Tumultuous transitions into democratic governments and the shift away from apartheid-style education systems are some of the biggest challenges that have faced African nations and their schools and educators over the last few decades. Despite some work towards greater structural and policy cohesion, the education sector has lagged in many African nations, leaving educators to fend for themselves when it comes to creating a thriving learning environment. Citizens and scholars are seeing a common theme that shows to be helping to shorten the space between where the African education system is and where it needs to be. Professional development classes and workshops and mentorship programs for educators have been proven to be fantastic measures in helping educators transform their classrooms into healthy, expansive, and inspiring learning environments. These measures are also showing to be massive in helping impact larger structural initiatives in Africa [2].

Many different non-profit organizations and community development facilities have created mentorship programs and professional development workshops and events that are aimed at helping teachers expand their professional, educational, and social skills in order to help improve their school systems overall. The goal of this is to grow literacy rates, increase the quality of African education programs, use “international teaching standards…to strengthen national [education] standards”, [1] integrate technology into schools, and connect students with the international world. The programs also help make up for a lack of educator training and uncommunicative district management [4].

The implications of these types of programs acting as an intermediary for the education system are immense. Tebogo Mashifana, a young South African lecturer, described how important mentorship programs and professional development events, specifically those targeted towards women educators in Africa, were to her career: “I did not know how important these programmes were until I was nominated and provided with the opportunity to participate. Moreover, I was asked to give feedback about these programmes. My response has always been unambiguous: every young academic should participate in these programmes.” She explains that working with these kind of development programs helped make her a better teacher which in turn helped her develop her students further [3].

These types of programs can set up the next generation of African leaders, both educators and students, which will undoubtedly positively impact the education system in African nations and allow for greater social, economic, and professional growth for the foreseeable future. Allowing educators to bridge the gap between a lagging educational system and the classroom with more personal and informative mentoring programs and professional development workshops will surely create a more confident, knowledgeable, and connected generation of educators.

Written by Olivia Willis

References:

1. Education International. (2018, May 9). Africa: Professional development key to boosting teaching profession. Retrieved from https://www.ei-ie.org/en/detail/15954/africa-professional-development-key-to-boosting-teaching-profession

2. HundrED. (2019, June 27). Mentoring of Primary School Teachers and Leaders. Retrieved from https://hundred.org/en/innovations/mentoring-of-primary-school-teachers-and-leaders

3. Mashifana, T. (2020, October 07). Young academics need mentors and sponsors. Retrieved from https://mg.co.za/education/2020-10-07-young-academics-need-mentors-and-sponsors/

4. Professional Development. (2020). Retrieved from https://www.africa.upenn.edu/outreach/k-12/professional-development