    
 Teachers are central to the cost, coverage and quality of education. Teacher salaries typically account for 70 to 90 percent of the education budget in most countries (Anderson 2004: 11). Shortages of teachers, and inability to find teachers in particular locations, are major constraints to expansion. Teachers are also one of the key variables in determining the quality of educational outcomes. As countries struggle to optimize their education resources, finding appropriate teacher related policies is one of the most critical issues.
Developing sustainable systems of teacher development and employment is complex issue, involving difficult decisions around acceptable trade-offs. There is a need to match supply of appropriately trained teachers against projected demand within a sustainable financial envelope. But the simple equation of cost, quality and numbers is further complicated by issues including: deployment, utilization, retention, professional growth and teacher motivation. This sub-regional conference will draw from the findings of a series of six country studies: Zambia, Eritrea, Uganda, Lesotho, Malawi, Zanzibar, and Kenya. These provide a comprehensive analysis of the teacher employment issues (for primary and secondary teachers). Participants will collectively analyze and discuss report findings and share national experiences of teacher focused interventions. This knowledge sharing will enhance understanding amongst national governments and key stakeholders in issues pertaining to teacher preparation, funding and performance and provide a foundation for coherent policy development. The studies will form the basis for debate, policy formulation, and building of consensus among the education partners. The conference is being organized by WBI in collaboration with ADEA, the World Bank Africa region, and Education International. Funding is provided by Irish Education Trust Fund. |
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