the programmes could focus more on closing teachers knowledge gaps in subject content and could be adapted more to the often especially difficult circumstances the systematic teacher evaluation that has been implemented in public schools is an excellent starting point to identify teachers individual strengths and weaknesses and guide them towards tailormade professional programmes the example of schools belonging to the sociedad de instruction primaria suggests that extensive inclass support for teachers can be very effective in helping them develop their pedagogical skills and maybe even overcome deficiencies in subject content knowledge box in chile a number of teachers are likely to require courses to improve their literacy and numeracy skills and help them teach this especially in the lower grades of primary schools