Transforming Initial Teacher Education for 21st Century Classrooms

Abstract

This policy brief addresses the issues facing the Initial Teacher Education (ITE) system in Ethiopia, whose failure to prepare teachers adequately for 21^st century classroom realities has drawn increasing concern. The brief highlights the need for a shift away from a theoretically heavy curriculum to one that balances theoretical knowledge with practice focusing on core skills: collaboration, creativity, and digital literacy. The brief also identifies several systemic issues, such as ineffective recruitment processes, unsatisfactory partnerships between schools and universities, and insufficient teacher development. These issues are all contributing factors to high dropout rates and a general lack of qualified teachers. Furthermore, the lack of retention strategies for teachers and the sporadic use of ICT act to exacerbate these issues impacting learning outcomes and educational success. Hence, the brief proposes a series of reforms that involve the integration of evidence-informed practices, enhancing curriculum applicability to practical teaching needs and stronger collaborations among learning institutions, policymakers, and communities to address the challenges. Ultimately, the policy brief calls for a holistic strategy to reform the ITE system in Ethiopia with a focus on improving resources, teacher competencies, and alignment of teacher education programs with the skills required in modern classrooms. This includes incorporating technology into the curriculum, promoting innovative pedagogy, and rendering research-based teacher training and responsive to the evolving needs of the education system. Ethiopia can build a more capable and adaptable teaching force in the long-term by working towards the realization of the policy options forwarded.