A virtual webinar, titled ‘Teacher Motivation in Africa: What is the Game Changer amidst the Changing Context of the Profession?’ was the third and final in a series of webinars addressing opportunities and challenges facing the sector in Sub-Saharan Africa. Organized by the KIX Africa 19 Hub and UNESCO’s International Institute for Capacity Building in Africa (IICBA), the event gathered 168 teachers, school leaders, African Union Commission teacher cluster members, teacher education institutes and Ministry of Education officials from 36 countries to share diverse perspectives on a range of issues related to teacher motivation.
Held on September 21, 2023, the overarching goal of the webinar was to explore and deliberate on the various strategies that can improve the production, retention, and motivation of competent teachers amidst the changing contexts of the profession in Africa. Dr. Quentin Wodon, Director of UNESCO IICBA, welcomed participants by emphasizing the global concern of low job satisfaction among teachers and the importance of comprehensive research on teacher well-being and cited a recent IICBA publication that found low job satisfaction among teachers in Kenya.
The keynote speaker, Dr. Carlos Vargas, Chief of the Teacher Development Section at the International Task Force on Teachers, presented a multifaceted strategy to address teacher shortages, including professionalizing the teaching profession and improving working conditions.
Panel discussions featured insights from several related stakeholders, such as the Gambia Teachers Union, Africa Early Childhood Network, and secondary school teachers from Zambia and Malawi. The discussions delved into continuous professional development, intrinsic and extrinsic motivation for early childhood development teachers, and the crucial role of school leadership in fostering teacher motivation.
The final presentation by Dr. Dennis Sinyolo, Director of Education International’s African Regional Office, highlighted the multifactorial challenges facing teachers in Africa, including low salaries, poor career progression, and inadequate working conditions. Subsequent discussions focused on themes such as teacher well-being, gender inclusivity, specific programs, and resources.
See the whole webinar here: What is the Game Changer on Teacher Motivation in Africa amidst the Changing Context of the Prof
