The International Baccalaureate (IB) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Panama's Ministry of Education to deliver a bespoke professional development programme for the country's National Team of Educator Trainers (ENCAD). This new partnership will strengthen national teacher training capacity through a tailored professional development programme designed and delivered by the IB.
The agreement was signed on 10 July 2026 in Panama City by Panama's Minister of Education, Lucy Molinar, and Dr. Maripé Menéndez, IB Director of LATAM, Portugal and Spain (LAPS).
The programme will provide a "train-the-trainer" learning experience for 150 Ministry training specialists, equipping them to lead professional learning for educators across Panama. Delivered entirely in Spanish, the first phase of the programme will comprise 40 hours of face-to-face learning over five days and be facilitated by the IB Educator Network (IBEN), overseen by the IB’s Education System Solutions (ESS) team.
Designed specifically for Panama's national context, the programme will focus on three key areas aligned with IB educational practices: inquiry-based teaching and learning, conceptual understanding, and criterion-based assessment. Participants will also explore IB approaches to teaching and learning and assessment practices that support student learning.
Rather than preparing participants solely as learners, the programme is designed to strengthen their capacity as pedagogical facilitators who can guide educators and support high quality, school-based professional learning across the country.
Minister of Education Lucy Molinar highlighted the national significance of the partnership:
"We have identified a highly valuable path forward, closely linked to the training of the entire national teaching team structure. Preparing this team allows us to build lasting national capacity, with a direct impact on every classroom across the country.
"Everything we do has a national impact, so this time has been important in defining the collaborative path we should follow. We want all teachers to benefit from this initiative and take advantage of the experience and expertise that such an important organisation as the International Baccalaureate brings."
Dr. Menéndez emphasised the shared vision underpinning the agreement:
"This Memorandum of Understanding represents a shared commitment to strengthening education in Panama. By supporting the training of the national team ENCAD in innovative classroom methodologies, we aim to empower teachers as agents of change and promote more dynamic, inclusive, and student-centered learning experiences. Together, we are laying the foundations for a sustainable impact that will benefit thousands of students across the country."
The partnership is expected to strengthen Panama's national teacher training system by building sustainable in-country capacity and extending the reach of innovative pedagogical approaches to educators across the country. Through ENCAD, the initiative has the potential to positively impact teaching and learning for as many as 900,000 students.
 has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Panama's Ministry of Education to deliver a bespoke professional development programme for the country's National Team of Educator Trainers (ENCAD). This new partnership will strengthen national teacher training capacity through a tailored professional development programme designed and delivered by the IB.){kind=icon}