The Teachers

These are some of the Dream team who have set up and delivered a highly successful teacher training/mentoring programme in Malawi over the past four years. I call them the dream team because I have seen them in action and looked at their achievements: Highly skilled practitioners, all (Fiona, Katie, Niamh, Maureen and Mary), Máire and Noreen had to leave before I thought of the camera.
They came over after a tough day in school to plan and discuss the next phase taking place in the Mzuzu district of Malawi in July next. Working with the Local Ministry for Education, the District Education Manager and the Inspectorate, they have initiated and developed modules based on and integrated with the Malawi curriculum, now impacting over 25,000 students in sixteen schools, on a dual day system, in the city and many more in the outlying areas.
This year's main focus is to continue training Malawian teachers to deliver the programme to their peers. The impact has been phenomenal and the take-up unbelievable. All of the Irish teachers pay for their travel and all their own expenses, ensuring that the programme is run on the smallest of a micro-budget, like the cost of a small bit of transport, soft drinks and buns for the teachers, and a few pens and copies.
The long term sustainability of the programme and its expansion will be facilitated by the employment of some best Malawian practitioners on their retirement at 50 later this year.
If there is a more effective and efficient delivery of training in the World, I want to know about it. Have you any idea how much money is spent on teacher exchange, often with little or no end result.