A four-year mixed methods cohort study of professional learning interventions in teacher education colleges in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda

In teacher professional learning reforms, maintaining pedagogical transformation is still a major problem, especially in settings with limited resources and policy transitions. During the four years that the Foundation for Learning (F4L) initiative was implemented in teacher education institutions in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda (2022–2025), this study looks at longitudinal patterns of improvement. The study employs a retrospective mixed-methods approach to examine two structured cycles of cohort-level data, which include interview datasets, lesson plan documents, mentoring records, questionnaire summaries, and classroom observation reports. Cycle comparisons show enhanced consistency in structured practicum feedback systems over time, better alignment between lesson objectives and classroom activities, and a persistent learner-centered instructional perspective. While differentiated instruction's depth advanced more slowly, gender-responsive awareness and inclusive planning techniques were preserved or somewhat improved. Mentoring and documentation procedures were more stable in organizations that consistently engaged their leaders. Nevertheless, structural limitations, specifically large class numbers and inadequate ICT infrastructure, hindered more profound instructional development. The study provides unique multi-year data on the sustainability of professional learning improvements in East African teacher education institutions, even if the results show patterns of longitudinal correlation rather than causal attribution.