On 20–23 February 2018, an important planning mission to Lusaka, Zambia, took place under the Capacity Development for Education (CapED) programme. The mission followed up on a policy review undertaken last year in collaboration with Zambia’s Ministry of General Education which highlighted teacher development as the key priority of the country.

Mr. Virgilio Juvane, IICBA’s Senior Programme Coordinator, was part of the UNESCO mission, further comprising Carolyn Medel-Anonuevo (ROSA) and Amos Sikayile (NPO). The mission paid a visit to Chalimbana University and undertook numerous consultation meetings with a range of education development partners as well as domestic education stakeholders such as the association of private schools, teachers’ union, the Zambia’s Teachers’ Council or FAWE Zambia.

Aside from consultations with the above listed stakeholders and partners, the mission attended a meeting organized at the World Bank, where they were briefed on a five-year project which will focus on teacher training, school construction for secondary level and pedagogy.

Outcomes of the mission were largely positive. Encouragingly, Zambia’s Ministry of General Education reaffirmed the priority accorded to interventions around teachers and endorsed the proposed CapED programme and suggestions and proposals that emerged from the consultations with education partners. It has also been decided that a National Conference on Pedagogy will take place in Lusaka, on 19–20 April 2018.

A particularly significant progress has been registered in certifying/licensing teachers by Zambia Teachers’ Council. As of now, it is planned that a practicing certificate, which shall contribute significantly to the professionalization of teaching in Zambia, will require renewal every 3 years.

In the coming months, IICBA will continue to provide professional leadership on pedagogy and assistance in drafting a detailed work plan, and will further support teacher training institutes in Zambia.