An Analysis of the Effectiveness of Professional Learning Communities for Continuous Professional Teacher Development in South Africa

This paper analyses the effectiveness of Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) as a model for continuous professional teacher development (CPTD) in South Africa. Conducted by VVOB in collaboration with the Department of Basic Education (DBE) and the South African Council for Educators (SACE), the study examines teachers’ perceptions of PLC effectiveness within a national pilot involving 12 inter-school PLCs across the Free State, North West, and Northern Cape provinces.

Drawing on focus group discussions, chatbox stories, and PLC observations, the paper identifies six key factors influencing effectiveness: needs-based design, mutual trust and respect, collective responsibility for student learning, school management support, skilled facilitation, and regular external input. Findings show that PLCs increase collaboration among teachers and serve as a cost-effective and context-relevant model for professional learning in low-resource settings.