Compulsory Professional Development for Members of Parliament

Abstract

Being a member of parliament is a highly important and influential job, as their determinations have a profound effect on the lives of the population they are elected to serve. Despite having to make decisions on extremely complex issues, parliamentarians, unlike other professions are not required to attend professional development programs. Nor do they undergo any form of testing to ensure that they understand even the basic elements of their job. This chapter asks if this is a satisfactory situation in today’s knowledge-based society or should it be compulsory for parliamentarians, as opposed to candidates, to engage in professional development programs throughout their time in office?