The Centre for Development and Enterprise (CDE) has produced this report against the backdrop of a failing South African education system characterised by severe inequality, high drop-out rates, very low learner outcomes and ill-equipped teachers.

It is widely recognised that improving the quality of teaching and learning is essential to address this education crisis and several initiatives are being undertaken to develop Teacher Professional Standards (TPS). As a contribution to these initiatives CDE commissioned research on the development of TPS in a range of developed and developing countries. Set within a theoretical framework of the South African schooling cycle, the research findings provide insights into the conditions under which TPS in South Africa might serve to raise school performance.

Additionally, the experience of six countries in developing and implementing TPS offers valuable lessons for these processes in South Africa. The countries are the USA, England, Australia, Jamaica, Namibia and Botswana.

Report by the Centre for Development & Enterprise