Côte d’Ivoire is exploring a partnership with Turkey to strengthen teacher training and improve the quality of its education system, as rapid expansion in technical education strains the availability of qualified instructors.
Education Minister N’Guessan Koffi held talks with Turkish Ambassador Deniz Erdogan Barim on April 22 in Abidjan, where both sides identified teacher and trainer development as a priority area for cooperation.
The Ivorian education ministry described the development of trainers as “a key lever for sustainably improving the quality of education,” signalling the government’s intent to address systemic capacity gaps through international collaboration.
The discussions come as Côte d’Ivoire’s technical and vocational education sector undergoes rapid expansion. Student enrolment has surged from around 46,000 in 2011 to more than 173,000 in 2024, while the number of institutions has grown to over 500 from fewer than 150 over the same period.
Despite this growth, the supply of qualified instructors has not kept pace. Officials say the shortage of trained teachers and supervisors is now one of the main constraints facing the sector.
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The government has set ambitious targets to increase the share of technical education in secondary schooling to 15 percent and boost graduate employment rates to 80 percent by 2030. While employment outcomes have improved — rising from 14 percent in 2017 to 36.5 percent in 2023 — they remain well below official goals.
Efforts to expand training capacity have included apprenticeship programmes and initiatives such as the “Second Chance School,” which has reached tens of thousands of out-of-school youth. However, the system continues to face pressure from rising demand and limited human resources.
In 2024, fewer than 800 administrative and teaching staff received formal training, highlighting the scale of the challenge. At the same time, the number of accredited private institutions has grown significantly, further increasing demand for qualified educators.
Authorities say international partnerships will be critical to closing this gap. Turkey is seen as a potential strategic partner due to its expanding education footprint across Africa.
Organizations such as the Turkish Maarif Foundation operate hundreds of schools across the continent, while the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) supports projects in vocational training, agriculture and health.
Turkey has also developed scholarship and training programmes for African students, with tens of thousands studying in Turkish institutions in recent years. These initiatives have positioned Ankara as an increasingly active player in education cooperation on the continent.
Analysts say a structured partnership could help Côte d’Ivoire strengthen both pedagogical training and technical skills development, which are seen as essential for supporting industrialisation and job creation.
Details of the proposed cooperation — including funding, timelines and implementation mechanisms — have yet to be finalised. However, both sides have expressed interest in building a long-term framework to support education reform.
As the country continues to expand its technical education system, the success of such partnerships is likely to play a key role in determining whether it can meet its workforce development and employment targets in the coming years.
