Luanda, Angola – 03 October, 2024 – ADPP Angola has been named a top 10 finalist for the UNESCO-Hamdan Prize for Teacher Development. This prestigious recognition highlights our 15 Teacher Training Schools, which operate in partnership with the Ministry of Education to train primary school teachers across 14 provinces.
Since 1995, we have graduated 15,825 teachers, with a focus on rural areas. Our 4-year boarding school program prepares teachers through academic study, practical work, and community engagement, with an emphasis on gender equality.
Our 4-year pre-service boarding school program is designed to produce capable, passionate, and determined teachers who provide transformative education. The program integrates academic subjects with practical work, study trips, community engagement, leadership training, and a strong focus on teamwork. Over the course of four years, students not only develop pedagogical skills but also prepare to function as community leaders on issues like gender, nutrition, sexual and reproductive health, water and sanitation, and malaria prevention. Well trained teachers become progressive voices in rural areas, supporting conflict resolution and social inclusion. We are especially proud of our commitment to gender equality, with 40% of the latest intake across all schools being female. This is the result of 15 years of determined effort to increase the number of female students and graduates. Alongside this, we actively challenge gender norms within our schools, ensuring equal opportunities and responsibilities for everyone.
With consistent support from the Ministry of Education and external partners, we have expanded our efforts beyond the pre-service training. We have mobilized funds to implement STEM programs in rural schools, reaching hundreds of primary school students. We’ve also launched projects on sexual and reproductive health, water and sanitation, road safety, and more, all designed to improve education and well-being in Angola.
In addition to the Ministry of Education and provincial governments, current partners include the Government of Korea / KOICA, USAID, Azule Energy, the Embassy of the Netherlands in Angola, Esso Block 15, and members of the Federation Humana People to People.
"This nomination is a great honour and validates the work we do with the Ministry of Education,” said Rikke Viholm, Chairperson of the Board of Directors. "It’s a chance to share Angola’s experience in teacher development with the world and highlights our role in the global effort to improve education for all."
The 2024 UNESCO-Hamdan Prize will be awarded on World Teachers’ Day, October 4, 2024, at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris. The award was created in 2008 to support the improvement of the quality of teaching and learning as a result of Sustainable Development Goal 4 on quality education, one of UNESCO's priorities. This year’s theme, "Valuing Teacher Voices: Towards a New Social Contract for Education," reflects the mission to support teachers in shaping the future of education. Read more here and follow the award event here
Read more about the teacher training schools here.