From global dependency to local empowerment : a paradigm shift for sustainable teacher professional development programmes in the global south

Abstract

This dissertation explores how the sustainability of Teacher Professional Development (TPD) programmes in the Global South can be strengthened through autonomy-respecting capacity-building, participatory processes, and grassroots strategies. It examines the opportunities and limitations of TPD by focusing on how local ownership, peer collaboration, and culturally responsive facilitation can be embedded into programme design and implementation. The research reflects on a shift from conventional knowledge-based frameworks towards a model centred on reciprocal and relational approaches that recognise teachers as co-learners and co-creators. After identifying a lack of research on grassroots-driven or smaller, deep-scale TPD within International Non-Governmental Organisations (INGOs), especially in primary education and Global South development settings, this study addresses that gap. While much literature critiques the influence of large INGOs, smaller-scale or grassroots approaches are often discussed collectively, without detailed case-level analysis. The literature addresses capacity-building in international development, but sustainable and locally driven strategies in primary education remain underexplored. As most studies focus on large-scale, donor-driven models, grassroots TPD initiatives offer valuable insights to inform more participatory and sustainable INGO strategies. The research investigates how international volunteers (IVs) and local participants engage in capacity-building through a qualitative case study on the INGO Teachers4Teachers operating in Kwale County, Kenya. Data were collected through focus groups, semi-structured interviews, observations, and document analysis. In total, 22 participants were involved: two focus groups, one with 7 local teachers and one with 7 IV teachers, and interviews with 2 head teachers, 2 curriculum support officers, an Education Officer, and 3 board members. Thematic analysis and Ripple Effects Mapping were used to identify themes and patterns across seven dimensions: autonomy-respecting capacity-building, empowerment and mutual learning, relationships and collaboration, expectations and preparedness, participatory processes, alignment with local needs and challenges, and programme scope and scalability. These dimensions emerged through a combined inductive (data-driven) and deductive (theory-driven) approach. Themes were partially derived from the literature and research questions, guiding the interview structure while allowing new insights to emerge through data collection. The research is framed within participatory and empowerment-based development approaches, drawing on Freirean pedagogy, Ellerman’s autonomy theory, and capacity-building literature. While the case study promotes co-learning and reciprocal capacity-building between local and international teachers, crucial challenges persist in implementing bottom-up participatory processes and robust follow-up activities. Empowering classroom teachers to take on facilitation or mentoring roles, integrating reflective and structured peer exchange, strengthening downward accountability, and consolidating capacity-building for IVs emerged as opportunities to enhance sustainability. This research contributes to development literature by offering practical insights into how localised TPD initiatives can inform broader INGO practices. It emphasises the need to focus on and revise alternative models while balancing scale with relational depth. The study advocates for long-term, participatory structures and follow-up mechanisms that respect local agency and enable meaningful professional growth for both local and international participants.