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: Improved practice-orientation of teacher education at teacher collages and a well functioning school-based in-service teacher training lead to more effective teaching, empowerment of students/pupils and improved learning at schools, and finally contribute to an improved quality of basic education for the children in Tanzania.

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

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 collaboration 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 involves a randomized controlled trial across 300 schools and 900 teachers in Tanzania, with schools assigned to either a peer-to-peer (P2P) intervention, a training of trainers (ToT) intervention, or a control group. To complement this, a quasi-experimental analysis is being conducted in Zambia, focusing on 35 secondary schools that adopted SITT between 2021 and 2023.

The project aims to evaluate scaling approaches, strengthen teaching competencies in Mathematics and Science, and explore how teachers' perspectives, job satisfaction, and self-efficacy influence the uptake of pedagogical innovations. Implementation targets 3 regions, 7 districts, 8 teacher colleges, and 200 primary schools, benefiting 24 tutors, 4,800 student teachers, 600 teachers, and approximately 120,000 pupils. This ambitious scale ensures that the research findings will be robust and representative, providing valuable insights into effective teacher professional development models that can be replicated across the region.

Significant progress has been made since the project's inception. Achievements to date include capacitating tutors and principals to apply the SITT model, successfully engaging 900 teachers in the baseline survey, and training 600 teachers 300 through the P2P intervention and 300 through the ToT intervention. Government engagement has been strong and sustained, with active participation from two ministries (MoEST and PORALG), three Regional Education Officers (REOs), and 68 Local Government Authorities (LGAs) conducting classroom observations. Collaboration with universities and CSOs such as TENMET has enhanced advocacy efforts, while media coverage has amplified the project's visibility. Overall, the project has improved teaching practices, strengthened mentorship structures, and laid the groundwork for policy uptake to scale inclusive teacher professional development across Tanzania and beyond.

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, with schools like Kitefu Primary using bottle tops for counting and pattern-making, and Mwandege Primary 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.