INNOTECH participates in consultation workshop for the development of Guidance Framework for Professional Teaching Standards

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SEAMEO INNOTECH, represented by Educational Research Unit Senior Specialist, Dr. Sherlyne Almonte-Acosta, participated in the Consultation Workshop for the Development of an International Guidance Framework for Professional Teaching Standards, 18-19 March 2019 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The consultation workshop was organized to review the findings of the comparative country analysis done as part of the Phase I of the project, as well as post suggestions on the draft Guidance Framework.

The development of an International Guidance Framework was a recommendation brought up during the 10th Policy Dialogue Forum of the International Task Force on Teachers for Education 2030. UNESCO, the International Task Force on Teachers for Education 2030, and the International Institute for Capacity Building (IICBA) in Africa took the lead in developing the said framework in order to support the different countries in elaborating their standards for the teaching profession.

While teaching standards describe the desirable level of performance of teachers at the different stages of their career and facilitate the professionalization of teaching, the guidance framework is meant to be aspirational and not prescriptive. It hopes to support the governments and teacher organizations in assuring quality teacher education and quality teaching in the country and the region.

The consultation workshop, which was attended by teachers, school leaders, teacher educators, unions, and ministries of education officials, served as a platform to discuss the existing teaching standards and how these can support the initiatives and progress on achieving the Sustainable Development Goal 4, particularly SDG 4.c on quality teachers. The draft International Guidance Framework for Professional Teaching Standards focused on five (5) areas of competencies: Professional Knowledge and Understanding; Professional Skills and Practices; Professional Values, Attributes, and Commitment; Professional Partnerships; and Professional Leadership.

One particular point raised during the consultative workshop is the contextualization of the international guidance framework. While it is tagged as an international guide, the experts reminded that it should be inclusive to allow the governments to use the guide according to their own context and priorities. The experts also highlighted the need to look at the competency and standards progressively, emphasizing on the guidance framework being aspirational rather than prescriptive.

This consultation workshop held in Ethiopia is part of the series of consultations plotted within the year. IICBA, together with UNESCO and International Task Force on Teachers for Education 2030 is set to conduct similar consultation workshops in the different regions of the world. The finalized framework is targeted to be released by the end of the year.