The Botswana Teaching Professionals Council delegation comprising of the Registrar and Board members is currently attended the  Africa Federation of Teaching Regulatory Authorities (AFTRA)’s 11th Conference and 13th Roundtable,  in Lusaka, Zambia hosted by the Ministry of Education Zambia,  and the Teaching Council of Zambia from the 6th -11th May, 2024.

The delegation was led by BOTEPCO registrar Dr. Raphael Dingalo and the Board Chairperson Ms. Selang Mogatwane and also included members of the BOTEPCO Board.

Africa Federation of Teaching Regulatory Authorities [AFTRA] is the intergovernmental apex regulatory authority for the teaching profession in Africa. It comprises the Ministries of Education and national agencies regulating teaching in the continent. Inaugurated in 2010 by the Ministers of Education, the key mandates are to ensure that teaching is regulated like other noble professions, and that teachers are of high quality and enjoy recognition and high social status comparable to their peers anywhere in the world.

Therefore, AFTRA coordinates the national regulatory activities of the teaching profession in all African Union Member States. Based on these mandates, AFTRA annually organizes a conference that stands out as the most impactful and popular summit for charting the way forward for the teaching profession in Africa.

The AFTRA conference draws delegates, speakers and participants from across Africa and other regions of the world. These include the Ministers of Education, Directors from the Ministries of Education, Chief Executive Officers of national teaching regulatory authorities, African Union Commission, UNESCO, Paris/International Task Force on Teachers and UNESCO agencies like the UNESCO International Institute for Capacity Building in Africa, Commonwealth of Learning, Education International, renowned scholars from the academia, leadership of the teacher unions, industry experts and many more.

The conference featured remarkable programmes such as the Opening Ceremony which was officiated by the Zambia Vice President Her Honor Mrs. Mutale Nalumango on the 7th May, 2024, conferment of AFTRA’s Gold Medal on the President of the host country; a session for the Ministers of Education in Africa and heads of international organizations; and an intercontinental session where experts beyond Africa make technical presentations.

There were also conference paper presentations, special training by UNESCO International Institute for Capacity Building in Africa, tourist attractions, and the cultural eve. The last day was crowned the AFTRA’s Roundtable (Annual General Meeting) where important decisions were taken about the teaching profession in Africa.

It is worth noting that BOTEPCO’s Registrar, Board Chairperson & Board Vice Chairperson are members of the AFTRA Board and actively took part in the 2024 Conference and Round Table discussions.