Join our newsletter
Explore the latest news in education and development
Header image: ©GPE/Kelley Lynch
Leaders in Teaching – Lead Pillar: African Centre for School Leadership (Pan-Africa)
Share this article
Challenge
While African countries have made impressive strides in expanding access to education, many secondary schools still struggle with low learning outcomes, limited teacher motivation and weak instructional leadership. A key factor behind these challenges is the lack of coherent, well-supported systems for school leadership.
In many contexts, school leaders are appointed without adequate preparation or professional development, and national education policies often overlook their pivotal role in improving teaching and learning. Gender inequities also persist in leadership positions and female educators can face systemic barriers to advancement. There is a growing need for school leadership models that are contextually relevant, inclusive and aligned with national priorities.
To address these gaps, the Mastercard Foundation’s Leaders in Teaching initiative recognises that strong, well-supported school leaders are essential for improving education quality and equity at scale.
Goals
Strengthen secondary-level teaching and learning so that young people have the 21st century skills and competencies needed for employment, lifelong learning and adult life.
Project Partners
Approach
To ignite and promote the potential of school leadership in improving educational quality on the continent, the African Centre for School Leadership (ACSL) was conceived in 2021. The Centre collaborates with governments and governmental agencies in the education sector to build supportive school leadership systems to improve teaching and, in turn, learning outcomes and well-being of both teachers and learners. Through its activities, projects, and especially its partnerships and collaborations, the Centre develops contextualised school leadership models in Africa, initiates policy development and reform and promotes effective school leadership professional development.
As part of the Mastercard Foundation’s broader Leaders in Teaching initiative, ACSL will lead a dedicated effort known as ACSL-LIT-LEAD. In the framework of the ACSL-LIT-LEAD project, the ACSL will set up partnerships in four Leaders in Teaching expansion countries, support these countries in strengthening their respective school leadership systems and facilitate exchange and learning on school leadership in Africa.
To address cultural differences and strengthen school leadership across different countries in Africa, the ACSL will establish an interconnected educational ecosystem where countries learn from each other about how to improve school leadership. As part of a mapping, each country will review how school leadership is currently working, looking at relevant policies, leadership roles, training and support systems. This will help identify what’s going well and where there are gaps or challenges. This review will guide which areas need the most attention, whether that’s updating policies, improving school leadership professional development or focusing more on research. With this information, countries can develop and put in place strategies that are tailored to their specific needs.
The project will focus on four key areas: policy; practice; research; and communication, advocacy and sector coordination.
Gender and equity will also be crosscutting in each of the focus areas and activities at the pan-African level by embedding it in policy guidance, for example on the creation of career pathways for young women in school leadership. The ACSL will also promote gender-responsive school leadership professional development, recognising and addressing the different needs, experiences and challenges that learners may face based on their gender and actively challenging and addressing gender biases and stereotypes.
The ACSL will also encourage female researchers, fund and share research on gender and school leadership, and develop related advocacy campaigns.
By the end of the programme
School leadership professional development will extend to an estimated 10,000 secondary schools in different African countries, equipping school leaders to promote better teaching and learning environments, positively impacting approximately two million secondary school students.