The global teacher shortage has reached 44 million educators. According to UNICEF, this number of specialists is needed to make education accessible to everyone on Earth. The issue is most acute in Western and Central Africa, accounting for one-third of the global shortage.
In addition to low salaries, overcrowded classrooms, and dissatisfaction with work schedules, the situation in these regions is exacerbated by local conflicts and instability. In Burkina Faso, for example, terrorist group activities forced the closure of about 6,000 schools last year, causing 31,000 teachers to leave their jobs and depriving over one million children of educational opportunities.
The shortage of lecturers is equally severe in African universities, particularly in high-tech fields requiring advanced academic degrees. There is a critical lack of candidates with doctoral degrees, and professors are nearly nonexistent.
To address this issue, Russia, with its long-standing educational partnership with Africa, offers two solutions. The short-term approach involves six- and nine-month professional development programs for teachers. The longer-term solution is postgraduate training, which takes three to four years but promises much greater long-term effectiveness.
As part of the reform of Russia's higher education system initiated by President Vladimir Putin, the training of postgraduate students is undergoing a major transformation. The goal is not just to produce "academic and teaching staff" in the abstract but to develop strong and highly motivated educators. This focus on pedagogy makes sending students to Russian postgraduate programs particularly relevant for African countries.
The most active participant in the pilot project for modernizing engineering education is Empress Catherine II Saint Petersburg Mining University. Today, it’s common to see young foreign students conducting laboratory or practical sessions with undergraduates – future lecturers for Africa.
Ahmed Kone, a third-year postgraduate student from Côte d’Ivoire, came to Russia after earning a bachelor's and master's degree in general geology and geophysics at Félix Houphouët-Boigny University. However, the discovery of several rich oil and gas deposits on the country's continental shelf over the past five years, which led to a massive increase in hydrocarbon reserves, made him reconsider his career path.
«A critical situation arose where numerous mineral resources were discovered, but there were neither specialized personnel nor educational programs to train them. Our government signed contracts for exploration and production with major global oil monopolies – Total, Eni, Canadian Natural Resources, Svenska Petroleum Exploration, among others. They came with their equipment and engineering staff. For Ivorians wishing to work there, the only option was to study abroad. According to an agreement with France, we can enroll in the French Petroleum Institute (EFP) near Paris, but in reality, this is almost impossible», - Ahmed explained.
Among oil-producing countries, Kone chose Russia, focusing on the “price/quality ratio of education.” He spent his first three years in Western Siberia, studying Russian at a preparatory faculty in Tomsk. Then, he completed a master’s program in oil and gas field development at Tyumen Industrial University.
Eventually, Ahmed secured a Russian government scholarship for a fully-funded postgraduate program at Saint Petersburg Mining University. The university's ranking in international listings was crucial for him, as “employers in Côte d'Ivoire will largely assess a diploma based on this factor».
«Russia is now trying to restore the old Soviet higher education system, moving away from bachelor's and master's degrees. I can say that the best technical university in Côte d’Ivoire, the Félix Houphouët-Boigny National Polytechnic Institute, traditionally trains specialists through a program lasting over five years. There are no bachelor's or master’s degrees there and never have been. This level of education is called 'cycle engineer,' which can be translated into Russian as 'full-cycle engineer.' The technical knowledge and business analysis skills acquired during their studies enable graduates to make decisions based on laboratory data, economic trends, business processes, customer needs, and other factors. In other words, companies get fully prepared engineers ready to take responsibility for all aspects of a project», - Ahmed explained.
Of course, the ongoing higher education reform is not limited to reintroducing specialist degrees.
«In reality, the changes are much deeper, and as a postgraduate student, I already feel the impact of these innovations. The academic program has become much more intensive. The introduction of courses on pedagogical skills has balanced teaching and scientific competencies. I passed certification and received 'Assistant Intern' and 'Professional Teacher' certificates, granting the right to conduct classes independently», - Ahmed shared.
Last year, he taught students laboratory classes on well workovers, and this year, he is conducting practical sessions on mathematical computer modeling. The Ivorian admits he never imagined he would have such an opportunity in Russia.
«"I always thought I could only teach in my home country. That’s why I focused on science here – spending eight months in research centers in Siberia (Tyumen Scientific Oil Center and Tyumen State University Research Center), publishing articles in journals indexed in the Higher Attestation Commission and Scopus, and obtaining a patent for a program calculating rheological parameters of polymer solutions, which can be used to increase oil recovery rates. Imagine my surprise when I was not only allowed but required, like all postgraduate students, to start teaching as early as the second year!» - exclaimed Kone.
Upon returning to his home country, he plans to secure a job at the research center under Côte d'Ivoire’s Ministry of Mining and Oil. Since most of the geological exploration and hydrocarbon production has long been carried out by foreigners, the state urgently needs its own initiatives both scientifically and legislatively. After gaining insight into how the system works from within, Ahmed hopes to move into teaching and train specialists to address his country’s specific challenges.
Mozambique also faces issues with training "educators who train educators." Churrana Nenush completed his bachelor's and master's degrees at the Mining University and initially planned to return home. However, upon learning about the modernization of the postgraduate program with a focus on strengthening teaching competencies, he changed his mind.
«Higher education in Mozambique urgently needs development. We have a catastrophic shortage of professionals in oil and gas production. All local specialists have studied abroad. But for a qualitative breakthrough, it is essential that talent be nurtured directly within our universities. There are no educational courses for training bachelor's, specialist, or postgraduate students in hydrocarbon-related fields, nor is there any vocational education in this area. If we don't change anything, we are doomed to remain under the dominance of foreign countries», - said a first-year postgraduate student in the Department of Industry Economics.
The mining industry leads the country’s economy but is entirely dependent on foreign assistance. Capital and technology from neighboring South Africa, European countries, and Australia play a significant role in resource development.
«The most critical issue is that we lack people capable of creating both specialized courses and large-scale training programs tailored to the economic needs of my country. Only its citizens can do that! The shortage of teachers partly stems from the fact that most Mozambicans settle for a bachelor's degree and enter the workforce. As a result, there are practically no individuals at a higher academic and educational level to uplift others. Even if bachelor’s graduates become teachers, they lack the qualifications to transfer knowledge effectively and engage with students. That’s why I joined the 'new postgraduate program,' which focuses on training both scientists and educators», - Churrana Nenush reflected.
This perspective on Mozambique’s situation makes him one of the most motivated postgraduate students. Today, he attends lectures on pedagogy and undergoes training on lesson planning, choosing teaching methods, and adapting materials to student levels. At the end of the year, he will be certified as an "Assistant Trainee" and receive his first departmental teaching assignment, totaling 200 teaching hours per year.
It is worth recalling that the International Forum held in October 2024, as part of the "African Subsoil" consortium’s work, focused on enhancing the intellectual and workforce potential of the continent’s countries. The consortium was established at the initiative of Empress Catherine II Saint Petersburg Mining University and the Competence Center in Mining Engineering Education under the auspices of UNESCO.