Teach in Africa

Teaching in Africa is an adventure in many ways. A huge and diverse continent, Africa is a diverse mix of desert, savannah, forest and sea. Teachers well-suited to teaching in Africa are adventurous, resilient and accepting of different ways of life. Northern Africa takes an influence from the Middle East with ancient cities that are always growing and changing such as Cairo and Tripoli. Eastern and Western Africa have a mix of climates and topographies, and countries in Southern Africa tend to be more temperate.

Below are some general guidelines for teaching in Africa.

Most international schools in Africa are set in cities, though in some countries like Nigeria, boarding schools might be set in the suburbs of larger cities as well.

Positions will almost always include housing and yearly flights for teachers. Housing often includes domestic help in the package or for a small fee.

Most positions will include free schooling for the children of teachers.

Many schools in Africa are boarding schools, and teachers may be required to take periodic boarding duty. Make sure to ask about the expectations during your interview.

In most schools you can expect to work with African as well as ex-pat teachers, and teach a mix of children. Some African schools, however, serve a middle class local population.

Class sizes in Africa are usually larger than in the UK with 30-40 children per class. However, classroom management is not normally an issue as children are eager to learn.

Many African cultures value community and belonging, so it is important to be outgoing and accepting of the many differences. You can expect to see many extremes: extreme poverty, extreme beauty, extreme wealth.

The transportation, power and communication infrastructures in most parts of Africa are still being developed so do not expect the same quality and reliability of services that exist in developed western nations. Mobile phones, for instance, are usually more reliable and accessible than land lines in most regions.

Safety and security are important to teachers, and the schools offer a wealth of information and advice to their ex-pat teachers. For example, in many schools in Nigeria, access to a car and driver is part of the employment package so teachers have reliable transportation 7 days a week. Contact your country's Embassy in the region you are considering if you would like more information about these matters but remember, if it's a stupid thing to do in Liverpool, it will be stupid to do in Lagos as well.

The cost of living in most African countries is extremely low and salaries may reflect this.

Nigeria is a special area of interest to many teachers as it has many well-paid job opportunities for ex-pat teachers. Contact your Teachanywhere consultant for detailed information provided by our Teachanywhere agent who lives and works in this exciting region.

Up for the challenge? Register with Teachanywhere today if you want to teach in Africa. It's free of charge, and will give you access to a world of knowledge.