EHF Fellow: Sarah Grant of Limited Resource Teacher Training
Creating a global teacher movement for education equality
Sometimes it takes being told that you are wrong to create the spark of a movement. When Dunedin-born, United Kingdom-raised Sarah Grant was told, “you have a degree from Cambridge University, you can do so much more than teach”, it only bolstered her steely determination to make a positive impact in education — a career that she set her sights on at just five-years-of-age. She cut her teeth running ‘schools’ in her playhouse with siblings and friends, acting out many various teaching scenarios.
“I have been lucky enough to have had great teachers which has opened doors for me, but many around the world are not so lucky and are trapped in a cycle of poverty. I believe that improving education through teacher training is key to breaking this cycle and am committed to achieving a world where every child has access to high quality education.”
- Sarah Grant
After graduating from Cambridge University with a degree in Geography with Education in 2012, Sarah worked in the often challenging environment of an inner-city London school, an experience which opened her eyes to the inequalities inherent in the education system there.
Following her Masters degree in Education and International Development and a period working in education policy on a food-in-schools programme, Sarah became aware that these inequalities are apparent at a global scale, and that they are presenting barriers to not only economic development, but equity more broadly. This recognition set her on the path towards her current role at Limited Resource Teacher Training (LRTT), a venture she is bringing to New Zealand as part of the Edmund Hillary Fellowship.
“Despite clear evidence showing the essential link between well-prepared teachers and positive student learning outcomes, teacher training is endemically under-funded and teaching as a profession is undervalued by societies.”
- Sarah Grant
Globally, there are 190 million children in school globally who cannot read or write, and this global “learning crisis” which is costing $129 billion/year, is also described by the World Bank as a moral crisis. In line with her personal view that a child’s education and future opportunities shouldn’t be determined by their parents’ income, LRTT is based on the premise that high quality, well-resourced teachers have the power to change the world.
Operating as a social enterprise, they work across over 30 countries, working with local partners to bring together teachers from the most economically developed countries, to provide training for teachers in contexts where people live on less than five dollars per day. The teachers are brought together in a Fellowship programme based on peer-to-peer training, with the ultimate aim of equipping teachers in resource poor contexts with the skills and knowledge to be changemakers in their local communities.
The programme’s approach is to be participatory and inclusive: all training is designed to be contextually relevant and is co-facilitated by the participants. As an organisation, they have set themselves the goal of improving the education outcomes for 1.2 million children each year by 2022.
In her role as Director of Programmes and Partnerships, Sarah works with the current community of more than 5000 teachers and ensures that the benefits of the LRRT programme can be shared as widely as possible through relationships with other like-minded organisations on-the-ground in countries as diverse as Rwanda and Cambodia.
“Through bringing together teachers from different backgrounds I have seen the power of sharing ideas and the mutual learning that occurs, as people develop as teachers and leaders to support their students learning.”
- Sarah Grant
A self-described ‘hybrid’ of New Zealand and English influences, Sarah is excited about connecting into what she believes is an extremely supportive enterprise ecosystem in New Zealand.
Sarah’s ultimate plan is to move to New Zealand, whilst continuing her LRTT work, and thinks that our smaller population offers a chance to build deeper and stronger networks. Her experience of New Zealand is that an offer of help is nearly always followed through with in a meaningful way, and she believes that this is a strong foundation from which to build LRTT’s presence down here.
While she has a local focus, she is also looking forward to strengthening her global connections. As an educator, Sarah understands deeply the power of being open to constant learning. The prospect of diverse perspectives and potential collaborations holds great appeal for her and she is looking forward to sharing ideas about what makes for an effective partnership.
“I am really interested to see what future collaborations and learnings can happen through bringing together new ideas and global perspectives.”
- Sarah Grant
Are you a visionary entrepreneur, investor, or changemaker building solutions to global challenges? You can bring your vision to reality from New Zealand by joining the Edmund Hillary Fellowship. Apply here.
