The training of supervisors took place at a single site in Ziniaré, and teachers were trained in the five regions selected for the pilot phase. The training of supervisors was attended by approximately 70 primary school inspectors from the five regions participating in the pilot phase of e-supervision. The ceremony was attended by the Director General of Primary Education Quality (DGQEP). The Minister’s speech brought this first training session to a close. These supervisors, in turn, were to pass on what they had learned to the teachers.
175 teachers trained for the launch of e-supervision
There were an average of 35 teachers per region, for a total of approximately 175 primary and preschool teachers trained for the launch of e-supervision. They had the opportunity to discover the equipment made available to them, to try it out to understand how it works, and to take part in practical Zoom meeting sessions and practical supervision tests. On the last day of training, November 28, the e-supervision launch ceremony took place. This meeting was attended by regional and provincial directors of primary and preschool education, who came to demonstrate the MEBAPLN’s interest in the PISGI project through e-supervision, an innovation that is highly valued.
E-supervision is therefore considered a reality and supervision can begin at any time. E-supervision takes into account all components of educational supervision in Burkina Faso, namely preschool and primary education in terms of basic education, and initial training (with the involvement of INFPE) and continuing education.
Evaluations of this pilot phase will be carried out in the coming months to assess its relevance, the quality of the supervision, and its impact on the work of educational supervisors, teachers, and students.
The things that worked well in the process, without being exhaustive, are:
- The effective involvement of all stakeholders, from the minister to teachers, including the secretary general, center directors, etc.
- The favorable position of the DEPFIC to integrate the mechanism into the MEBAPLN’s strategic plan for continuing education.
- The enthusiasm of the direct beneficiaries—teachers and supervisors.
- Regular and highly relevant feedback from the minister himself on the process.
- The commitment of the INFPE to use the mechanism in initial training and to take preschool into account.
However, instead of launching as planned, the ministry preferred that we hold immersion sessions and reserve the actual launch until after the pilot phase, if it is conclusive.
Impact stories
Numerous impact stories have been collected in relation to the major challenges that the mechanism aims to address in the pedagogical supervision and professional development of teachers, namely:
- Teacher safety and well-being: A story that reports on the expected impact of e-supervision on the safety of stakeholders and their psychological well-being.
- Funding: the anticipated financial impact on the practice of educational supervision.
- Mobility and logistics: the anticipated impact of e-supervision on the mobility and logistics challenges faced by traditional supervision.
- Rurality & urbanity: history of presumed impact on the balance and fairness of supervision between rural and urban areas; the same may apply between areas with high, medium, and low security challenges.
- Improvement of traditional practices and professional development for teachers