1. Teacher Education in Africa: An Overview
Cooperation in Teacher Education Seminar
Bergen – September 28, 2005
Dr. Edward K. Kirumira
Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences
Makerere University Uganda

2. What Are We Talking About?
Teaching of teachers in Educational institutions
The teachers as agency
The (dis)connect in philosophical standpoints to teacher education

3. The Historical & Local Parameters
The Public sector approach
The Centers of specialization (excellence) approach
Nationalism and nationalization of teacher education training institutions (e.g. the case of transformation of East African Universities)
Equivalence of teacher training with “University Education”

4. Role of Teacher Education in EFA
The pressures of mass higher education combined with an unwillingness or inability of the state to adequately support academia, the rise of the private sector and the privatization of public teaching institutions, and an increasing differentiation of the academic system, all contribute to considerable confusion about the roles and functions of teacher education in a new environment

5. The Contradictions
The policy contradictions [downsizing institutions versus populist school enrollment]
Divergent philosophies
Image of a teacher (national, societal…..) feeding into the teacher education process

6. The Crossroads
Fiscal necessity and accommodation to the market (will) may inevitable change the nature of teacher training
Mentorship challenge within the profession

7. Future Challenges Balancing privatization and professionalism
Apportioning emphasis in terms of level of teacher training
knowledge production versus human resource training

8. Challenges (contn…)
Regional and International exposure and competitiveness of African teacher training – the need for cooperation
Encouraging multi-disciplinary teacher training
Linking teacher training to research