From July 20th to August 01st 2015 the National Institute for Education Development (INDE) hosted a teacher training for grades 1 to 6 on the Competence Based Approach (CBA) which serves to compliment the current pedagogy: Objective Based. This eleven days training was organized in four training centers in Guinea-Bissau: Gabu, Buba, Bula, and Bissau. A total of 298 participants from the surrounding tabancas (villages) loyally completed the training with 38% of them female. The center in Bissau presented a significant number of participants (138) of which 50% were females (69). Competent trainers whom previously received two training session on CBA facilitated the training sessions with direct supervision of the UNESCO national project coordination unit (national experts). Various classroom simulations were practiced during the training using current school textbooks integrating knowledge acquired. These exercises were guided by the modules and guides revised under this project for the subjects of Portuguese, Mathematics, Integrated Science, Expression, and Pedagogy.

“This training should happen more often and continuously. Teachers often feel the need to refresh our training and put into practice new teaching methods. We hope this training is a part of a continuous effort and will not be a single one” (Training participant).

The closing ceremony benefited from the presence in the different centers of the National Minister of Education, Director of Education Planning, Director of Basic Education, and General Director of INDE- major executing partner as the project implementing agency in Guinea-Bissau. All participants received a certificate of participation, and honored this initiative by voicing the utility of the training in their teaching careers.

UNESCO’s project in Guinea-Bissau is entitled "Improvement of teacher qualification and setting up of a system for the management of learning outcomes", and primarily aims at improving pre-service and in-service teacher training quality.