Mapping the status of teacher professional development in Kenya, Rwanda and Sierra Leone
02 July 2025
Globally, teachers play a crucial role in supporting quality education environments and outcomes for all. As well as teaching literacy and numeracy skills, holistic teaching practice incorporates a range of important themes such as equity and inclusion, socioemotional learning (SEL) and, increasingly, the use of technology in education to support teaching and learning (EdTech).
This policy brief explores how education sector plans (ESPs), thematic policies, and teacher frameworks in Kenya, Rwanda, and Sierra Leone aim to empower teachers to adopt a more holistic approach to teaching. It places particular emphasis on how teacher professional development (TPD) supports this transformation.
Key Findings
- TPD is a central policy focus in Kenya, Rwanda, and Sierra Leone; all recognising its importance for education reform. Sierra Leone places additional emphasis on teacher standards and accountability.
- Inclusion is addressed in all three countries: Kenya and Rwanda focus mainly on disability. Sierra Leone takes a broader approach, targeting all forms of marginalisation through its Radical Inclusion Policy, which also addresses gender and parent learners. All countries have policies and plans for learners with special needs that include teacher training.
- Rwanda has a SEL framework with planned training. Kenya's 2023 education plan mentions a future SEL framework. Sierra Leone integrates SEL into foundational learning without a dedicated framework.
- Rwanda and Kenya have EdTech-specific policies, while Sierra Leone has a general national digital strategy, but no education-specific EdTech policy.
- Effective implementation requires alignment between Education Sector Plans and other policies, but gaps exist. Policy development is shaped by context and can be fragmented or delayed due to complexity and cost. Broad political support is critical for comprehensive and effective policy reform. For both policy development and implementation, broader support from stakeholders such as development partners is essential.