BY THEMBA ZWANE
EZULWINI – Eswatini has committed to strengthening continental platforms that give teachers a stronger voice in education reform, professional development, innovation and knowledge sharing as Africa moves to transform the teaching profession.
The commitment was reaffirmed during the official closing of the Pan-African Conference on Teacher Education and Development (PACTED) 2026 by Minister of Education and Training Owen ‘Handsome’ Nxumalo, who stressed the importance of ensuring that teachers are not merely recipients of education policies but active contributors to reforms that ultimately shape what happens in classrooms.
The three-day conference, held in Ezulwini from October 5 to 7 under the theme “Transforming the Teaching Profession for Africa’s Future: Innovation, Recognition, Mobility, Artificial Intelligence, Inclusion and Professional Excellence,” brought together education ministers, government representatives, teacher organisations, regulators, universities, development partners, researchers, innovators and teachers from across the continent.
The conference concluded with the Ezulwini Call to Action, which, for purposes of the conference outcomes, is being anchored to the Ezulwini venue, and placed teacher voice, leadership, innovation and knowledge exchange among the key priorities for Africa’s education systems.
Under the resolutions, African Union Member States committed to strengthening the Africa Teachers Forum (ATF) and the Teachers’ Community of Practice (CoP) as continental mechanisms for professional exchange, peer learning, teacher leadership, innovation and knowledge sharing.
The resolutions further call for teacher-led research, classroom innovation and evidence-informed practice to be documented, recognised and scaled across Member States.
Nxumalo’s closing remarks reinforced the central role of teachers in turning education reforms into practical results, highlighting the need for the profession to be valued, supported and continuously developed.
He emphasised that teachers are central to education transformation because they are the professionals who ultimately translate policies, innovations and reforms into classroom practice.
The conference recognised that Africa’s education transformation cannot be achieved without strengthening the professional status, competencies, wellbeing and motivation of teachers.
“It noted that persistent teacher shortages, unequal deployment, fragmented teacher education and professional development systems, limited professional mobility, rapid technological change and inadequate financing continue to affect the continent’s ability to provide quality education,” said the minister.
Against this backdrop, he said, the ATF and CoP are positioned as important mechanisms for ensuring that teachers themselves participate in shaping solutions to these challenges.
“The conference called for teachers to be recognised as active participants in education policy development and reform, rather than solely as recipients of policy decisions.”
He said it further committed to creating stronger opportunities for teachers to exchange experiences, conduct research, share innovations and learn from one another across countries.
The resolutions also place teacher professionalisation at the centre of Africa’s education transformation, calling for stronger systems linking qualifications, professional standards, registration and licensing, continuous professional development, career progression, professional recognition, remuneration, wellbeing and accountability.
Nxumalo’s closing message came against a broader continental push to ensure that commitments made at PACTED translate into measurable action.
The conference adopted the implementation principle: “Commit – Implement – Measure – Report – Accelerate.”
This approach is intended to move African education systems beyond declarations and fragmented interventions towards coherent, sustainable and accountable reforms.
The conference also called for greater attention to teacher readiness for artificial intelligence and digital transformation, including AI literacy, digital pedagogy, cybersecurity, data literacy and ethical use of emerging technologies.
At the same time, teachers were identified as essential agents in preparing learners for STEM, green skills, entrepreneurship, innovation and the future of work.
The conference further recognised the need to strengthen teacher wellbeing, mental health, psychosocial support, gender-responsive education and support for teachers working with learners affected by disability, displacement, conflict, emergencies and other vulnerabilities.
For Eswatini, the closing of PACTED 2026 provides a platform to sustain the momentum generated by the conference and strengthen the participation of teachers in shaping the future of education.
The conference outcomes call on teachers themselves to continue exercising professional leadership, innovation, collaboration and commitment to lifelong learning and learner success.
They also call on teacher organisations, regulatory authorities, professional bodies and teacher education institutions to strengthen professional standards, teacher voice, continuous professional development, research, innovation and accountability.
As PACTED 2026 closed in Ezulwini, the message was clear: Africa’s education transformation must not only be designed for teachers, but must increasingly be shaped with teachers.
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