School based professional development in partnership in Zambia

The Open University (UK) and World Vision (Zambia) have developed a model of School-based Continuous Professional Development (SBCPD) for primary teachers. The Zambian Education School-based Training (ZEST) programme supports the implementation of the revised curriculum and policies for SBCPD. Zambia has established structures and roles in place to support SBCPD through Teacher Group Meetings, School and Zonal In-service Coordinators and District and Province support teams. However there is a lack of resources to foster professional discussions around teaching and learning the regular Teacher Group Meetings. Using an iterative co-design process, ZEST has developed online resources, which are being used in over 400 schools in Central Province and are freely available, to support active teaching and learning in Africa. Through collaboration with local province, district and zonal officials as well as school leaders and teachers, ZEST has collected stories of the impact that collaborative planning of teaching activities; peer support and observation; and teacher reflection, have had on learners and education professionals. With contributions from practitioners in the participating schools and districts, this poster offers a representation of how the partnership between the Open University (UK), World Vision (Zambia), education officials and teachers has matured developing each participants’ skills and competences to contribute to successful SBCPD and achieve more learner-centred teaching in schools in Zambia