Teacher Training In Africa

According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) Africa had the highest proportion of repeaters in primary schools of any region in 2014 (7.87%). These statistics highlight persistent concerns education standards across Africa and there is an acknowledgment that inadequate teacher training and development is a major underlying cause of these deficiencies.

A study published by the University of Sussex found that initial teacher training programmes (ITTs) in a number of sub-Saharan African countries failed to adequately prepare trainees. The study covered English and Maths and found that there was a large gap between what trainees were taught on ITTs and the curricula in primary schools. This gap was further widened by the lack of opportunity for further development once the trainee teachers had qualified, as primary schools assumed that they received adequate training on the ITTs.

ITTs would also focus on content more than developing trainees' teaching techniques or giving them practical experience of teaching in classrooms. The lack of classroom exposure makes it hard for newly-qualified teachers to address the needs of large classes or those students who struggle with conventional teaching methods. This is particularly pertinent in sub-Saharan Africa because the student-to-teacher ratio in primary schools is, on average, 42:1 according to the World Bank. ITTs themselves have high trainee-to-tutor ratios, making their individual development difficult and this is clearly a major contributor to poor education standards. For example, in Nigeria attendances at ITT lectures can reach thousands of students.

These issues are exacerbated by insufficient continuing professional development (CPD) training. CPD training programmes can be helpful but they are rare and are not subject-specific. They therefore fail to develop the skills required to teach subjects such as English and Maths effectively. For example, a 2007 study in South Africa found that 79% of maths teachers of 11 and 12 year-olds who sat tests similar to those taken by their class actually scored less than what was expected of their students.

It is also clear that the deficiencies are more pronounced in state schools, where poor education standards are exacerbated by teacher absenteeism. For instance, a study by the World Bank found that in some countries there was a 15-25% absence rate among teachers in primary state schools.

However, a number...