The innovative Teacher Development by Radio Programme was the British Council's response to an urgent need articulated by Nigerian state authorities and teachers: to provide Nigeria's English Language teachers with cost-effective professional development opportunities, while at the same time impacting on a wide audience.

Client, stakeholders, partners

• Federal Ministry of Education
• Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria
• English Language Teachers Associations

Focus
To provide Nigerian teachers of English at primary and secondary levels with the opportunity for professional development without face-to-face contact.

The project 
The innovative Teacher Development by Radio Programme was the British Council's response to an urgent need articulated by Nigerian state authorities and teachers: to provide Nigeria's English Language teachers with cost-effective professional development opportunities, while at the same time impacting on a wide audience.

The British Council put together a programme drawn from the BBC's Teachers in Action series. Using this as a model, Nigerian producers and editors developed home-grown, high quality educational materials, relevant to local needs, which showcased examples of good practice from Nigeria.

The British Council organised a refresher course for producers and editors, who have now planned and produced 24 programmes based on the BBC series. The project's partner radio station provides free airtime, as well as personnel who contribute to the production, editing and broadcasting process.

It is estimated that seventy million people listen to this programme. This huge figure includes teachers who are not English Language teachers, but who use English to teach other subjects.
Further evidence of the success of this remarkable project comes from feedback from listeners, notably through SMS and emails, and from the various state English Language Teachers Associations.

What the stakeholders say

• "TD by Radio is a very welcome development which enables the British Council reach people in even remote areas without face-face contact. It is a wonderful initiative."
  Director Academic Services, National Teachers Institute, Kaduna, Nigeria
• "This is professional development for the Nigerian Teacher of English made cheap and easy. It is affordable even by the very poor and it is brought to you right to your doorsteps."
  Director, Planning, Training and Development, Federal Ministry of Education, Nigeria

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