We're rebuilding the foundation of teacher education

We're a start-up education organisation with a vision to transform teaching and school leadership across the African continent. We are currently based in Johannesburg, where we are running pilot programmes of our innovative curriculum and building partnerships with several leading school networks. We are inspired by cutting-edge teacher training institutions (such as Relay GSE and Sposato GSE) to build the most innovative, impactful and scalable teacher training institution in Africa. 

An education system in crisis

According to the UNESCO Institute for Statistics, Sub-Saharan Africa will account for two-thirds - or 6.2 million - of the new teachers needed globally by 2030. As the school-age population expands, this growing demand is exacerbated; for every 100 primary school students in 2012, there will be 147 children in 2030. Countries in the region will have to fill almost four million existing teaching positions by 2030, as well as create and fill 2.2 million new ones.

Unfortunately, simply adding more space at established teacher training institutions (TTI) will not achieve this target. Nor will it engender much-needed improvements in student learning and skill-development. TTIs’ current pedagogy emphasises theoretical understanding of best practices, and not the practical, field-tested skills that today’s teachers actually need in order to serve today’s students in today’s classrooms. TTIs also fail to attract the highest quality young professionals, deepening challenges associated with teacher training and increasing costs associated with retraining and attrition.

Instill Education believes that transformative teaching will have unparalleled influence on student outcomes, that a consistent pipeline of qualified, effective teachers will enable African Education to exceed the charge set by the Millennium Development Goals, and that although large scale education reform must start with education accessibility, it can neither survive nor flourish without in-classroom teaching excellence.

 

IMMERSIVE

We offer a practical-intense programme where trainees spend over 50% of their time in the classroom teaching and building proficiency through deliberate practice.

 

 

INTEGRATED

We prepare trainees to transition seamlessly into the school classroom; the learning journey and year-one teaching experience are integrated through simulation, classroom practice, and classroom training.

 
 

Evidence-informed

We employ evidence-based pedagogies that focus on the core skills of teaching. Our methodology ensures that the science that underpins great teaching drives learning activities, evaluation, and evidence.

DEMAND-DRIVEN

We have tailored our programme to the needs of our partner schools. By driving the competencies they value, we create a strong pipeline of teacher talent.

 

 

 
 

Contextualised

We work with leading training institutions and global education experts to ensure our methodology remains at the cutting edge of teacher education. This is complemented by master facilitators with extensive experience in African classrooms.

data driven

We maintain a strong focus on data which drives candidate selection, student performance, and teaching practice, and allows us to continuously adjust and improve in real time.

“The direction in which education starts a man will determine his future life.”
— Plato
 
 
 
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  • We collaborate with the broader education community in the pursuit of achieving our mission

  • We build relationships with each other and the communities in which we work by listening, learning, and showing respect

  • We strive to integrate the knowledge and wisdom present in communities to our approach, and adapt in response to diverse needs

 
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  • We value, appreciate, promote, champion, and advocate for diversity at all levels of the organisation

  • We seek to attract, retain, and partner with diverse people and institutions

  • We embrace uniqueness and engender a culture that allows people to flourish

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  • We understand failing the right way is part of the learning process, and encourage risk taking

  • We are a non-hierarchical organisation, every team member has an obligation to dissent 

  • We believe in perspectives that challenge the status quo, encourage a safe working environment and a culture of dialogue

 
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  • We claim the challenges of our partner organisations as our own and work tirelessly to deliver solutions

  • We are resolute in achieving our institutional goals and harness reflection, innovation, passion and determination to accomplish them

  • We refuse to allow limited resources to have a bearing on the success of the services we provide

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  • We are dedicated to using education in all forms to combat rampant injustices impacting historically marginalised communities

  • We deliver context-specific, targeted, high-quality and affordable education solutions for the communities within which we work

  • We intentionally add an African perspective to the global education conversation

 
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  • We measure our success in terms of impact on learners, teachers and school leaders

  • We value effectiveness and impact over excellence

  • We value ingenuity and creativity in pursuit of our vision