This report presents research commissioned by the Education Workforce Initiative (EWI). The research aims to support the EWI in moving forward with engaging education leaders and other key actors in radical thinking around the design and strengthening of the education workforce to meet the demands of the 21st century. EWI policy recommendations will be drawn from a number of country level workforce reform activities and research activity associated with the production of an Education Workforce Report (EWR). This research has informed the key questions, approach and structure of the EWR as outlined in the Education Workforce Report Proposal.

oro.open.ac.uk/54955/

This is a report on research funded by Plan International on the impact of Learning Assistant (LA) component of Girls Education Challenge Sierra Leone. The LA programme has enabled nearly 500 young women to train as teachers in remote rural areas where schools are understaffed and there are few female teachers. The LA programme provides a pathway to teaching through guided distance study and in-school work experience. This research examines empowering and constraining factors of the LA programme. The research draws on interviews in two rural locations with 18 participants: Learning Assistants themselves, and those who work alongside and support them: head teachers, class teachers, subject tutors, community leaders, family members and programme staff.

oro.open.ac.uk/49603/