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18 May 2011 11:54:36
Teachers and students from the University of Bedfordshire have transformed the way education is delivered in a remote part of Malawi.
Six tutors and 12 students gave up their Easter break to pass on teaching skills in English, Maths, Science, PE and Life Skills to 150 primary teachers in the village of Dedza. They helped the teachers to make the most of the natural resources available to them with some creative workshops and practical tips.
Kate Jacques, the University’s former Pro-Vice Chancellor and Dean who is coordinating the project, said: “Classes in Malawi vary in size from 80 to 250 and everything is very basic - the teachers have a blackboard and chalk, and the children write with a stick in the sand.
“In maths we showed them how to use themselves as resources by getting into shapes, and to use old newspapers and pebbles for counting. In science we did a tug-of-war together with a range of practical activities, and English focussed around story telling and creativity using puppets as a stimulus. Physical Education emphasised peer teaching and collaborative learning strategies across adventurous activities. Using easily available resources was key in all subjects.
“We also helped the teachers to break the large classes into smaller, more manageable groups by using the brighter children to help teach the less able. The final evaluations were stunning,” added Professor Jacques.
The Faculty of Education, Sport and Tourism, which is based at the Bedford campus, was awarded a £20,000 grant from the British Council to support Continuing Professional Development (CPD) to teachers in rural Malawi, in partnership with St Joseph’s Teacher Training College.
While they were there organisers also met with Malawi’s Minister for Education, Dr. Simeon Hau, (pictured below with Professor Kate Jacques) to discuss the teaching programme. Plans are already underway to visit again in 2012 and 2013 and work with the same teachers. The aim is for the teachers to receive a certificate awarded by the University of Bedfordshire to validate and acknowledge their achievement. Another option is a distance learning package.
Staff members Chris Rix, Paul Gardner, Irene Wooldridge and Kate were joined by six Primary Education students – Sophie Birch, Charlotte Harris, Ilona Isoaho, Cherma Meredith, Holli Smith and Laura Tinkler. The students have spent the last two terms raising funds to pay for their flights.
In addition Mark Bowler and Paul Sammon, along with half a dozen of their PE students – Mark Burrows, Jennifer Dawson, Dan Grindrod, Liam Hall, Megan Plackett and Steph Coe – joined the trip a few days later.
“What struck me is that the teachers and students we met in Malawi are hungry for education. They have nothing, but they are very optimistic, happy and desperate to learn and be educated. The trip was a deeply humbling experience and made all the visitors appreciate what they have,” added Professor Jacques.
Student teacher Holli Smith added: “For me, Malawi was the experience of a lifetime. On a personal level, it has made me reflect on the things we take for granted in our lives, for example clean water, safe roads, a good health system.
“As a trainee primary school teacher, it also made me realise how lucky we are to have the education system that we do, and how education is even more important in countries such as Malawi, as it is the best route out of poverty.”
