Organiser: Nicola Ruddle
Discussant: Kwame Akyeampong
Overview
Retaining high quality, effective teachers in deprived areas is a challenge in many contexts. A common approach to building the capacity of teachers in these areas is through in-service training (INSET).This symposium looks at recent and ongoing evaluation evidence on two models of such INSET, from Tanzania and Ghana. The papers intend to initiate discussions on dealing with system-wide constraints which affect the sustainability of the efficacy of INSET models, use of INSET as a cost-effective approach to attract trained teachers to disadvantaged communities, and how to usefully assess and present information on intervention cost.
Paper 1: What factors affect the sustainability of a teacher in-service training programme in Tanzania? Ian MacAuslan (OPM)
Sustainability of the activities and benefits of an early-grade teacher INSET programme, beyond the initial external funding period, is a key objective of the Education Quality Improvement Programme in Tanzania (EQUIP-Tanzania). EQUIP-Tanzania targets primary education in seven of Tanzania’s most educationally disadvantaged regions.
This paper presents evidence from the midline impact evaluation of EQUIP-Tanzania on the prospects for sustainability, and national scale-up, of the INSET programme. This mixed methods evaluation combines quantitative evidence on impact with qualitative findings from programme schools. The programme has initially boosted early grade learning and reduced teachers’ classroom absenteeism. But, there are clear constraining factors to achieving maximum and ongoing impact, such as high teacher turnover, challenging classroom conditions with large class sizes, and unclear incentives for professional development; all with implications for improving programme design for sustainability. This paper also highlights the gaps and challenges of collecting appropriate evidence to assess financial sustainability and costs of national roll out.
Paper 2: ‘Staying power’ in rural basic schools: a look at teacher training modalities and teacher retention in Ghana Dr Leslie Casely-Hayford et al. (Associates for Change)
Retention of trained teachers in deprived rural communities in Ghana is one of the key challenges facing Ghana’s basic education sector. This paper uses primary data from a longitudinal evaluative study spanning 2-years and covering 400 teacher trainees across nine districts in Ghana to explore the impact of the distance training modality under the Untrained Teacher Diploma in Basic Education programme. The study compares the knowledge, orientation and skills acquired on the distance teacher training programme compared to the more conventional model. The paper also explores teacher retention and motivational factors, finding that distance training modalities positively influence teachers' willingness to work in rural deprived primary schools. The study highlights the need for policy makers to consider reforming their teacher training, and selection strategies in order to retain trained teachers in these areas.
Paper 3: Challenges of assessing cost effectiveness and financial sustainability of teacher INSET: insights from Tanzania Nicola Ruddle (OPM)
There is a growing acknowledgement of the need for cost, and cost effectiveness analysis (CEA) information about education interventions to feed into policy and programming decisions, however this analysis has many challenges in practice. This paper draws on the difficulties of carrying out such CEA in relation to an ongoing impact evaluation of the EQUIP-Tanzania primary education programme including teacher INSET.
Consistent with the literature, and attempts to improve methodologies for CEA, challenges arise around whose costs to include, application of the ‘Ingredients method,’ limitations to implementation spending data, and identifying additionality of costs, not just impact. Cost estimates must also have practical use as comparators for scaling up or adopting the programme in other contexts, where unit costs will differ. The paper illustrates how useful cost-effectiveness analysis is possible even with limited data, and considering what information is useful for stakeholders in sustaining the programme.
