TEACHER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AT SCALE: LEVERAGING TEACHERS’ PERSPECTIVES FOR SUCCESS (TPDS: LTPS)

Low quality of basic education is perceived as one of the core challenges, which is strongly based on the neglection of quality teacher education and training and strained budgets for education. To enhance quality, the project supports the Local Government Authorities (LGAs) to spread and advocate for the Inclusive School based In-service Teacher Training (SITT).

SITT has evolved from the earlier Quality Education through the Expert Teacher System (QUEETS) initiative. Since 2016, SITT has generated other 3 Research-based projects: Strengthening Inservice teacher and Mentorship (STMS), Strengthening Teacher Professional Development and Mentorship (STPDM) and Teacher Professional Development at Scale: Leveraging Teachers’ Perspectives for Success (TPDS: LTPS) which are action research projects where HELVETAS works with various renown Universities.

Project Goal: The project pursues four interrelated objectives: first, to evaluate the relative effectiveness of two scaling approaches peer-to-peer (P2P) and training-of-trainers (ToT)—in improving daily teaching practices among Tanzanian public primary school teachers.

Second, to examine whether teachers’ beliefs and perspectives on the added value and required effort of pedagogical innovations influence uptake, while also assessing how each scaling approach shapes those perspectives.

Third, to investigate whether differences in teachers’ job satisfaction and self‑efficacy explain adoption of innovations, and whether the impact varies by scaling approach.

Fourth, to scale the inclusive School based In‑Service Teacher Training (SITT) model with a specific focus on strengthening teaching competencies in mathematics and science subjects, thereby generating evidence on what drives successful pedagogical change and how best to scale teacher professional development across diverse contexts.

Project Direct Beneferies: The project aims to builds the capacity of 600 teachers from 200 primary schools on Mathematics and Science using the SITT approach expecting to benefit more than 120,000 pupils from 200 public primary schools through trained 40 tutors from 8 teacher colleges that as well will benefit about 3,200 student-teachers.

Project Local Partners: Ministry of Education Science and Technology, Prime Minister’s Office - Regional Administration and Local Government,  Local Government Authorities, Teacher Cs, Primary schools, Tanzania Education Network (TEN/MET) and Ruaha Catholic University (RUCU).

Project International Partners: University of Zambia (UNZA) and University of Bern

Tracking Progress: Scaling Teacher Professional Development for Impact

Project Overview & Scope: The Teacher Professional Development at Scale: Leveraging Teachers’ Perspectives for Success project is an 18‑month action research initiative (May 2025 – November 2026) funded by the Finnish National Agency for Education (EDUFI) under the Regional Teacher Initiative for Africa (RTIA) program. Implemented by HELVETAS Tanzania in partnership with the University of Bern (Switzerland), Ruaha Catholic University (Tanzania), and the University of Zambia, the project builds on the Inclusive School‑based In‑Service Teacher Training (SITT) model. It employs a randomized controlled trial across 300 schools and 900 teachers in Tanzania—divided into peer‑to‑peer (P2P), training‑of‑trainers (ToT), and control groups—complemented by a quasi‑experimental analysis in Zambia involving 35 secondary schools that adopted SITT between 2021 and 2023. The project targets 3 regions, 7 districts, 8 teacher colleges, and 200 primary schools, ultimately benefiting 24 tutors, 4,800 student teachers, 600 teachers, and approximately 120,000 pupils.

Key Achievements to Date: Significant milestones have already been achieved, including the capacitation of tutors and principals to effectively apply the SITT model, successful engagement of 900 teachers in the baseline survey, and training of 600 teachers—300 through P2P and 300 through ToT interventions. Government engagement has been notably strong, with active participation from two ministries (MoEST and PORALG), three Regional Education Officers (REOs), and 68 Local Government Authorities conducting classroom observations. Collaborative efforts with universities and civil society organizations such as TENMET have enhanced advocacy and technical support, while media coverage has amplified the project's visibility and outreach across the education sector.

Overall Impact & Future Outlook: Collectively, the project has markedly improved teaching practices—particularly in mathematics and science—strengthened mentorship structures at school and college levels, and laid a solid foundation for policy uptake to scale inclusive teacher professional development across Tanzania and beyond. By systematically integrating teachers’ perspectives, job satisfaction, and self‑efficacy into the research design, the initiative generates critical evidence on what drives successful adoption of pedagogical innovations. The findings are expected to inform national and regional education policies, ensuring that teacher development programs are not only effective but also responsive to the realities and needs of educators on the ground.

Beyond teacher training, the SITT model integrates health, environment, and inclusiveness into everyday school life, directly linking teacher development to learner well-being. Schools have established vegetable gardens, promoted hygiene education, and engaged learners in soap making and sodo (reusable sanitary pad) preparation addressing menstrual hygiene, girls' dignity, and school attendance while reflecting gender equality and social inclusion. The use of locally available materials such as seeds, stones, bottle tops, and leaves has made learner centred teaching affordable and practical, using bottle tops for counting and pattern-making, and employing sticks and manila papers for geometry lessons. Inclusiveness is embedded across all SITT elements through gender-sensitive grouping, support for learners with disabilities, and equal participation for boys and girls, reinforced by assistive technologies such as Braille embossers and ICT tools. These integrated efforts make education practical, affordable, and equitable while directly enhancing learner well-being and creating healthier, more inclusive learning environments.