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Across Sub-Saharan Africa, many teachers have limited access to high-quality continuous professional development. This project addresses that challenge by supporting teachers to learn together through Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) – structured, collaborative groups where teachers design, test, observe, and refine their classroom practice together.
 

Through peer learning and guided facilitation, teachers strengthen their teaching strategies and improve student engagement and achievement.

About the Project

Implementation of Professional Learning Communities in Selected African Countries: Implications for Policy and Practice is an 18-month research and development initiative, funded by the European Commission under the Regional Teachers Initiative for Africa Window 3 Initiative, managed by the Finnish National Agency for Education (EDUFI). The initiative supports teachers and education systems to strengthen professional development through evidence-informed, collaborative approaches.

 

Using a multiple case study approach, the project has established and is studying PLCs in Kenya, South Africa, Botswana, and Ghana.

 

Each of the PLCs in the four countries focusses on an aspect of their practice and works with a facilitator to gain confidence through collaboratively designing, observing, and refining lessons focused on improving student engagement and achievement in a specific subject area. The four group projects are:

  • Kenya: Use of African Storybooks in Nakuru County.

  • South Africa: Use of African Storybooks in township/peri-urban schools in Mpumalanga Province.

  • Ghana: Improving junior high school PLCs.

  • Botswana: Integrating Technology into Mathematics Teaching for Grade 4 classes in Gaborone PLCs.

Key Objectives

The project aims to:

  • Strengthen teacher education and professional development in Africa by supporting governance reforms, promoting PLCs, and generating evidence to improve teacher preparation, practice, and the attractiveness of the profession.

  • Foster integration of evidence into policy making and build strong Africa-Europe research partnerships to enhance teacher development and education policy.

Implementing Partners

  • South African Institute for Distance Education (Saide)
  • Institute of Education, University College London
  • University of Education, Winneba
  • Botswana Open University

 

This is a Regional Teachers Initiative for Africa programme, implemented by