Strengthening school based in-service teacher mentorship and support
Project Abstract
This project explored how governments in Tanzania, Kenya, and Zambia can adopt and scale the School-based In-Service Teacher Training (SITT) model to improve teaching quality in secondary schools. The model empowers experienced teachers and college tutors to mentor peers through practice-based learning, peer collaboration, and team teaching. Evidence showed that SITT improved teacher competencies, student engagement, and mathematics performance, while fostering inclusive and gender-responsive teaching practices.
Project Details
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Project Impacts: Policy and Practice
The project led to policy and practice changes in all three countries, with strong evidence uptake by governments.
Tanzania
- The Ministry of Education expressed interest in integrating SITT into secondary school CPD frameworks, aligning with the revised Competency-Based Curriculum.
- The Tanzania Teachers Union began piloting SITT at the primary level in collaboration with HELVETAS.
- Kipok Girls Secondary School saw a marked improvement in mathematics grades, with students achieving A and B scores for the first time.
Kenya
- The Ministry of Education and local education authorities participated in policy dialogues and dissemination events.
- Schools like Our Lady of Mercy Girls High School adopted SITT-linked innovations such as reusable sanitary towel production as part of school projects.
Zambia
- The project was presented at national education conferences and integrated into discussions on curriculum reform.
- The Zambia Association of Mathematics Education and the Educational Research Association of Zambia endorsed the model’s potential for national scale-up.
Across all three countries, success was driven by collaboration with teacher colleges, local government authorities, and ministries of education. The project’s participatory approach fostered ownership and sustainability.
