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Author: Etienne Ntawigira

School leadership competences in Sub-Saharan Africa

Written by Etienne Ntawigira on . Posted in Publication.

This paper was commissioned by the Global Education Monitoring Report as background information to assist in drafting the 2024/5 GEM Report, Leadership in education.

This study on school leadership competences in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) examines leadership traits and practices specific to the region, emphasising the concept of Ubuntu school leadership. Drawing on data from Ghana, Kenya, and Zambia through narrative interviews and qualitative analysis, the research highlights school leaders’ adaptability, community engagement, and inclusive decision-making. Despite resource constraints and organisational challenges, leaders employ innovative, community-based solutions to drive academic success and personal growth.
The findings emphasise the importance of empowering leadership practices, continuous professional development, and mentorship for effective leadership. School leaders demonstrate resilience and the ability to inspire both teachers and students while fostering holistic well-being within their communities. Ubuntu principles—focusing on inclusivity and interconnectedness—emerge as a foundation for transformative leadership in African education.
The study offers policy and practice recommendations for promoting these competences and advancing the Ubuntu leadership approach. It also calls for further research to deepen understanding and support leadership development in SSA.

Read the full report.

Fostering gender responsive school leadership in Africa: A policy brief

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The policy brief, Fostering gender responsive school leadership in Africa, addresses the persistent underrepresentation of women in school leadership across sub-Saharan Africa, despite women making up the majority of teaching staff. It outlines the key gender barriers limiting women’s access to leadership roles and provides policy recommendations to promote gender-responsive leadership.
Building on existing studies on school leadership in Africa, this policy brief highlights two main barriers to women’s participation in leadership: harmful social norms and structural obstacles. Gender stereotypes undermine women’s confidence, confining them to domestic roles, while education systems lack clear recruitment standards, career pathways, and professional development opportunities for aspiring female leaders. In some countries, such as Chad, women represent as little as five per cent of school leaders.
This imbalance is problematic because it limits diverse perspectives in decision-making and perpetuates gender bias in education. Women’s leadership is crucial for fostering inclusive, equitable learning environments. The brief emphasizes the importance of creating standardised recruitment frameworks, clear competency models, and dismantling gender stereotypes.
The following policy recommendations are proposed: 1) a standardised school leader competency framework and recruitment framework; 2) mentoring networks for female teachers and leaders; 3) transparent school leader career pathways; 4) anti-discrimination policies; 5) training on gender bias and gender-responsive education; 6) work-life balance initiatives for school leaders; 7) incentives for school leaders in rural and remote schools; and 8) gender audits and transparency in data.

Download the full policy brief

End of Foundation Phase Project Dissemination Conference: Advancing School Leadership for Quality Education in Africa

Written by Etienne Ntawigira on . Posted in Event, News.

Kigali, Rwanda – October 4, 2024 – The African Centre for School Leadership (ACSL) successfully convened educational leaders and partners from 12 countries from September 25th to 26th, 2024, in Kigali, Rwanda for the End of Foundation Phase Project Dissemination Conference. This event aimed to share insights, and learnings from the foundation phase of the ACSL initiative and to set the groundwork for its scaling phase.

The conference’s objectives included the dissemination of key project products such as school leadership country mapping reports, policy frameworks, and practice briefs. Attendees explored best practices from the ACSL partners and emphasised school leadership as a critical lever for improving educational quality across Africa.

“School leadership is the cause; all others are effects,” this was a resounding message throughout the conference, originally stated by Professor Stephen Adei in 2019.

“Many of the things we see in the school system, such as not achieving learning outcomes, absenteeism, etc., are mainly the effect of bad leadership. If you get your leadership right, most likely all the other things will be better,” said Dr Michael Boakye-Yiadom, the Director General of the Institute for Educational Planning and Administration (IEPA).

To implement its activities during its foundation phase (2023 – 2024), the Centre has been supported by the Mastercard Foundation, the Jacobs Foundation, and the Global Education Monitoring team of UNESCO. While reflecting on the Mastercard Foundation’s support to the Centre, Isabelle Byusa, Lead of Education and Skills, Rwanda said: “At the Mastercard Foundation, we believe that education is a cornerstone of economic growth, and we have the Young Africa Works Strategy, which aims to enable 30 million young people to access dignified and fulfilling work by 2030. The African Centre for School Leadership aligns with that vision and will be an enabler for our young people to become more employable and access not only existing jobs, but also the jobs of the future. We are proud to support this initiative, and we remain steadfast and determined to continue walking this journey with different partners and expanding to include other partners along this journey”.

In line with the above reflection, the foundation project dissemination conference showcased several impactful outputs aimed at strengthening effective school leadership in Africa:

School leadership country mapping reports – An in-depth analysis of school leadership policies and professional development offerings in Ghana, Kenya, Rwanda, and Zambia, guiding ACSL’s efforts to strengthen leadership across the continent.

Framework for policy development – A framework established to guide the development of national policies, emphasising leadership roles, competencies, standards, career stages, certification, gender inclusion, and professional organisation. This framework was validated through a consultative workshop with policymakers and experts, and the next step involves developing policy briefs that address different topics within the framework.

Leadership Communities of Practice framework – An initiative designed to enhance Early Childhood Education (ECE) through collaboration among district education officers, school leaders, and community leaders, based on experiences by partners in Ghana.

Blended school leadership professional development practice brief – This brief outlines best practices for delivering scalable blended professional development programmes for school leaders, emphasising the Analyse, Design, Develop, Implement, and Evaluate (ADDIE) instructional design model.

Engendering School Leadership in Africa – A policy brief addressing the underrepresentation of women in school leadership and presenting actionable recommendations to foster gender equity in leadership roles.

Exploring Ubuntu school leadership – This research will explore how Ubuntu principles are reflected in current school leadership in Rwanda, how Ubuntu school leadership can meet leadership standards, and how it can be integrated into leadership development programmes.

“The African Centre for School Leadership stands as a testament to the power of collaboration, bringing together a coalition of partners in Africa, all dedicated to promoting effective school leadership across the continent,” said Pascal Gatabazi, Chief Technical Advisor, Ministry of Education, Rwanda.

Panel discussions explored critical topics such as the importance of mentorship and coaching in school leadership professional development. The role of mentorship was highlighted as a key driver for sustainable professional growth, allowing school leaders to reflect, learn, and navigate the complexities of their roles together.

During a panel discussion that brought together both young and retired school leaders, Sister Hélène Nayituriki, a retired headteacher with more than 30 years of experience, emphasised the importance of lifelong learning in leadership. “Society is constantly changing, and new developments emerge every day including fast-evolving technologies. Therefore, it is essential for school leaders to continuously learn and adapt to the evolving world,” she said.

She further advised young leaders to be passionate about their work and to embrace collaboration at all levels. “First and foremost, you need to love what you do. Additionally, it’s important to prioritise collaboration with various actors, including the school community, parents, and most importantly, learners, who should remain at the heart of everything.”

Reflecting on the critical role of leadership in shaping the future of education in Africa, Dr Elyas Abdi, Director General of Early Learning and Basic Education at the Ministry of Education in Kenya, emphasised the importance of investing in school leaders. He highlighted that equipping principals with the right skills and knowledge not only fosters individual growth but also benefits the entire school community.

“We need to support our school leaders and the entire leadership within the school system. Supporting one principal with skills and knowledge is as good as reaching out to the entire school community,” he said. “If we have to develop, it’s about our human capital in Africa. Because even when you look at the well-developed economies, they have one thing in common, their human capital is also well-educated. If we are looking for development, our entry point is through education. Therefore, this focus (effective school leadership) is welcome,” he added.

Participants were also urged to reflect on the barriers to gender equity in school leadership. Teresa Omondi-Adeitan, Deputy Executive Director and Head of Programmes at Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE) raised a critical point about the double standards faced by women in leadership roles when she said: “We are facing significant challenges to get more women leaders. For example, when a woman is transferred on a promotion basis, it is seen as breaking families. But when a man is transferred it is considered as part of promotion and empowerment.”

She went on to highlight that “this needs to change, and we don’t even need to ask such a question amongst ourselves because transfer is transfer. It has nothing to do with breaking or building families.”

Furthermore, participants stressed the need for deepening partnerships and co-creating initiatives to ensure the ACSL remains the leading authority on school leadership in Africa.

“I would like to appreciate the countries and partners that are here. We started this journey together, we are still together, and let’s hope that we will still be together in 10 years to come, and we will bring more partners. This is the power of partnership. Let’s continue to work together as one,” said Albert Nsengiyumva, Executive Secretary for the Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA). “If there is a single legacy as educators we need to leave, is to make sure that we have contributed to improving the learning outcomes of our children,” he concluded.

The African Centre for School Leadership (ACSL) is a coalition of partners in Africa committed to the promotion of effective school leadership by bringing together partners that offer professional development services, research, and policy advice on effective school leadership. As the conference concluded, discussions shifted towards the future of ACSL. In this regard, the first ACSL Pan-African Coordinating Group (PACG) meeting took place to deliberate on various issues regarding governance matters of the Centre. One of the resolutions of the meeting was the co-option of the Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE) into the PACG as a permanent member focusing on gender and school leadership.

Therefore, moving forward, the ACSL is coordinated by VVOB-education for development, The Association for Development of Education in Africa (ADEA), Education Sub-Saharan Africa (ESSA), and the Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE).

About VVOB

VVOB – education for development is an international non-profit organisation with over 40 years of experience in strengthening the quality of education systems in Africa, Asia, and South America. VVOB convenes and coordinates ACSL activities related to professional development for school leaders. VVOB collaborates with government-affiliated partners responsible for the professional development of school leaders.

For more information on VVOB, please visit: www.vvob.org

About ADEA

ADEA is the leading platform for policy dialogue on education in Africa. ADEA supports education stakeholders across the continent to strengthen education policy and guidelines and coordinates communication, convenings and advocacy on effective school leadership. ADEA collaborates with national government partners and other relevant continental and regional bodies.

For more information on ADEA, please visit: www.adeanet.org

About ESSA

ESSA is a registered charity that uses evidence to enhance education in sub-Saharan Africa. ESSA organises and coordinates regional research activities on school leadership in Africa. ESSA partners with educational institutions, universities, and individual researchers to achieve its objectives. ESSA is also the ACSL lead for Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL), designing and managing MEL activities to evidence and refine the theory of change and drive learning.

For more information on ESSA, please visit: www.essa-africa.org

About FAWE

FAWE is a membership-based pan-African Non-Governmental Organisation that operates through 34 National Chapters in sub-Saharan Africa to promote girls’ and women’s education. FAWE’s vision, mission and goal are all resolute on the well-being of girls’ education. Within the ACSL, FAWE is responsible for coordinating gender and school leadership activities and processes.

For more information on ESSA, please visit: www.fawe.org

For more information about the conference and the ACSL, please visit www.africancentreforschoolleadership.org

Media Contact:

Etienne Ntawigira
Strategic Education Advisor, Advocacy and Communication
African Centre for School Leadership at VVOB
Email: Etienne.ntawigira@vvob.org
Tel: +250 788791586

School leadership country mapping reports

Written by Etienne Ntawigira on . Posted in Publication.

Effective school leadership is essential for improving student achievement and creating supportive school environments. Leaders manage school operations, support teachers, and engage with the community, all of which contribute to better learning outcomes. By focusing on teacher development and student well-being, school leaders significantly enhance both teacher performance and student success.

A review by Bush et al. (2022) identified the key competencies needed for effective school leadership, emphasizing leadership development and scalable professional development (PD) programs. The review also stressed the importance of promoting gender equality in leadership roles. Experts from VVOB (2023) further highlighted the need for leadership that enhances student well-being, reduces dropout rates, and improves teacher quality through targeted support and development. They also advocated for gender-responsive policies.

The African Centre for School Leadership (ACSL) conducted a country mapping exercise to assess school leadership policies, PD programs, and support systems in Ghana, Kenya, Rwanda and Zambia. This exercise aims to guide ACSL’s efforts to strengthen leadership across the continent through collection of good practices. The reports offer insights into policy, practice, monitoring, and gender mainstreaming, along with recommendations for improving school leadership and professional development systems across Africa.

Country mapping report: School leadership in Kenya

Country mapping report: School leadership in Zambia

Development and Delivery of Blended School Leadership Professional Development in Africa: A practice brief

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This practice brief offers research-based insights for providers of school leadership professional development (PD) services in Africa, focusing on the design and implementation of blended and remote PD programmes. Recognizing that effective PD is essential for empowering school leaders and enhancing the culture of teaching and learning, the practice brief emphasizes the practicality of blended and remote PD formats zooming in on how to design, develop and deliver cost-effective school leadership PD at scale.

To ensure these PD programmes are impactful, the practice brief recommends using the ADDIE instructional design framework, which stands for Analyze, Design, Develop, Implement, and Evaluate. This model is favored for its iterative nature, allowing PD providers to refine and scale successful programmes. The practice brief illustrates the application of ADDIE through case studies from Ghana, Kenya, and Rwanda, showcasing how these countries have effectively developed and delivered blended PD programmes.

Furthermore, the guide underscores the importance of collaboration between governments and PD providers to achieve transformative outcomes. It also highlights the need to address cross-cutting themes such as gender, equity, inclusion, cost-effectiveness, scalability, and sustainability within the PD design, development and delivery processes. By drawing on the experiences of Ghana, Kenya, and Rwanda, this guide serves as a valuable resource for other African countries aiming to develop and implement effective blended PD programs for school leaders.

Download the practice brief

Leadership Communities of Practice (LCoP) Framework

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Quality Early Childhood Education (ECE) is essential for building a productive and competitive nation in Ghana, as highlighted in the Education Strategic Plan 2018-2030. In response, the government introduced compulsory, free kindergarten education in 2007 and a play-based curriculum in 2018. However, the effective implementation of ECE is hindered by challenges such as fragmented coordination among stakeholders, insufficient teacher professional development, limited understanding of the play-based curriculum, and weak school leadership that excludes relevant stakeholders from school development plans. Consequently, only 2% of children achieve the desired literacy standards by the end of their early years. 

To address these challenges, VVOB/ACSL, Sabre Education, Right to Play, and Afrikids, with support from Jacobs Foundation, launched an innovative intervention to strengthen play-based ECE through Leadership Communities of Practice (LCoP). These LCoPs bring together district education officers, school leaders, and community leaders to collaborate and improve ECE implementation. Participants engage in an inquiry-based learning cycle over six sessions, meeting bi-monthly to discuss ECE issues, prioritize one key challenge, and implement one feasible solution using available resources. A guiding framework supports this process, making the LCoP approach an effective model for enhancing ECE through targeted, collaborative action. 

Download the LCoP Framework

Strengthening Effective School Leadership in Africa: A framework for policy development

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Recognizing the vital role that school leadership plays in enhancing educational outcomes, student achievement and wellbeing, VVOB – education for development in collaboration with partners initiated the “African Centre for School Leadership” to enhance effective school leadership in Africa. To lay the foundation for this Centre, an exploratory scoping review and a consensus-building study were conducted.  These studies revealed a significant gap in school leadership policy development across many African countries, confirmed by a mapping exercise in Rwanda, Kenya, and Ghana. 

To address this gap, the Centre is collaborating with governments on the development of school leadership policies, standards, and guidelines.

This framework provides evidence-based insights for developing school leadership policies in Africa, which together give guidance for the development of national policies to strengthen school leadership in Africa. The framework focuses on conceptualizing school leadership in the African context, defining roles and responsibilities, competences, standards, and assessment; school leaders’ career stages, certification and licensing of school leaders, removing gender barriers in school leadership, and professional organization of school leaders. A consultative workshop with policymakers and experts validated the framework, and policy briefs will be developed as the next step.  

Download the framework

Exploring Ubuntu School Leadership Dimension of Fostering Stakeholder Involvement in Schools

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Ubuntu leadership, grounded in African values like collaboration, respect, and inclusion, aligns with the African Union’s Agenda 2063. This study aims to develop an Ubuntu School Leadership (USL) model tailored to Rwanda’s education system, enhancing leadership and stakeholder engagement. The research will explore how Ubuntu principles are reflected in current school leadership, how USL can meet leadership standards, and how it can be integrated into leadership development programs.

A qualitative approach will be used to gain deep insights from key education stakeholders, including teachers, parents, and community members. Semi-structured interviews, conducted in English or Kinyarwanda, will capture participants’ experiences and perceptions of Ubuntu leadership. Data will be analysed using thematic analysis to identify key themes. The study will involve 36 participants from four high-performing secondary schools in Huye, Rwanda, selected based on academic performance in Mathematics. It also includes educational leaders at district and national levels. To ensure data accuracy and trustworthiness, methods like data saturation, credibility checks, and peer debriefing will be applied. The ultimate goal is to create a comprehensive USL framework to support the African Centre for School Leadership’s efforts to enhance school leadership research across Africa.

Download the full report

Webinar 4: School Leaders: A Key Area of Focus for the African Union’s Continental Education Strategy for Africa

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The quality of teaching and the training that teachers receive matter for the performance and well-being of students, as well as for other roles that education systems fulfil, including socialisation, identity formation, and education to citizenship. Teacher policies are the framework for the recruitment, training, and deployment of new teachers, and the continuous professional development of existing teachers.

This webinar will outline some of the recommendations made for the new Continental Education Strategy for Africa (CESA) for both teachers and school leaders.

Work is needed in many countries to better define professional standards and competencies for teachers and school leaders and link them to clear career stages at all levels from early childhood to higher education.

In terms of pre-service education, the qualifications required in many African countries (such as one- or two-year post-secondary degrees for teaching in primary schools) are lower than the bachelor’s degree recommended by the African Union, and not all teachers meet those qualifications.

Regarding professional development, while experiences differ between countries, the training that teachers get tends to be episodic and not systematic, with major gaps in competencies teachers need.

Specific issues also require specific attention, including the lack of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) or STEAM (adding the Arts to STEM) teachers and the need to institutionalise the early learning workforce.

Finally, there is a need to make the teaching profession more collaborative, among others through mentorship, teacher support, and peer learning, all of which are associated with better learning.

As teachers and school leaders are on the front line of service delivery, they are a primary source of innovative approaches. The webinar will explore new research and good practices in those areas, while also discussing a new initiative from the Africa Federation of Teaching Regulatory Authorities on licensure for school leaders across Africa.

Register for the webinar via Zoom.

Watch the webinar recording

Strengthening school leadership in Africa: Lessons from Ghana

Written by Etienne Ntawigira on . Posted in News.

School leaders are the cornerstone of any successful education system, shaping the environment where effective teaching and learning flourish. Based on the findings of an empirical review of research on school leadership, effective leadership in schools is crucial for tackling the root causes of the learning crisis affecting the African continent, including unprepared students, poor teaching quality, weak school management, and a focus on educational inputs that fail to enhance learning.

Recognising this, the African Centre for School Leadership (ACSL) is dedicated to advancing effective school leadership across the continent, building on regional expertise and experience. By fostering partnerships, cultivating networks, and promoting co-creation and mutual learning, the ACSL tackles educational challenges with a collaborative and comprehensive approach.

In a significant step towards this mission, from 12 – 15 June 2024, the ACSL team, together with its partners from Rwanda, Kenya and Ghana, embarked on an important learning visit to Ghana. This visit which included a two-day workshop and school learning was an opportunity to delve into Ghana’s successful practices in school leadership, reinforcing the critical role of partnerships and shared learning in driving improvements across Africa’s education landscape.

Why Ghana?

Having made significant strides in promoting school leadership for quality education, Ghana provided an ideal setting for this exchange. The Institute for Educational Planning and Administration (IEPA), a UNESCO Category II Centre in Ghana, is renowned for its excellence in educational research and training educational planners, administrators, and leaders. Its commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the African Union’s Agenda 2063 aligns perfectly with the ACSL’s mission. The IEPA’s efforts in advancing effective school leadership in Ghana and the broader West African region made it an exemplary partner for this learning visit.

Ghana’s progress in school leadership

In July 2023, IEPA, alongside its counterparts in Rwanda and Kenya, completed a comprehensive school leadership mapping exercise. This exercise highlighted Ghana’s significant achievements in promoting school leadership. These include piloting the National Education Leadership Institute (NELI) to create a dedicated pathway for developing school leaders, providing blended professional development in transformative leadership, and establishing the National Professional Education Leadership Qualification Framework to guide academic institutions in training school leaders. The Ghana Education Service (GES) and the National Teaching Council (NTC) also play an active role in supervising and appraising school leaders.

Leadership is the cause. All others are effects

During the workshop discussions in Accra, it was highlighted that leadership is fundamental, influencing and determining various organisational outcomes. Leadership is the key driving force behind various outcomes, whether they are positive or negative. On one hand, this implies that, in school contexts, effective school leadership can lead to success, motivation and overall positive results as far as school performance is concerned. Poor school leadership can result in failure, demotivation, and low educational outcomes, on the other hand. Therefore, there is a strongneed to nurture and foster effective school leadership, not just leadership.

Dr Michael Boakye-Yiadom is the Director General of the Institute for Educational Planning and Administration (IEPA). He believes school leadership is very important in the effective management of every school. “Many of the things we see in the school system, such as not achieving learning outcomes, absenteeism etc., are mainly the effect of bad leadership. If you get your leadership right, most likely all the other things will be better,” he said. Dr Boakye-Yiadom closed his remarks by citing Professor Stephen Adei’s popular statement that says, “Leadership is cause, everything else is effect.” Indeed, effective leadership is paramount to sustainable success in every sector, including in education.

Power of partnerships

The visit emphasized the importance of collaboration among education stakeholders for achieving effective school leadership and enhancing learning outcomes. Participants learnt that by working together, they can leverage their collective expertise and resources to address complex challenges and improve school leadership practices.

While reflecting on this visit, Dr Fay Hodza, the Regional Coordinator of the ACSL said, “This visit has once again reinforced Hellen Keller’s popular idea that “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” He further said, “in the context of supporting school leadership in Africa, national efforts alone are limited in impact, but when education actors collaborate at the regional level—sharing knowledge, resources, and strategies—they can drive significant improvements in school leadership and ultimately enhance learning outcomes across the continent.”

Retirees programme

This Ghana’s innovative programme engages retired school leaders driven by the motto “we’ve retired but are not tired”, in mentoring and coaching new leaders, ensuring continuity and the transfer of valuable experience. The IEPA organises training for retirees to ensure they can perform their responsibilities effectively and are up to date with current trends in the education sector and school leadership.

Community involvement

Participants visited St. John’s Catholic Basic School in the Komenda Edina Eguafo Abrem district to observe how Right to Play and Sabre Education integrate play-based learning into the curriculum. At this school, the Leadership Communities of Practice (LCoP) mobilized parents to improve learning conditions, demonstrating the power of community engagement. The LCoPs, initiated through a project by VVOB, Sabre Education, Right To Play and AfriKids, bring together District Early Childhood Education (ECE) Coordinators, teachers, school leaders, and School Management Committee (SMC) members to enhance school leadership and support play-based early childhood education in Ghana.

LCoP members regularly visit schools to address concerns. This year at St. John’s Catholic Basic School, they successfully mobilized parents to fund new chairs and tables for ECE learners and resolved the lack of electricity in kindergarten classrooms through parent engagement.

Emmanuel Abaidoo, a former teacher at St. John’s for 36 years, now leads the School Management Committee (SMC) and remains active in the LCoP. “Children learn as they play. We’ve painted classrooms and are working on a playground to create a welcoming environment for the children,” he said.

Community members also contribute based on their professions. Philomena Kwawolah, a hairdresser and LCoP member teaches kindergarten learners about personal hygiene. “I teach them how to care for their bodies, including their head and hair, to prevent infections,” she said.

Alumni programme

The team also visited St Augustine’s College in Cape Coast, engaged directly with the school leaders as well as administrative and teaching staff and discussed various aspects of leadership within the school context. They gained insights into the administrative challenges and strategies employed by the school leaders to manage operations effectively.

One of the best practices highlighted is St. Augustine College’s alumni programme. This ensures continuous support from graduates, with contributions made every 25 years. This means that every year, a new cohort reaches its 25th anniversary since graduating, consistently returning to significantly contribute to the school’s development in various ways, such as renovating the school infrastructure, buying new desks and other needs of the school.

Key partners represented in the learning visit included government partners from Rwanda, Kenya, and Ghana. In addition, representatives from VVOB and Mastercard Foundation also participated in the visit. The Government of Rwanda was represented by the University of Rwanda-College of Education, the Government of Kenya was represented by an official from the Ministry of Education and Kenya Education Management Institute (KEMI), while the Government of Ghana was represented by officials from the Ministry of Education, Ghana Education Service (GES), National Teaching Council (NTC) and the Institute for Educational Planning and Administration (IEPA).

The ACSL partners’ learning visit highlighted the critical role of partnerships in enhancing school leadership across Africa. By learning from Ghana’s experiences and sharing insights, the coalition aims to foster effective school leadership, ultimately improving the quality of education on the continent.

The ACSL is a coalition of partners in Africa committed to the promotion of effective school leadership by bringing together organisations that offer professional development services, research, and policy advice on effective school leadership.