Old dogmas and new tricks: teacher collaboration versus magic bullets and killer apps

International agencies, NGOs and corporations have flooded the developing world with a dizzying array of solutions designed to close the MDG education gap. Many solutions have proved their efficacy as promising pilots, even as education tipping-points. However, without consistent local leadership and global teacher collaboration, these promising solutions often devolve into empty promises: ephemeral at best, even destructive. The Commonwealth Secretariat’s emphasis on “promoting recognition, registration, and standards” for teachers recognises the catalytic role of teachers in realising the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). This article describes how low-cost, demanddriven teacher collaboration can deepen, extend, and accelerate Commonwealth nations’ educational objectives.