The role of teachers in GPE
GPE helps teachers engage in policy dialogue at national and global level by addressing issues that are of critical importance to them such as training, teaching aids and materials, pedagogical support, curriculum, teacher recruitment and career paths.
Representatives of the teaching profession engage both at global and country level, including in the GPE board, to make GPE a stronger, better and more inclusive partnership.
The role of teachers in GPE’s country-level work
At the country level, GPE supports system transformation through a diagnosis of system challenges and the selection of a priority reform with the potential to deliver tangible progress in education outcomes. The implementation of the reform is funded through GPE grants and supported by other partners.
The priority reform and alignment of partners around its implementation are outlined in a partnership compact. GPE is committed to promoting and supporting teacher inclusion in the compact development as well as broader sector planning and policy processes through effective inclusion in local education groups.
The role of teachers at country level differs from context to context depending on how teachers and local education groups are organized and how open governments and other partners are towards the engagement of teacher organizations.
But GPE is committed to making progress on meaningful teacher representation in education policy dialogue and to collaborate closely with Education International and teacher representatives across partner countries to do so.
Read principles towards effective local education group
Through representation in local education groups, teacher organizations can be helpful in sector diagnostics, policy development, partnership compact development, and monitoring of implementation.
Given their presence in schools, teachers can quickly identify shortcomings in the implementation of a new policy or identify unintended consequences of new approaches that require remedial action.
Read more on what teachers can gain by engaging in formal coordination mechanisms.
Teachers’ accountabilities
In 2019, GPE’s Board of Directors adopted an Accountability Matrix to clarify what is expected from different stakeholders to enable GPE to achieve its vision and goals. These accountabilities were then added to the GPE Charter.
There are no specific accountabilities for representatives of the teaching profession, but accountabilities of civil society partners are relevant for teachers both for partnership and for GPE grants.
Delivering on these accountabilities depends on the space provided by governments and other partners for teachers to engage.
Teachers’ engagement in practice
There are various ways to find out how to connect with GPE processes in a specific country. Education Out Loud is the GPE’s fund to support civil society’s activities and influence in shaping education policy. Teacher organizations can also engage through Education International.
When trying to engage in policy dialogue, teacher organizations are often faced with structural, cultural and practical challenges. GPE promotes and monitors meaningful inclusion of teacher organizations in local education groups. Here is a GPE funded report on improving teacher support and participation in local education groups.
It is important to open the door to teacher representation and to then support building trust and meaningful engagement over time.
GPE has varying degrees of influence across different partner countries, but the power of partnership can make a difference.
Learn more about how GPE supports quality teaching in partner countries.