Africa

Event
  • 20.05.2022

Échanges régionaux et nationaux sur les politiques prometteuses - Afrique francophone : Former les enseignants pour se relever de la COVID-19

Dans le cadre de son nouvel axe d'action principal sur l'apprentissage des politiques nationales et régionales, L’Équipe internationale sur les enseignants pour Éducation 2030 (TTF), en collaboration avec l'Institut international de l'UNESCO pour le renforcement des capacités en Afrique (IIRCA) et l'Association pour le développement de l'éducation en Afrique (ADEA), organise une série d’ateliers pour l’échanges régionaux et nationaux sur les politiques prometteuses.

Le premier atelier régional virtuel aura lieu le mardi 21 juin à 16h00 heure de l'Afrique de l'Est, UTC +3 hrs ou (15h00 heure de Paris), suivi d'un deuxième atelier en octobre/novembre. Entre les deux ateliers, une réflexion supplémentaire par le Secrétariat de la TTF et les membres du Comité Directeur aura lieu pour vérifier les hypothèses et affiner les besoins d'apprentissage des politiques régionales pour le deuxième atelier.

Les ateliers visent à favoriser l'échange et la discussion à l'appui du développement complet de la politique enseignante, comme illustré dans le Guide pour l’élaboration d’une politique enseignante (TPDG) et ses neuf dimensions interconnectées en tant que cadre. La série d'ateliers de cette année se concentrera sur le développement professionnel (notamment en ce qui concerne les compétences en TIC et les pédagogies hybrides), y compris leur relation avec les parcours de carrière et les normes applicables aux enseignants. L'atelier est le premier d'une série de deux qui seront organisés pour les partenaires nationaux et régionaux de la TTF et les parties prenantes de l'éducation dans le cadre de sa nouvelle initiative visant à renforcer l'apprentissage des politiques en temps utile pendant la période de reprise du COVID-19. Ces ateliers sont destinés à s'appuyer sur les besoins des pays en matière d'apprentissage des politiques, tels qu'ils ont été exprimés non seulement lors du Forum de dialogue politique de Kigali, mais également dans le cadre d'une enquête de suivi visant à consolider les besoins les plus urgents en la matière.

Les points focaux et adjoints de la TTF, y compris les membres des pays et des organisations, seront invités à l'atelier régional de l'Afrique anglophone. D'autres partenaires clés dotés de compétences régionales seront consultés et invités à participer activement.

Pour plus d'informations contactez Thomas, Yael (y.thomas@unesco.org) ou Soto Echeverri, Emilia (e.soto-echeverri@unesco.org).

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Event
  • 19.05.2022

National and regional policy learning - Anglophone Africa: Teacher education for COVID-19 recovery

As part of its new main line of action on national and regional policy learning, The Teacher Task Force is co-organising a series of workshops for the Anglophone Africa Region with the UNESCO International Institute for Capacity Building in Africa (IICBA), in cooperation with South Africa and ADEA.

The first workshop will be held on 22 June, followed by a second workshop in October/November. Between the two workshops, additional reflection by the TTF Secretariat and the regional Steering Committee members will take place to verify assumptions and refine regional policy learning needs for the second workshop.

In particular, the workshops aim to foster exchange and discussion in support of holistic and comprehensive teacher policy development as illustrated in the Teacher Policy Development Guide (TPDG) and its nine interconnected dimensions as a framework. This workshop will focus on common policy learning needs related to teacher education and professional development including issues related to teacher training, qualifications, licensing, and its relationship to career path/ structure, working conditions and teacher standards. In addition to this, countries demonstrated an interest in the ICT dimension of teacher education including ICT skills and pedagogies for remote and distance teaching. Countries also demonstrated learning needs related to school leadership and teachers in emergencies, not only to recover from COVID-19, but also to prepare for future crises.

Country focal points and deputies, including both country and organisational members, will be invited to the Anglophone Africa regional workshop. Other key partners with regional remits will be consulted and invited to actively participate as they are familiar with regional policy learning needs.

For more information contact Thomas, Yael (y.thomas@unesco.org) or Soto Echeverri, Emilia (e.soto-echeverri@unesco.org).

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Event
  • 21.01.2022

Teacher Management in Crisis Contexts: Sharing good practice, lessons learned and opportunities for change

INEE’s Teachers in Crisis Contexts (TiCC) Collaborative, in partnership with the LEGO Foundation, Education International, Oxfam, UNESCO, and the International Task Force on Teachers for Education 2030, have come together to support a Call to Action to transform sector-wide support to teachers in crisis contexts.

Part of this work is to share examples of promising approaches and persistent challenges across policy, practice, and research related to four thematic areas: teacher well-being, teacher management, teacher professional development, and school leadership and governance.

To register, click the link below:
https://rescue.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Cq_2KwxhRuuPAqI8eWsOxw

(After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the web event.)

N.B. This web event will be conducted in English with closed captioning in English.

This webinar is the third in a series to contribute to a growing evidence base on how to improve the ways that we support teachers through prioritizing teacher management policies and practices (i.e., recruitment, deployment, compensation, etc.). Teacher management is key to providing quality, equitable education and improving the classroom climate for all students so children and youth are better able to learn. As our colleague Francis, a Ugandan teacher explained, “I would like to see the teachers’ working conditions improve soon. Right now there are too few teachers for the many pupils. We lack teaching resources and proper working conditions.”

In this webinar, teachers and Education in Emergencies actors working in Myanmar, East Africa, and the Middle East will share their reflections on the challenges and opportunities of teacher management policies and practices in crisis contexts. Through a moderated discussion, these actors will come together to share good practice, lessons learned, and opportunities for change to improve teacher management for teachers doing extraordinary work amidst extraordinarily challenging settings. 

If you have any questions about the web event, contact: eventseries@inee.org.

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Meeting document
  • pdf
  • 15.11.2021
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13th Policy Dialogue Forum - Programme

The 13th Policy Dialogue Forum will take place from 2-3 December 2021 in Kigali, Rwanda and on-line. Jointly organized by the TTF Secretariat, and the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Rwanda...
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Event
  • 19.10.2021

9th AFTRA Teaching and Learning Conference & 11th Rountable

Africa Federation of Teaching Regulatory Authorities (AFTRA) hereby announces its 9th International Conference & 11th Roundtable on Unpacking Teaching and Learning in Africa for Excellence.

AFTRA is the intergovernmental organisation of the Ministries of Education and National Agencies regulating Teaching in the 55 Member States of the African Union. Working with the Education Division of the African Union Commission, UNESCO-International Institute for Capacity Building in Africa (IICBA) Education International Africa Region, UNESCO Regional Offices, Teacher Task Force, Education International, and other international organisations, AFTRA serves as the hub for articulation and implementation of key policies and initiatives driving Teaching and Learning in Africa. The International Conference and Roundtable, therefore, are annual continental landmarks that draw speakers, delegates and participants from Africa and other regions of the world.

SPECIAL GUEST OF HONOUR H.E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo President of the Republic of Ghana

CHIEF HOST Hon. Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, MP. Minister of Education, Ghana

HOSTS Ministry of Education, Ghana; National Teaching Council; National Inspectorate Board; Ghana Education Service; Ghana National Association of Teachers; Coalition of Concerned Teachers; National Association of Graduate Teachers; & others.

The conference will be online and physical.

For more information, please visit: http://www.africateaching-authorities.org/

Registration link

Photo: AFTRA Conference in 2019

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Event
  • 19.10.2021

Norwegian Teacher Initiative (NTI) - Final Forum

UNESCO and all Partner Organizations of the Norwegian Teacher Initiative (NTI) are pleased to invite you to the NTI Final Forum. Within four sessions, we will celebrate, share, and discuss main achievements and lessons learned within the framework of NTI.

To register, click on the links provided:

Session 1 (21 October, 13:30-15:00 CEST): Looking back – what has been achieved under NTI?

Registration: https://unesco-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJYkcu-oqDsvHdw-caV9EbTjJe-4nN43HKHD

Session 2 (21 October, 15:30-17:00 CEST): Social dialogue in education – Considerations for teacher policy development and implementation

Registration: https://unesco-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJMod-GspjgiH9wxB22h1tC3Wo6BgsYYP1Tl

Session 3 (22 October, 13:30-15:30 CEST): Looking forward – NTI Exit Strategies

Registration: https://unesco-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJ0qf-quqTguE9aPh5tTnDmBxEyPHfLSuT8d

Session 4 (22 October, 16:00-17:30 CEST): NTI Final Steering Committee Meeting (closed session for NTI Steering Committee members only)

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information for joining the session.

During the session, simultaneous interpretation will be provided in English and French. Please find further information about the event in the concept note attached to this mail.

The initiative Strengthening Multi-Partner Cooperation to Support Teacher Policy and Improve Learning, also known as the Norwegian Teacher Initiative (NTI), set-up in 2017, aims at supporting countries in developing their teacher policy while reinforcing the coordination among key international organizations and national actors working on teacher matters thereby bringing more coordinated support to countries. UNESCO, the overall coordinator of NTI, joined forces with seven key education partners: Education International (EI), the Global Partnership for Education (GPE), the International Labour Organization (ILO), UNHCR, UNICEF, the World Bank, and the International Task Force on Teachers for Education 2030 (TTF) supporting the Governments of Burkina Faso, Ghana, Malawi and Uganda. While Burkina Faso, Ghana and Malawi have been developing a national teacher policy under NTI, Uganda’s focus has been on planning and starting the implementation of its national teacher policy.

In addition to developing and initiating the implementation of their national teacher policy, all countries have achieved important results. One of the key innovations of NTI has been the active involvement of teacher unions in teacher policy development processes and the strengthening of their capacities in this area.

If you have any questions about the NTI Final Forum, please contact sm.richter@unesco.org.

Photo credit: Christiaan Triebert-Shutterstock.com

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Event
  • 19.10.2021

Norwegian Teacher Initiative (NTI) - Final Forum

UNESCO and all Partner Organizations of the Norwegian Teacher Initiative (NTI) are pleased to invite you to the NTI Final Forum. Within four sessions, we will celebrate, share, and discuss main achievements and lessons learned within the framework of NTI.

To register, click on the links provided:

Session 1 (21 October, 13:30-15:00 CEST): Looking back – what has been achieved under NTI?

Registration: https://unesco-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJYkcu-oqDsvHdw-caV9EbTjJe-4nN43HKHD

Session 2 (21 October, 15:30-17:00 CEST): Social dialogue in education – Considerations for teacher policy development and implementation

Registration: https://unesco-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJMod-GspjgiH9wxB22h1tC3Wo6BgsYYP1Tl

Session 3 (22 October, 13:30-15:30 CEST): Looking forward – NTI Exit Strategies

Registration: https://unesco-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJ0qf-quqTguE9aPh5tTnDmBxEyPHfLSuT8d

Session 4 (22 October, 16:00-17:30 CEST): NTI Final Steering Committee Meeting (closed session for NTI Steering Committee members only)

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information for joining the session.

During the session, simultaneous interpretation will be provided in English and French. Please find further information about the event in the concept note attached to this mail.

The initiative Strengthening Multi-Partner Cooperation to Support Teacher Policy and Improve Learning, also known as the Norwegian Teacher Initiative (NTI), set-up in 2017, aims at supporting countries in developing their teacher policy while reinforcing the coordination among key international organizations and national actors working on teacher matters thereby bringing more coordinated support to countries. UNESCO, the overall coordinator of NTI, joined forces with seven key education partners: Education International (EI), the Global Partnership for Education (GPE), the International Labour Organization (ILO), UNHCR, UNICEF, the World Bank, and the International Task Force on Teachers for Education 2030 (TTF) supporting the Governments of Burkina Faso, Ghana, Malawi and Uganda. While Burkina Faso, Ghana and Malawi have been developing a national teacher policy under NTI, Uganda’s focus has been on planning and starting the implementation of its national teacher policy.

In addition to developing and initiating the implementation of their national teacher policy, all countries have achieved important results. One of the key innovations of NTI has been the active involvement of teacher unions in teacher policy development processes and the strengthening of their capacities in this area.

If you have any questions about the NTI Final Forum, please contact sm.richter@unesco.org.

Photo credit: Christiaan Triebert-Shutterstock.com

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Blog
  • 27.09.2021

Developing crisis-sensitive teacher policy: Webinar and international consultation

In the face of increasing global disruptions and crises, ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education for all by 2030 (SDG 4) will not be possible unless education planning is crisis-sensitive. Teachers, who are the most important in-school factor influencing student achievement, are often at the frontline in situations of crisis. For this reason, it is imperative to prioritize, support and protect teachers through adequate education policy and planning.

Building on the Guidance Note on Developing a Crisis-Sensitive Teacher Policy, jointly developed by UNESCO, UNHCR, ILO, and UNICEF in 2020 under the Norwegian Teacher Initiative (NTI), the webinar on Crisis-Sensitive Teacher Policy and Planning in Emergency and Displacement Situations on 16 September brought together policy experts, country representatives and teachers to shed a light on what is needed to ensure that teacher policy is crisis-sensitive.

In a discussion that touched upon the key policy areas of the guide, participants shared lessons learned during previous and ongoing crises, expanded on the role of teachers in emergency and displacement contexts and advocated for increased support for teachers in such contexts.

Displacement creates challenges for teacher recruitment, training and deployment  

If Covid-19 highlighted at a global level the hardships educators confront when schooling is disrupted, this pandemic is only one among many situations of crisis that challenge the continuity and quality of education worldwide. According to UNHCR (2021), at the end of 2020, 82.4 million people were forcibly displaced due to violent conflict, persecution and natural disasters.

Uganda, which has experienced several displacement crises, is currently one of the largest refugee-hosting countries in Africa. It hosts over 1.4 million refugees, making up 3.6 % of the country's total population. During the webinar, Ms. Constance Alezuyo, Coordinator of the National Education Response Plan for Refugees and Host Communities, explained that one of the biggest challenges her country faced in providing quality education for refugee children and youth has been recruiting teachers to live and work in the remote places where refugees are located. Furthermore, even when qualified teachers willing to relocate are found, it is difficult to provide them with adequate housing.

Ms. Angéline Neya Donbwa, Technical Secretary for Education in Emergencies in Burkina Faso, echoed Ms. Alezuyo’s assessment. She added that with over of 1.4 million internally displaced persons and 2,444 schools closed in her country, redeployment of teachers from conflict-ridden areas to overcrowded host villages in safer zones has been a major challenge. Grace*, an internally displaced teacher also from Burkina Faso, expanded on the challenges of teaching children who have been traumatized. She explained that some of her students had trouble concentrating in class, were afraid or reacted in aggressive or violent ways. She also noted that in her classroom she had to address the needs of internally displaced children as well as be responsive to the needs of the children of the host community.

Psychosocial and financial support are essential for both students and teachers

Psychosocial support stands out as an important dimension of crisis-sensitive planning. Ms. Neya Donbwa explained that the need for this type of support has clearly been expressed by communities affected by insecurity and violence in her country. In addition to needing support to cope with traumatic situations themselves, teachers need to be able to deal with the physical and emotional impact of the crisis on their students. This has led Ms. Neya Donbwa’s team to develop a module for dealing with traumatic situations to supplement their “Safe School” trainings designed to prepare teachers for crisis situations.   

Moreover, teachers’ financial stability is often impacted during crisis and emergency situations. Ms. Neya Donbwa explained that continuing to pay teachers’ salaries when they had to flee unsafe areas is one of the provisions in their crisis teacher management strategy. Similarly, Ms. Alezuyo explained that during times of crisis in Uganda, government school teachers kept receiving their salaries until they were redeployed. However, this was not the case for private school teachers during the Covid-19 crisis, as Ms. Stella Turehe, a teacher from Uganda explained. Ms. Turehe shared that the financial pressures private schools faced during this crisis led to many school closures and teachers losing their jobs.

Complying with sanitary measures demands flexibility and innovation

Complying with Covid-19 sanitary measures was also difficult for schools and at times, led to their complete closure. In Uganda, the measures issued by the Ministry of Health capped student-teacher ratios at 20 students per teacher. According to Ms. Turehe, refugee settlement schools - which have high enrolment numbers – have struggled to reopen. However, in response to this, teachers have initiated a number of actions with the support of NGOs, such as devising a double shift system to allow schools to re-open, and promoting e-learning through tablets and group-learning in refugee students’ communities.

Moreover, teachers also innovated to support the whole school community during the COVID-19 crisis in Uganda. This involved organizing back-to-school campaigns, setting up committees to connect with learners and parents, forming student clubs, and offering guidance to teens.

The importance of communication and consultation mechanisms

Teacher communication and feedback mechanisms are essential to ensuring that policy-makers are adequately informed about the rapidly changing conditions that characterize crisis situations. Ms. Alezuyo explained that there are different levels of communication between policy-makers, teachers and communities in Uganda and how they are adapted to crisis-sensitive education planning. The teacher management information system tracks teachers’ levels of training and experience which facilitates teacher deployment and efficient planning during crises. Communication at school and community level has adapted, including through mobile phones, radios and social media platforms.

Consultation for new module on Crisis-Sensitive Teacher Policy

The webinar also launched an international consultation to develop a new module on Crisis-Sensitive Teacher Policy and Planning which will complement the Teacher Policy Development Guide developed by the International Task Force on Teachers for Education 2030. The module has been developed with the UNESCO International Institute for Educational Planning (IIEP).

The draft module is available for comments and suggested case studies at the link below:

English: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1NC8h2fNfjYj3CxSI2jkQWOYjy2v5Zz1N/edit

French: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1E6WlaCuoeDGyi6WHTZPaUUAcHntbB97t/edit?rtpof=true&sd=true

Please submit your comments and suggestions by 1 October to sm.richter@unesco.org.

*Name has been changed for security reasons 

Photo credit: UNHCR/Eduardo Soteras

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