By: Dr. Alemayehu Gebre

Dr. Alemayehu Gebre, Senior Director of Programs, Ethiopia 

Over the past decade, as we refined and scaled the Luminos Method across classrooms in sub-Saharan Africa, I have come to a clear conclusion: teacher training and motivation sit at the heart of both perspectives.

We often assume that compensation or external incentives primarily drive teacher motivation. In practice, however, something more fundamental also helps shape motivation: teachers are motivated when they see students learning.

When classrooms are joyful and children are progressing, teachers become more confident, and more motivated. When learning is visible and structured, teaching itself becomes less stressful and more rewarding.

This is where structured pedagogy matters. When implemented well, it does not suppress joy, it enables it.

We know that children learn best when they feel happy and engaged. We also know that effective structured pedagogy strengthens instruction and improves learning outcomes in low- and middle-income countries. These realities reinforce each other. When children experience success, their motivation grows. Progress builds confidence, confidence deepens engagement, and engagement strengthens both learning and teaching.

Reframing the Debate on Structured Pedagogy

As we consider teacher motivation, we must engage directly with a concern that frequently arises in the debate on structured pedagogy.

Many critics rightfully question whether scripted or semi-scripted lesson plans suppress creativity in the classroom and reinforce rote instruction rather than enable deeper learning. This concern contrasts with what we at Luminos actively pursue: joyful classrooms filled with locally made materials, playful yet purposeful activities, and an atmosphere alive with laughter and curiosity.

Critics also argue that structured pedagogy can reduce teacher autonomy, positioning teachers as simply implementers of pre-designed scripts rather than professional decision-makers, and in doing so, weaken motivation. Many educators understandably share this concern.

My response to this is two-fold:

First, children’s right to learn must come first. Teacher autonomy matters, but we cannot treat it as the primary consideration when it does not consistently lead to strong learning outcomes. In contexts such as sub-Saharan Africa, where most students still do not acquire foundational skills, we must prioritize learning above all.

Second, the reality is more complex. Teachers often draw motivation from their ability to do their job well. At Luminos, we have seen that when structured pedagogy is implemented well, it does not constrain teachers; it empowers them. In many classrooms across sub-Saharan Africa, teachers face real challenges in designing and delivering high-quality instruction. In these contexts, structured support simplifies instruction, makes learning more visible, and in turn strengthens teacher confidence and engagement.

Scaling Structured Pedagogy with Government in Ethiopia

Recently, while visiting our classrooms in the Sidama region, I found myself returning to a central question: how do we improve learning at scale in low-resourced contexts—where teacher autonomy alone is insufficient—while still keeping classrooms joyful and engaging for children?

The answer, at least in part, is that we are seeing this question play out in practice.

In Ethiopia, the scale of the learning crisis remains stark. Fewer than 10% of Grade 2 students are able to read and understand a simple text. Despite numerous interventions over the years, few have delivered sustained improvements in foundational learning at scale.

Since our founding, Luminos has partnered with the Government of Ethiopia and community-based organizations to implement an accelerated education program that has reached more than 380,000 vulnerable and out-of-school children with joyful learning. Over time, the Ministry of Education has increasingly embraced accelerated learning as a national strategy, including adopting the Luminos model in government schools.

This partnership has now entered a new phase. Since 2022, we have worked with government partners to design and scale structured pedagogy programs in mainstream classrooms, grounded in our joyful learning approach. Regional governments, including Sidama, Tigray, and Oromia, have each sought to adapt and implement the model, signaling growing government ownership. This model differs from many externally driven, capital-intensive education programs that fade when outside support ends. We designed it to operate within, not parallel to, government systems. Government funding now supports much of the work, strengthening its potential for long-term sustainability.

The program brings together the core elements of high-quality foundational learning programs: well-designed, contextually grounded teaching and learning materials; practical teacher training built on modeling joyful learning and repeated practice; and ongoing coaching that reinforces instructional quality in classrooms. By combining clear teacher guides with hands-on training that that allows teachers to practice interactive approaches, the model goes far beyond lesson plans.

Yet these elements alone do not guarantee success. The approach works because leaders at every level—national, regional, and school—share a commitment to foundational learning and carry it into daily practice.

For a long time, my own biases led me to assume remuneration and benefits primarily drove teacher motivation. In Ethiopia, where many teachers face significant economic hardship including, in some cases, struggling to secure even two meals a day, this assumption can feel unavoidable.

Studies show that many teachers struggle to stay engaged—often due to systemic constraints like overcrowded classrooms, limited instructional support, and inconsistent guidance and follow-up that make effective teaching difficult. A 2015 Ministry of Education study underscores this: 12% of teachers did not show up to school daily; among those who did, 28% never entered their classrooms; and even among those who entered, 7% did not engage adequately in instruction.

Against this backdrop, what we are seeing through the government adoption program with structured pedagogy is striking. Teachers, despite challenging conditions, take real pride in their work and speak with genuine passion about their students and their teaching.

One teacher, Damitew, captured this powerfully: “I can’t miss class whatever happens. It is like going to a recreational place. Looking at the children’s happiness and progress every day makes me happy.”

Moments like this challenge our assumptions. When teachers see children learning, their sense of purpose and motivation grows. When classrooms combine structure with joy, children engage more fully in learning. These forces reinforce each other: visible progress fuels teacher motivation, motivated teachers strengthen instruction, and stronger instruction drives further learning.

Closing Reflection

I have been privileged to be part of the Luminos Fund’s journey from the very beginning and have seen first-hand the transformational impact of the model on children’s learning. As the program expands and takes root within government systems, I have grown increasingly convinced of its potential to drive lasting impact.

Of course, we are only getting started.

The path to transforming education in Ethiopia—and across the region—remains long. Yet moments like these remind us that meaningful change is within reach, often in ways we did not initially foresee.

Dr. Alemayehu “Alex” Gebre is the Senior Director of Programs for the Luminos Fund and has been instrumental to the education nonprofit’s award-winning success since its earliest days. Alex leads Luminos’ flagship program in Ethiopia—its largest and longest running program, having helped transform the lives of over 380,000 children to date—and provides strategic oversight of global programming and external relations at the organization. Luminos’ success in Ethiopia is attributable in part to deep partnership with government fostered by Alex, resulting in shifts to national policy and a new education unit at the Ministry of Education that Alex supports. Recently, Alex and his team at Luminos were one of the first organizations to reopen education programs to children displaced by the devastating civil war in Tigray.