About Us

South Asian Centre for Teacher Development > About Us

Welcome to South Asian Centre for Teacher Development

The South Asian Centre for Teacher Development (SACTD) is a UNESCO Category 2 Center based in Meepe, Sri Lanka, dedicated to advancing teacher education across South Asia. Established under the auspices of UNESCO and the Government of Sri Lanka, SACTD strives to meet the educational objectives of Sustainable Development Goal 4, focusing on quality, inclusive, and equitable education.

Since 2014, we have been committed to fostering innovative and socially responsible educators through rigorous training programs and collaborations with leading institutions in the region. As a self-sustaining organization, SACTD supports the professional growth of teachers by addressing essential competencies in modern education, including digital pedagogy, social-emotional learning, and media literacy.

Our mission is to equip teachers, trainers, and mentors to unlock the potential of every child, promoting intellectual and moral solidarity. With a roadmap leading to 2027, SACTD is dedicated to becoming a regional leader in teacher professionalism, upholding values of integrity, cooperation, and diversity in all our initiatives.

SACTD Values...

SACTD will observe the following core-values in its day-to-day operations:

Adaptability and Innovation – We believe that the change is a constant and therefore, we foster a culture of innovation and adaptability.

Supportive and Responsive – We would be highly responsive and supportive, engaging, outward looking, stay relevant and observe professionalism and excellence in everything we do.

Cooperation – We build strong networks and relationships collaboratively and we act, work, create and build together for the benefit of humanity.

Trust and Integrity – We would be open, honest, positive and credible. We would do the right thing in the right way, in a transparent manner adhering to SACTD values that we strongly hold.

Diversity – We embrace diversity at all times and it is our habit getting to know and appreciate people of different cultures, religions, ethnic groups, socio-economic groups, or ages and liberate their potential.

SKRA 1: Education, Training and Development

Goal 1: Improved quality of Teacher Training and Development

Goal 2: 12,000 teacher trainers, mentors and counsellors be trained by end of 2027

SKRA 2: Research on Teacher Development and Training

Goal 3: New knowledge and dissemination of the new knowledge on Teacher development and training.

SKRA 3: Curriculum Development and Text Book Writing

Goal 4: Improved access to new curriculum and Text books on teacher development

SKRA 4: Open Distance Learning and Repository Services

Goal 5: Increased access to knowledge and skills to teacher trainers on open distance learning modes

Goal 6: Improved repository services to teacher trainers, policy makers and other stakeholders

SKRA 5: SACTD Centre of Excellence and Brand Building

Goal 7: Autonomy of SACTD and Brand Building:
Increased recognition and acceptance of SACTD by the educators in SAARC countries, the respective Governments and public sectors, educators, the teacher trainers and public.

Proposed Strategies

In order to achieve the Goals and Objectives set above, the following Strategies have been identified for implementation.

Goal 1: Improve the quality of Teacher-Trainer Training in SAARC countries

Main areas of focus are:

1.1: Offering practical, relevant and future education focused curricula, course work and teacher development programs;

1.2: Development of suitable and future focused curricula;

1.3: Offering attractive and teacher -trainer focused Teaching and Learning process;

1.4: Increasing access to teacher trainers for learning and following SACTD course work (e.g., On-line training);

1.5: Strong partnerships with other teacher training institutions (TTIs) for improving quality and coverage of subject matter;

1.6: Strong partnerships with teacher training institutions/training schools and education authorities for enhanced and secured clientele; and

1.7: Promote E-learning and e-pedagogy.

Strategies to achieve the above goal are:

Up-to-date technology in the SACTD class rooms (with proper equipment, use of computers by trainees, use of other tools such as Excel, MS Word, PPT etc.);
Maintain the Curricula and course work in a most suitable, practical and attractive manner (revise, introduce and enhance. E.g., New Courses to suit current needs);
Enhanced access to curricula, course materials and all other materials;
Improved quality of teaching and learning process at the teaching institutes;
Improved access to classes, education workshops and friendly atmosphere (e-learning, online classes, distance learning and seminars);
Focus on improving trainers’ ability and skills in working with and use of IT;
Standardization of courses with international institutions;
Scheme of endowments / Scholarships; and
Promotion, marketing and improved recognition.

Goal 2: Achieve training of 12,000 trainers and teachers during the next five years

Goal 3: New knowledge and dissemination of the new knowledge on Teacher development and training.

SKRA 3: Curriculum Development and Text Book Writing

SKRA 4: Open Distance Learning and Repository Services

SKRA 5: SACTD Centre of Excellence and Brand Building

Strategic Focus of SACTD

The SACTD should be the Centre of Excellence in Teacher-Trainer Development and Teacher Training in Asia so that it becomes:

An exemplar of and benchmark for developing and grooming teachers
Trend setter in teacher development
Setter of Teacher Training Quality Standards
Effective and exemplar change leader
One of the lead partners in the child development, education and human development.

Teacher-Trainer Courses
Strategies to achieve this Goal are:
1. Short-term Courses– Five core subjects on Teacher Development are: (i) Understanding Educational Outcomes, (ii) Managing for Educational Results, (iii) Student Performance Assessment, (iv) Bilingual and Inclusive Education and (v) Teacher Standards. These also include the courses that are conducted in collaboration with other institutions such as RMIT, Australia.
2. Teacher-Trainer Certificate Course – These are three months courses which transforms a general teacher trainer in to a proper trainer by inculcating necessary skills and competencies on teacher training.
3. Teacher-Trainer Diploma Course – These are 6 months course and cover essentials of teacher training. The completed trainers will be equipped with all necessary skills and competencies to effectively and efficiently conduct teacher training courses and programs. This is a specially develop training course for the persons wish to pursue a career in teacher training. The course will cover aspects such as Physical, Mind Development and child Psychology of Pre-Childhood, Methods and new tendencies propensities of Education, Effective Practical Syllabus for Pre-School and Primary Education, Management of Primary Schools and sections, Health, Nutrition and Development, Child protection, caring and recognition of children who wants to pan the special attention and adaptation of English for Pre-School and Primary Education. This certificate provides NVQ level 4 recognition.
4. Teacher-Trainer Higher Diploma Course – Higher Diploma course in teacher training is 9 months to 12 months course and is specially designed for those who are already engaged in training of teachers. Those who complete this course will have necessary skills and competencies to develop and conduct training programs to suit the needs and the context of their respective educational sectors. This certificate provides NVQ level 5 recognition .
5. ECD Teacher Training / Trainer Teaching – There courses are targeted for ECD teachers and trainers of ECD teachers. These are short term courses and will primarily be focusing on standardising the ECD learning instantiates which are implemented mostly by the non-governmental players such as private early child education centres, NGOs and semi-governmental organizations such as local government authorities.
Teacher Training Certificate Course (TTCC) of the RMIT University, Australia

This course will be launched in 2023. Through the conduct of this professional qualification TTCC, all those currently employed in the teaching profession at different levels will be provided with the opportunity to obtain a professional qualification and be a trained teacher and will be able to gain the required knowledge and skills as a professional teacher.

SACTD Computer Centre

A fully equipped computer centre is available at SACTD which conducts classes to provide hands on experience in Information Technology Application (ITA) module in the Diploma and Higher Diploma courses. The computer centre conducts Computer Based Subjects of the SACTD courses as well.