Gender-Responsive Pedagogy for Technical and Vocational Education and Training: A Case Study in the Democratic Republic of Congo

This case study, presented at the FAWE Conference on Girls’ Education in Africa (2017, Lusaka), explores how integrating gender-responsive pedagogy into teacher professional development can strengthen equity and teaching quality in the technical and vocational education and training (TVET) sector in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Developed jointly by VVOB and the Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE RDC), the case study focused on agricultural technical education, a field with high gender disparities. The programme trained inspectors, school leaders, and teachers to apply gender-sensitive approaches through the national system for continuous professional development. Results showed positive changes in classroom practices, gender awareness, and collaboration among learners, as well as improvements in school infrastructure and leadership commitment. The study highlights the potential of embedding gender-responsive pedagogy within teacher development systems to achieve lasting change.