This document presents the ACSL Practice Framework for Afrocentric School Leadership, a practical guide developed to strengthen school leadership and professional development across Africa by grounding leadership practice in African values, knowledge systems, and cultural traditions. Developed by the African Centre for School Leadership (ACSL), the framework responds to the need for leadership approaches that reflect the continent’s diverse educational realities while complementing internationally recognised leadership models. It provides policymakers, school leaders, and professional development providers with a coherent framework for building more effective, inclusive, and culturally relevant education systems. 

The document defines Afrocentric school leadership as a values-driven approach rooted in philosophies such as Ubuntu, Sankofa, Ujamaa, and Seriti, emphasising ethical leadership, collective responsibility, community participation, and indigenous knowledge. It translates these principles into five leadership pathways: developing organisational vision and culture, improving teaching and learning, supporting teacher professional development and wellbeing, strengthening family–school partnerships, and advancing gender equality and social inclusion. The framework also outlines principles for effective professional development, including mentoring, collaborative learning, applied practice, value-based leadership, and culturally responsive facilitation. 

By integrating African philosophies with evidence-based leadership practices, the document offers a practical roadmap for developing school leaders who can improve educational quality, equity, learner wellbeing, and sustainable school improvement across the African continent.

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This fact sheet presents the key findings from Uganda’s School Leadership Country Mapping, undertaken by the African Centre for School Leadership (ACSL) and the Ministry of Education and Sports. It provides a concise overview of the country’s school leadership landscape, examining four strategic areas: policy frameworks, professional development, research and evidence, and sector coordination. Drawing on policy analysis, a review of 53 research publications, stakeholder consultations, and a national validation workshop, the fact sheet identifies the most significant achievements, challenges, and opportunities for strengthening school leadership in support of improved teaching and learning. 

The fact sheet highlights that Uganda has a strong legislative foundation for school leadership, but the absence of a dedicated national school leadership policy has resulted in fragmented implementation, inconsistent leadership preparation, and limited coordination across institutions. While professional development opportunities are expanding, access remains uneven, formal induction and mentoring are insufficient, and many programmes continue to rely on project-based funding. It also identifies important evidence gaps, particularly in gender equality, disability inclusion, digital leadership, and system-wide governance, while noting that stakeholder coordination requires stronger institutional alignment. 

To address these challenges, the fact sheet recommends establishing a standalone school leadership policy, institutionalising professional development, investing in applied research, strengthening national coordination mechanisms, promoting gender-responsive and inclusive leadership, and leveraging digital technologies to improve leadership effectiveness and education outcomes nationwide.

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This report presents a comprehensive mapping of the school leadership landscape in Uganda, developed by the African Centre for School Leadership (ACSL) in partnership with the Ministry of Education and Sports. Using a mixed-methods approach—including a policy review, analysis of 53 research publications (2010–2025), stakeholder interviews, and a national validation workshop—the study examines the country’s policy environment, professional development systems, research ecosystem, and stakeholder coordination mechanisms. 

The findings reveal that Uganda has a solid policy and governance framework for school leadership, supported by national legislation and professional standards. However, implementation remains uneven due to fragmented policies, inconsistent supervision, limited induction and mentoring for newly appointed school leaders, and insufficient coordination across institutions. Professional development opportunities exist through government, universities, NGOs, and development partners, but many remain donor-driven rather than fully institutionalised. The report also identifies significant research gaps, particularly in leadership development, equity, inclusion, and evidence-informed policymaking. Gender disparities in leadership representation and limited attention to inclusive education further constrain progress. 

The report concludes that strengthening school leadership in Uganda requires coordinated policy implementation, institutionalised leadership preparation and mentoring, stronger research uptake, improved stakeholder collaboration, and greater emphasis on equity and instructional leadership to enhance teaching quality and learning outcomes. 

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This document is an evidence brief that translates research findings into practical recommendations for policymakers, education leaders, and practitioners seeking to strengthen school leadership and improve learning outcomes in Tanzania. Building on the first national mapping of school leadership research, the brief highlights how evidence-informed leadership can support ongoing education reforms, including the Competency-Based Curriculum and fee-free education, while addressing persistent gaps in leadership preparation and professional development.

Drawing on a mixed-methods study that analysed 161 publications, surveyed 66 researchers, engaged 58 policymakers and practitioners, and validated findings with more than 50 national stakeholders, the brief identifies key challenges within the research–policy–practice ecosystem. It reveals that research remains fragmented, dominated by academic publications, and insufficiently translated into policy and school-level practice. Important topics such as leadership models, school culture, and community engagement also remain underexplored.

The brief proposes five strategic priorities: institutionalising evidence use, investing in local research capacity, strengthening dissemination and data literacy, fostering national and regional collaboration, and monitoring the impact of evidence on policy and practice. It concludes that a nationally co-created research agenda provides a strong foundation for building an inclusive, evidence-driven school leadership system capable of improving teaching quality, educational equity, and student learning across Tanzania.

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This report provides a comprehensive assessment of the policy, practice, research, and institutional landscape of school leadership in Mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar. Developed by the African Centre for School Leadership (ACSL) in partnership with national institutions, the report aims to identify strengths, gaps, and strategic opportunities to strengthen school leadership as a driver of quality, equity, and improved learning outcomes.

Using a mixed-methods approach that combined policy reviews, analysis of 161 research publications, surveys, interviews, focus group discussions, and stakeholder validation, the study examines governance structures, professional development systems, leadership practices, research capacity, and sector coordination. 

The findings highlight significant progress through policy reforms, leadership training programmes, and institutional support led by ADEM and its partners. However, persistent challenges remain, including uneven access to professional development, limited leadership autonomy, gender disparities, fragmented research, weak collaboration, and insufficient translation of research into policy and practice. The report also establishes Tanzania’s first nationally validated school leadership research agenda and presents a roadmap for strengthening leadership standards, coordination, evidence use, and inclusive professional development. Overall, it concludes that sustained investment, stronger partnerships, and institutionalised evidence-based decision-making are essential to building an effective, equitable, and future-ready school leadership system.

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Education Sub Saharan Africa (ESSA), on behalf of the African Centre for School Leadership (ACSL), invites Expressions of Interest from qualified African-led consortia to design and implement a portfolio of impact studies between 2026 and 2030.

This multi-country consultancy will generate robust evidence on the effectiveness of school leadership initiatives across Africa, helping to inform policy, practice, and system reform. The selected consortium will work closely with ACSL and partners to design and deliver six interrelated impact studies using mixed-methods, contribution-based, and Afrocentric approaches.

Applications are encouraged from African-led consortia with complementary expertise in:

• Education systems research;
• Monitoring, evaluation, and learning;
• Impact evaluation methodologies;
• Policy analysis and research uptake;
• Multi-country research implementation.

Applications must be submitted by 20 July 2026 at 09:00 GMT.

Interested consortia should review the full Terms of Reference and submission requirements available through the official ESSA announcement page and submit their application package in accordance with the instructions provided therein.

For detailed information on the consultancy scope, eligibility requirements, and application process, please visit:

ESSA Consultancy Announcement – ACSL Impact Studies (2026–2030)

We strongly encourage eligible African-led consortia to apply and contribute to strengthening the evidence base for school leadership development and improved learning outcomes across Africa.

The African Centre for School Leadership (ACSL) invites qualified videography and photography service providers to submit quotations for a consultancy supporting the Blended Exchange and Learning Trajectory (BELT) on Afrocentric School Leadership.

This assignment will involve the production of high-quality video and photography content to document, communicate, and amplify Afrocentric school leadership practices and the BELT learning experience across participating countries. Deliverables include introductory videos, case study videos, event coverage, photography packages, and supporting communication assets.

Contract Duration: July – November 2026 (5 months)
Estimated Start Date: 15 July 2026
Budget Ceiling: USD 18,000 (inclusive of VAT)
Submission Deadline: 30 June 2026, 17:00 hrs

Qualified consultants should demonstrate at least three years of relevant experience in videography and photography, preferably within the education and development sectors, and possess strong storytelling, editing, and visual communication skills.

Interested service providers are invited to submit a technical proposal, financial proposal, company profile, portfolio, CVs of key personnel, and references in accordance with the requirements outlined in the Call for Quotations.

Submit proposals to: ann.mwangi@vvob.org
Copy: maurice.munyaneza@vvob.org; nuria.moreno@vvob.org

For full details, please consult the Call for Quotations document.

This working paper examines the relevance of Ubuntu School Leadership (USL) in improving school effectiveness in Rwanda. It explores how Ubuntu principles—such as empathy, collaboration, integrity, and community engagement—can address persistent challenges like weak management, poor learning outcomes, and limited stakeholder involvement. Using a qualitative, phenomenological approach with key education stakeholders, the study finds that Ubuntu is widely valued and aligns with existing leadership standards, though its practical application remains uneven. It highlights the need to integrate Ubuntu into professional development, policy, and curricula. Overall, the paper positions USL as a culturally grounded model for strengthening leadership and educational outcomes in Rwanda and beyond.

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This document outlines the African Centre for School Leadership (ACSL)’s standardized approach to mapping school leadership initiatives across Africa at both continental and national levels. It presents the objectives, conceptual framework, and a phased mixed-methods methodology combining desk reviews, research mapping, stakeholder consultations, and validation processes.

The approach enables identification of policies, professional development initiatives, research, and key actors shaping school leadership systems. It emphasizes generating evidence-based insights, strengthening coordination, and ensuring contextual relevance.

By integrating continental trends with country-specific diagnostics, the methodology supports informed policy reform, improved leadership development systems, and more coherent, data-driven strategies to enhance education quality across Africa.

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This fact sheet synthesizes key insights from the African Centre for School Leadership (ACSL) continental mapping on school leadership in Africa. It analyzes policy, professional development, research, and sector coordination to identify trends, gaps, and opportunities for strengthening leadership systems.

The study highlights growing recognition of school leadership as a driver of education quality, yet underscores fragmented policies, limited professionalization, and uneven implementation across countries. While professional development initiatives and research are expanding, they remain insufficiently coordinated and underutilized.

The document calls for stronger policy alignment, institutionalized leadership development, increased investment in evidence, improved coordination, and greater emphasis on gender equity to support effective, system-wide school leadership across Africa.

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This report presents a continental mapping of school leadership in Africa, conducted by the African Centre for School Leadership (ACSL). It examines policies, professional development, research, and coordination mechanisms shaping school leadership systems. Using a mixed-methods approach, the study highlights growing recognition of school leadership as a key driver of education quality, while identifying major gaps in implementation, professionalization, and alignment across countries.

The report emphasizes the need for stronger policy coherence, institutionalized training, improved research and data use, enhanced stakeholder coordination, and greater focus on gender equity to strengthen school leadership and improve learning outcomes across Africa.

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In this case study, we explore the stands of quality school leadership delivered in Tanzania, that has helped move a struggling local school to a national champion in Tanzania. We unpack the standards of school leadership exhibited by the head teacher, who exemplifies how values-driven, inclusive, and results-oriented leadership can reinvent a failing institution into a national leader. It illustrates the power of leadership ecosystems that prioritize sustainability, equity, and holistic development. 

Emmanuel Kisimiri’s journey under Kisongo Elementary School demonstrates that even in resource-constrained, rural contexts,transformational leadership can create lasting, nationally recognised change.

Download the full report: English | Kiswahili