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Connect with the Peace Corps
If you're ready for something bigger, we have a place where you belong.
Apply to the Peace Corps
The application process begins by selecting a service model and finding an open position.
Let us help you find the right position.
If you are flexible in where you serve for the two-year Peace Corps Volunteer program, our experts can match you with a position and country based on your experience and preferences.
Serve where you’re needed mostPrimary Education Teacher Trainer
Education
Job highlights
- Gain valuable experience training teachers and teaching primary-level students
- Learn one of The Gambia’s local languages from skilled Language and Cross-Culture Facilitators
- Live in a close-knit, rural community where everyone knows your name
Applications are now closed. View current openings.
Apply by
March 15, 2026Know by
May 29, 2026Depart on
September 26, 2026Duration
15 monthsAbout the project
The Gambia invites you to support newly qualified teachers as they foster a love for math and sciences among young students.
Currently, there are limited training opportunities for Gambian teachers to continue strengthening their professional skills once they’ve earned their certification. Classroom instruction is often teacher-centered with limited hands-on learning for students. The Gambian Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education is looking to change that by equipping young or new teachers with effective and inclusive approaches for literacy and numeracy lessons.
As a Primary Education Teacher Trainer, you will strengthen the skills of teachers and students in grades 1-3. You will also implement gender-related activities that are contextually appropriate.
Learn more about what Volunteers do in country by visiting our The Gambia project page.
Required skills
Qualified candidates will have one or more of the following criteria:
Qualified candidates will have an expressed interest in working in the health sector and one or more of the following criteria:
Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Science degree in any discipline and a strong desire to teach English
Language: There are no pre-requisite language requirements for this position.
Required behavioral competencies
These competencies are essential for all service assignments and are assessed in the application and interview process:
Motivation for and commitment to service
Adaptability and open-mindedness
Problem solving and resourcefulness
Behavioral maturity and professionalism
Photos from The Gambia
How you and the community will make an impact together:
How you and the community will make an impact together:
Promote student-centered learning, the creation of educational aids, and the use of libraries
Facilitate informal or formal communities of practice for teachers to exchange strategies
Teach engaging lessons based on the national curriculum
Model classroom management techniques and provide constructive feedback
Plan and facilitate teacher workshops at the local, regional, or national level
You may also work on additional projects that meet the community’s interests and priorities, such as guest speaking at a teacher training college or an after-school girls’ empowerment club.
Volunteers live in private quarters within remote, rural communities.
Learn more about the living conditions, including detailed information on culture, communications, housing, and health/crime statistics on our The Gambia country page. You can also delve into stories about local communities by reading our blog or Volunteer stories.
Meet a Volunteer in The Gambia
Trinity C.
Teacher Trainer
"Asking for help is not a weakness; reaching out to others, connecting—these things build relationships that can help you become a better version of yourself."
See full Volunteer profile
As a Primary Education Teacher Trainer, you will be trained to mentor new teachers on effective strategies for literacy and numeracy instruction. Peace Corps/The Gambia will teach you Pularr, Mandinka, Wollof, Jola, or Serrahulle to help you comfortably live in and connect with the
community.
After 11 weeks of training, you will move to a rural community where you will promote education programs that complement the government’s initiatives for early literacy and numeracy learning. You will collaborate with school staff to facilitate activities that accommodate various proficiency levels and learning styles.
No couples are accepted for this position.
Application process
From application to departure takes around nine months. Learn about the application process for Volunteer opportunities.
Medical/legal clearance
You will need to be cleared medically and legally in order to serve in The Gambia. Review information on medical clearance and legal clearance to learn about the process.
