What:  The African Union (AU) Department of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation is hosting a Continental Workshop on Strengthening Teacher Development, Motivation and Alignment with the Continental Teachers Qualification Frameworks in AU Member States

When: 25 - 27 March 2026, starting from 9:00 am (EAT)

Where: African Union Commission Headquarters, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
               Small Conference Hall 3

Why:

Teachers are the single most influential in-school factor affecting learning outcomes, equity, and system resilience across Africa. As the continent advances into the AU Decade of Education and Skills Development (2025-2034), the revitalisation and professionalisation of the teaching workforce has emerged as a strategic continental priority, anchored in the Continental Education Strategy for Africa (CESA 26-35) and the   Regional Teachers Initiative for Africa (RTIA).

Despite sustained efforts by AU Member States and partners, teacher development across Africa remains fragmented, uneven, and weakly aligned with continental policy instruments. Significant disparities persist in:

•   Initial teacher education quality and relevance.

•   Teacher qualification equivalence and mobility.

•   Continuous Professional Development (CPD) systems.

•   Teacher motivation, deployment, and retention.

•   Recognition of prior learning and career progression pathways.

To address these challenges, the African Union Commission (AUC) has developed and endorsed key continental normative instruments, including:

•   The Continental Teachers Qualification Framework (CTQF).

•   The Continental Framework for Standards and Competences for the Teaching Profession (CFSCTP).

•   Continental Guidelines on Teacher Professional Standards, Mobility, and Recognition

However, implementation and domestication of these frameworks at national level remain limited.

Many Member States lack:

•   Technical capacity to align national teacher qualification frameworks with CTQF.

•   Institutional mechanisms to integrate teacher motivation, wellbeing, and career progression into policy.

•  Coherent monitoring and quality assurance systems for teacher development

Against this backdrop, the African Union Commission, through the Department of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation (ESTl), proposes a Continental Workshop on Strengthening Teacher Development, Motivation, and Alignment with the Continental Teachers Qualification Frameworks to accelerate national uptake, policy coherence, and implementation readiness.

Objectives

To strengthen teacher development, motivation, and professionalisation in AU Member States through alignment with the Continental Teachers Qualification Frameworks and related continental policy instruments.

Specific Objectives

• Enhance Member States' understanding of the CTQF and CFSCTP and their implementation modalities.
• Support alignment of national teacher qualification and CPD frameworks with continental standards.
• Promote integrated approaches to teacher motivation, wellbeing, and career progression.
• Strengthen institutional and technicäl capacity for teacher policy implementation and monitoring.
• Foster peer learning, experience sharing, and regional cooperation on teacher development
• Develop actionable national and regional roadmaps for CTQF domestication.

Expected Outcomes

•     Improved understanding of continental teacher frameworks among Member States.

•     Strengthened national commitment to CTQF alignment and implementation.

•     Drafted or refined national action plans on teacher qualification alignment.

•     Enhanced capacity of institutions responsible for teacher development.

•     Stronger coordination between AU, RECs, Member States, and partners.

•     Increased visibility and prioritisation of teacher motivation and wellbeing

Participants

The workshop will convene high-level policymakers and technical stakeholders involved in teacher development and professionalisation across Africa, including AU Member States, Regional Economic Communities (RECs), CESA thematic cluster representatives, development partners, teacher regulatory bodies, training institutions, academia, and civil society organisations. It serves as a continental platform for policy dialogue, knowledge exchange, and coordinated action to strengthen teacher systems, align national frameworks with the CTQF, and advance implementation under CESA 26–35 and the AU Decade of Education and Skills Development (2025–2034). 

For media inquiries, please contact:

1. Mr. Gamal Eldin Ahmed A. Karrar | Senior Communication Officer | Information and Communication Directorate (ICD), African Union Commission | E-mail: GamalK@africanunion.org
2. Mr. Maqhawe Freedom Thwala | Digital Communications Officer | Department of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation| African Union Commission| E-mail: ThwalaM@africanunion.org | Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.