Official publication of the Unit for Distance Education Faculty of Education University of Pretoria Web address: https://upjournals.up.ac.za/index.php/tetfle Email address: tetflemanager@up.ac.za This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. i Editorial – Volume 2, Special Edition ISSN: 2788-6298 DOI: https://doi.org/10.35293/tetfle.v2i1.85 Editor Folake Ruth Aluko University of Pretoria, South Africa Associate Editor Oyeyemi Ololade Aitokuhehi University of Lagos, Nigeria This special issue of TETFLE (volume 2) focuses on the theme of the 2019 DETA conference, The Education of the African Learner in an Era of Crises: Imperatives for Teacher Education, hosted by the University of Pretoria, South Africa, the South African Institute for Distance Education in conjunction with the University of Lagos, Nigeria. The volume consists of seven research articles and one note from the field. The African continent has made major strides forward towards attaining Education for All at the schooling level and has expanded opportunities at the tertiary level. However, political, religious and economic crises continue to threaten our future development and, in some parts of the continent have even eroded the gains that have been made. At the same time, the education system must prepare learners for a world of employment that is increasingly global and knowledge-based and a social and workplace environment that is increasingly connected. How do we best prepare teachers for such an increasingly complex and even chaotic environment? The editors sincerely appreciate the authors' efforts and reviewers' and critical readers' assistance to ensure the quality of the papers in this volume. This was amidst the current COVID-19 world pandemic that has exacerbated the crises being experienced by the African child on the continent. The first research article "Competency-Based Education in Africa: Exploring Teachers' Perceptions, Understanding, and Practices", co-authored by Akinrinola, Ogegbo, Emmanuel and Adewusi explored teachers' knowledge and integration of competency- based practices in schools. Their findings stressed the need for teachers and education stakeholders in Africa to move beyond the traditional level of assessment and integrate good proxies of academic skills that support learners' acquisition of 21st-century skills such as problem-solving, creativity and critical thinking in assessing learners' competencies. Teacher Education Through Flexible Learning in Africa Volume 2, 2020 This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. ii In the second article, Babalola's research, "A Two-Prong Approach for Enhancing Teaching and Learning for 21st Century Skills Development in Oyo State, Nigeria", recommended the provision of infrastructure and continuous professional development of teachers as a panacea to enhance teaching and learning for the 21st Century skills. The "Level of Incorporation of Environmental Awareness into Skill Acquisition Programmes in Lagos, Nigeria" was investigated by Bakare using a mixed-methods approach. Her findings highlighted the need for proper training for facilitators and adults to tackle 21st-century problems effectively. In order to combat rural teachers' slow uptake of professional development opportunities, Ememe recommended "Open Distance Learning" as "An Alternative Strategy for Rural Teachers' Professional Development in Lagos State, Nigeria." The mode will allow teachers to learn whatever, wherever, whenever, and however they want to learn through information communication technology. In the fifth research article, Oladele and Adeniyi probed the socio-economic, personal and cultural "Factors Influencing Female Enrolment in Science Education Programmes in Distance Learning Institutions in South-West, Nigeria". Their recommendations would boost student enrolment in this sparse field. The "Derived Knowledge and Lived Experiences of Teachers Working in Resource- Constrained Multilingual Classrooms" were studied by Omidire. Her findings should be of interest to teacher trainers and other stakeholders. Ahimie, Ikuburuju-Orola and Oizimende's review article entitled “Professional Guidance and Counselling Services for Open and Distance Learning Students in Nigeria” brought to the fore the lack of counselling services in distance education programmes that are common features in conventional school settings. Their recommendations would be of interest to stakeholders in the field. In their field note, Niyibizi, Niyomugabo, Ngarukiye, Uwizeyemariya, Yanzigiye, Tabaro, Mukamana and Mutarutinya share their research on the "Eclectic Traditional Value Hub Model or 4-in-1: An Innovative Booster of Community Quadriliteracy among Adults in Rwandan Rural Communities". The innovation filled part of the paucity in the field of adult literacy from the perspectives of traditional African values. Be motivated as you read!