Kibabii University has secured a KES 112 million grant from the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) to spearhead a groundbreaking project aimed at enhancing teacher training in Tanzania, Kenya, and South Sudan. This transformative initiative, titled Strengthening Teacher Professional Development and Mentorship in Tanzania, Kenya, and South Sudan, seeks to address critical gaps in teacher education and improve the overall quality of education in the region.
In Sub-Saharan Africa, there’s an increasing emphasis on quality teaching to achieve inclusive and sustainable development by 2030. Despite this, investments in teacher education remain low. Teachers in many low- and middle-income countries, including Tanzania, Kenya, and South Sudan, often lack necessary competencies in content knowledge, attitude, and pedagogy, hindering educational progress. Existing Continuous Professional Development (CPD) programs in these countries fail to adequately address these gaps or integrate innovative pedagogies in Science and Mathematics.
The project introduces the Strengthening-Based In-Service Teacher Training (SITT) model, a practice-based teacher mentorship and support approach. Initially introduced in 2003 by HELVETAS Swiss Intercooperation in Tanzania, the SITT model focuses on training mentor teachers to guide their peers through peer learning exchanges, model lessons, and team teaching. This approach integrates ICT and life skills to enhance Mathematics and Science teaching.
The overall objective of the SITT project is to adapt, contextualize, and scale the impact of this proven in-service teacher mentorship and support model to improve teachers’ professional development, well-being, and agency in education across Tanzania, Kenya, and South Sudan. The project anticipates several key outcomes, including strengthened teacher CPD in Tanzania, Kenya, and South Sudan, improved teaching and learning of Mathematics and Science, and enhanced relevance of Life Skills in a conducive school environment.
This initiative is a collaborative effort led by Dar es Salaam University College of Education (DUCE) with key partners including Kibabii University (Kenya), the University of Juba (South Sudan), and HELVETAS Swiss Intercooperation (Tanzania). It involves primary schools and Teacher Training Colleges across the three countries and is funded by the Global Partnership for Education Knowledge and Innovation Exchange (KIX) and IDRC. With a project budget of approximately KES 112 million (CA$ 1.2 million) and a duration of 33 months starting in July 2024, this initiative marks a significant step towards transforming teacher education in East Africa, aiming to create a sustainable impact on the quality of education in the region.
Kibabii University project team include; Prof. Julius Kiprop Maiyo (Principal Investigator), Dr. Manasi Echaune (Project Co-PI), Prof. Muganda Munir Manini, Dr. Tecla Cecilia Kirwa, Rev. Dr Christine Julie Nabwire and Ms. Eddah Khalayi (Project Secretariat).
