Strengthening teacher professional development in Kenya

Genesis undertook a comprehensive assessment of Kenya’s School-Based Teacher Support Initiative (SBTSi) at the behest of the World Bank. This entailed an evaluation of the design, implementation and outcomes of the initiative in order to understand its impact on teacher professional development.

The SBTSi, a component of Kenya’s education reform efforts, aims to support teachers in Grades 1, 2 and 3 to improve their content mastery and pedagogical skills, particularly in maths. Unlike traditional centralised teacher training, the SBTSi operates in a decentralised manner, which not only reduces administrative burdens but also optimises cost-effectiveness.

For this evaluation, Genesis partnered with Kenyatta University and travelled to six counties within Kenya. During our field visits, we spoke to stakeholders, observed lessons and participated in feedback sessions.

The response from teachers and stakeholders was largely positive, showing the benefits of SBTSi support activities. However, our evaluation highlighted areas that could be strengthened, including the use of ICT tools.

Genesis has since developed a technical blueprint to provide clear guidance regarding the setting up, piloting and rolling out of a central repository where teachers can easily access resources such as lesson plans and training sessions. We also proposed a WhatsApp Community feature for virtual cluster groups to foster collaboration between educators.

Our findings and recommendations were well-received by key stakeholders, including the Ministry of Education and Teacher Service Commission.