entails. Particular consideration is given to issues which need to be discussed as regards to development of an outcome based teacher training system in Russia.