Our ‘Teach the Teachers’ computers initiative has seen some great progress over the last year. Our volunteers have been teaching basic computer skills to teachers, which has also given them ability to access diverse and up to date information via the internet. This both enhances their teaching and enables the teachers to share ideas and resources with each other.
In recent years, new teaching material has often been hard for rural schools to come by and teachers find it challenging to meet the needs of the students, due to lack of resources. Access to the internet and the fundamental skills needed to surf the web, find relevant information, and communicate ideas are helping teachers develop and improve their teaching and inspire the next generation!
Watch our video and see how this initiative is helping to develop and improve teaching.
What’s next?
With the objectives of increased sustainability and working in partnership with schools, we have now completed the initial ‘Teach the Teachers’ phase of the project from two local schools and we are ready to roll computer education out to primary and secondary school students. The teachers, equipped with new knowledge, are ready to work in partnership with our international volunteers to deliver IT education to the students. This will also incorporate environmental, health education and other important local and global topics.
Currently, students from the local secondary school typically fail their final IT exams, due to lack of access to computers; learning tending to be purely theoretical. Most of the primary school children we work with haven’t even seen a computer before!
All the students are excited by the new ability to access information about other countries, global issues and learning resources and we are thrilled about introducing that world to them and creating opportunities that were previously unavailable.
Our volunteers in Malawi are enjoying passing on their knowledge and helping to introduce IT skills to schools and local communities. They also assist with curriculum subjects, including English, maths, and sciences, as well as extra-curricular classes like arts and crafts, wildlife clubs, music, reading and sports.
Find out more about the Lake Malawi Volunteer Teaching project. This is a unique volunteer experience where you can make a genuine difference in the education of local children, helping to relieve the pressure in understaffed rural schools.
There is more information about the huge shortage of teachers in Malawi and how it is putting the children’s learning at risk at https://gemreportunesco.wordpress.com/2014/02/25/malawi-a-shortage-of-teachers-is-putting-childrens-learning-at-risk/.
this was a great project. why did it stop? i feel we computer studies teachers need more of these trainings now more than ever due to the advancements in computer technology. a basic understanding of programming would also assist us since it has been included in the new malawi curriculum