Secondary level teacher education in sub-Saharan Africa: teacher preparation and support; overview report

This background paper was prepared for the Mastercard Foundation report, Secondary Education in Africa: Preparing Youth for the Future of Work. The overview report draws together the findings of a study on the education of secondary school teachers in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) commissioned by the Varkey Foundation. The study comprised: a review of the international literature on teacher education, both initial and continuing, a market scan of practices in the 48 SSA countries, four country studies, and the present overview report. The framework driving the market scan and case studies focused on examination of the preparation, deployment and support of secondary school teachers across SSA under the key areas identified in the literature review: institutions which deliver initial teacher education; the programmes they offer and selection criteria applied on entry; the induction, mentoring and certification of new teachers; continuing professional development; performance management; and promotion and career pathing. The conclusion assesses the extent to which the policies and practices in SSA countries accord with the ways in which teachers are educated and managed in countries which maintain highly successful school systems, and speculates on the implications of these trends for the future of schooling in the region.