Without teacher training, there can be no quality education
Teachers are the key to the success of any education system. In countries deeply affected by conflict and poverty, teachers play a central role in the peaceful and continued self-development of children. They are mentors, motivators, and protectors. But all too often, there is little investment in the training and management of teachers.
In the countries where we work, training is often poor and a large proportion of teachers – especially at primary level – are untrained. The terms and conditions of employment are often unattractive and uncompetitive, which means teaching is seen as a low-status job. Able people quickly move on to better-paid work.
An essential investment
It is essential to invest in teaching – in training, in teaching materials, in management support and in professional development. We need to expand the numbers of teachers so that class sizes are reduced, and to support initiatives that will create a more diverse and inclusive workforce, especially one that includes far more women.
With more and better trained teachers it is more realistic to adopt an approach to teaching that is much less focused on memory, rote learning and passive methods. In their place more child-centred approaches can be adopted, with individual work balanced by group learning.
A stronger emphasis on active learning will lay the foundations for learning characterised by independent thought, problem-solving, better communication skills and one that can accommodate the different needs of different learners.
In this way, education is not just about passing exams – though we recognise that’s important in all parts of the world – but about giving young people the ability, knowledge and confidence to participate more fully at home, in their village or community, and at a national level.
How we make a difference
Through programmes like Girls Education in South Sudan 2 we focus not just on increasing access to education, but on improving its quality through teacher training. In 2020 we focused on teacher professional development, including training for head teachers, pedagogy training for classroom teachers, English language training to enable teachers to teach in the language of the curriculum, and establishing an Accelerated Secondary Education Programme (ASEP).
ASEP was set up for primary school teachers who have not completed secondary education. Despite the challenges of 2020, by the end of the year we had established 20 ASEP centres across the country with 655 participants. We successfully delivered an Intensive English Language course to the 655 teachers in preparation for their ASEP courses.
In brief…
A huge proportion of teachers in countries affected by poverty and conflict are untrained. Teaching is seen as a low-status job, and those who do teach often move quickly on to better-paid opportunities.
The lack of teachers means classrooms are overcrowded, and children’s education attainment suffers drastically as a result.
If we invest more in teacher training - including ongoing professional development and English Language training - we will improve the life chances of children, and ultimately we will be investing in more peaceful societies.