4.4.1 Consistency between new policy and existing policies and structures

Teacher policy development should not occur in isolation from other policies in general, and education policies in particular. Moreover, any teacher policy process should build on existing policy. When introducing a new teacher policy, a thorough analysis should be undertaken to investigate how the new policy may impact on existing policies and what changes, if any, need to be made to the existing policy. Coherence and collaboration should be ensured among different sections/departments of MoEs, as well as with other ministries. In some instances, this may require creating new structures and bodies, such as teacher service commissions, which oversee various aspects of teacher governance, including recruitment and deployment. Where such structures exist, their roles may be redefined in light of a teacher policy – for example, if a teacher policy advocates for decentralising teacher deployment to either the provincial/regional or school level.