Learn-Network-Connect in Johannesburg, South Africa!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

Date of Event: October 11, 2025 

Location: Birchwood Hotel & OR Tambo Conference Centre, Boksburg, South Africa

G.E.T Summit South Africa 2025

GLOBAL TEACHER PRIZE WINNER TO BRING WORLD-CLASS TEACHER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT TO SOUTH AFRICA

On October 11, 2025, the U.S. Elite International organization, in partnership with South Africa Global Teacher Prize Ambassadors and education stakeholders across Africa, will convene hundreds of educators at the Birchwood Hotel and OR Tambo Conference Centre in South Africa for the Global Education Teacher Summit (GET Summit). This landmark gathering aims to address longstanding challenges in education by offering free, world-class professional development with a sharp focus on equity, innovation, and cross-border collaboration.  The keynote will be delivered by Ms. Ella Mokgalane, who is the Chief Executive Officer of the South African Council for Educators (SACE), “which is responsible for regulating and professionalizing the South African teaching profession, counting half a million teachers.”

This is the fourth hosting of the sought-after event that had its inaugural staging in Jamaica and two others in partnership with Nobel Fest in East Asia.

The summit, themed “Redesigning the Future of Education,” is expected to draw between 700 to 1,000 participants, including teachers, administrators, policy makers, and global thought leaders.  Its primary mission is to redefine the way educators are trained, especially in under-resourced communities, by promoting a “One Model for All” learning approach that centers on inclusivity, access, and modern pedagogical practices.

NEEDS ASSESSMENT 

Sub-Saharan Africa, and South Africa in particular, faces critical educational hurdles that make this gathering especially timely.  Data from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) projects that Africa will require approximately 15 million new teachers by 2030 to meet Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG4): Quality Education for All.  In South Africa alone, recent studies, including those from the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS), reveal that nearly 80% of fourth-grade students struggle to read for meaning.  These figures reflect the urgency of building teacher capacity in foundational literacy, differentiated instruction, and inclusive learning practices.

FOCUS

In direct alignment with the South African Department of Basic Education’s strategic priorities, the summit will focus on improving literacy and numeracy across all school phases, expanding early childhood development access, enhancing professional development for teachers and school leaders, and creating safer, more supportive school environments.

BENEFITS FOR TEACHERS

Participation in the GET Summit is FREE of charge.  The event is officially endorsed by the South African Council for Educators (SACE) and Nobel Fest (Inclusive Development Foundation-IDF).  All local and international attendees will receive professional development certificates that count toward required continuing education credits through the accreditation of SACE and Zibuza.net.

Among the highlights of the Summit is a live Classroom Master Class led by Keishia Thorpe, the 2021 Global Teacher Prize Winner, a U.S. National Teacher Hall of Fame inductee, U.S. Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award recipient, and National LifeChanger of the Year.  Attendees can also engage in breakout sessions organized around four key educational themes: digitizing, optimizing, democratizing, and internationalizing learning.  Concurrent workshops will cover topics such as STEM education, literacy interventions, AI in education, career and technical education (CTE), Social Emotional Learning (SEL) teacher well-being, and mental health.

But the GET Summit is more than just a professional development opportunity!  It offers teachers a global platform for educators to network, share their work, expand their visibility, and form lasting partnerships across borders.  Presenting educators will have the rare chance to gain international recognition and contribute to shaping future educational models. 

The event will include complimentary meals and coffee breaks, with the entire experience designed to empower educators to return to their classrooms with new tools, strategies, and global connections that can transform the lives of their students, particularly in communities where literacy and access remain major obstacles.

HOW CAN I REGISTER?

Teachers across Africa and globally are encouraged to register at www.uselite.org by September 8, 2025, to attend this transformative event.  Do you want to be a Summit Speaker?  Speaker applications are also open, and educators and education stakeholders who wish to present are urged to submit their proposals by August 30, 2025.

STAKEHOLDER MINI-CONFERENCE

A special Stakeholder Mini-Conference, held in conjunction with the main summit, will bring together leaders from government, universities, the business sector, NGOs, and civil society to co-develop policy-aligned solutions that can help address the continent’s most pressing educational issues.

Founded by Global Teacher Prize Winner, Keishia Thorpe and her sister, Dr. Treisha Thorpe, a Distinguished College Professor and Curriculum Innovator Subject Matter Expert, the GET Summit reflects the mission of U.S. Elite International: to break cycles of educational inequity, expand access to quality learning, and reimagine teacher development across the globe.

As the organizers put it: the goal is not just to teach better, but to build a better future.  “Let’s transform education. Let’s skill, upskill, and reskill. Let’s get ready for 2030 - together.”