Stakeholders validate report and co-create pathways to continental school leadership reforms across Africa
Nairobi, Kenya | February 2026
School leadership policymakers, practitioners, and researchers from across Africa validated the findings of the first continent-wide mapping of school leadership initiatives at a workshop in Nairobi from the 10th to the 13th of February 2026. They also commenced the process of developing a pathway toward more coherent, institutionalised leadership systems across African educational systems. These were the main outcomes of a three-day validation workshop convened by the African Centre for School Leadership (ACSL) in partnership with the Kenya Education Management Institute (KEMI).
Policymakers, regulatory authorities, researchers, school leaders, and development partners reviewed and validated the findings from a comprehensive mapping exercise that assessed the status of school leadership policy, research, professional development, certification, sector coordination, and advocacy pathways across the continent. The study unpacked several insights and findings including the following:
- Policy attention is increasing, but many countries lack coherent leadership standards, structured progression pathways and low level of awareness of school leadership policies.
- Professional development remains fragmented, often project-based and donor-driven rather than institutionalised within national systems.
- Research is growing but uneven, with significant gaps in accessibility, comparability, and longitudinal evidence.
- Gender and inclusion gaps persist, with women underrepresented in leadership positions and limited documentation of leadership practices in marginalised and crisis-affected contexts. This is also the case for persons with disability.
School leadership is widely recognized as second only to classroom teaching in its influence on learner achievement, shaping instructional quality, teacher motivation, school climate, and the effective use of resources. Throughout the first two days—which featured presentation of findings and a deep dive into the research landscape—participants consistently emphasized that strengthening school leadership is central to improving learning outcomes. They also stressed the importance of adopting a holistic understanding of leadership—one that goes beyond classroom instruction to encompass the broader culture, governance, and direction of the school. As one participant aptly noted, “the head is the school, and the school is the head,” underscoring the profound influence of school leaders on the identity, performance, and overall trajectory of their institutions.
Discussions on the final day focused on moving from policy to practice, especially professional development of school leaders, and exploring modalities for stronger link between country-level action and regional and continental frameworks alignment, including with the African Union Continental Education Strategy for Africa 2026-2035 (CESA 26–35) and the outcomes of the 2025 ADEA Triennale in Accra, Ghana.
Participants underscored the need to institutionalise preparation and certification pathways for school leaders, develop clear leadership standards aligned with teaching and learning outcomes; strengthen structured professional development and coaching systems, build gender-responsive and inclusive leadership pipelines and enhance coordination between research, policy, and practice.
The workshop co-created a draft continental school leadership roadmap, outlining priority actions and mechanisms for coordination and accountability. Other key highlights include consensus on the need for stronger collaboration across ministries, regulatory bodies, training institutions, and partners. At the continental participants pushed for improved connection with the African Union, regional economic communities and member states in shaping, harmonizing and implementing school leadership policies and standards.
Participants agreed to advance a continental community of practice and a coordinated coalition of partners to support the implementation of the recommendations, backed by structured monitoring mechanisms to track progress.
As African educational systems expand access to secondary education and accelerate reforms at the foundational and other learning levels, strengthening school leadership in its holistic form is increasingly seen as a strategic lever for system-wide transformation. ACSL and its founding consortium partners — ADEA, VVOB, ESSA, and FAWE — will continue working with African countries and partners to translate the roadmap into actionable reforms at national level, guided by regional and continental frameworks. The final validated mapping report will be published in the coming weeks.
The session featured contributions from national and continental institutions and policymakers including the African Union, East African Community (EAC), Africa Federation of Teaching Regulatory Authorities (AFTRA), Teachers Service Commissions from Kenya and Sierra Leone, The UNESCO Global Education Monitoring Report (UNESCO GEM-R), Ministries of Education from Ghana, Kenya, Liberia and Uganda, Institute for Education Planning and Administration (IEPA). Researchers from Lagos State University, University of Botswana, Moi University, University of Buea, University of Rwanda-College of Education, University of Pretoria, South African Council of Educators amongst others.