New approaches are needed to resolve
existing and imminent gaps in the quantity
and quality of teachers. It is clear that
qualifications alone do not make an
effective teacher. But it is also evident that
a teacher possessing only six years or less
of formal schooling may not be prepared to
teach in a primary school. As demonstrated
by the SACMEQ results presented in Chapter
2, there are countries where 6th grade pupils
outperform their teachers on mathematics
and reading tests. This kind of situation
ultimately creates a vicious cycle: poor
instruction and learning reduces the demand
for education, which, in turn, reduces the
pool of qualified teachers.