Examples of VEPK Activities

Early years education and training

In October 2010 Jane Firth, a specialist in early-years education, worked with teachers and teacher-resource-centre coordinators on the teaching of basic mathematics to Standard I and Standard II pupils (7 to 9 year olds). This was Jane's sixth assignment with VEPK. On her previous assignment in July 2010 Jane gave a three-day seminar for the teaching of basic mathematics to young pupils aged 5 – 7. These seminars have followed from other training workshops and seminars given in August 2007, March 2008, October 2008 and again in March, July and October 2009 for teachers of the 'early-years' pupils.

Jane has concentrated on teaching numbers from 1 to 10 with an emphasis on 'concrete' items and songs. She also guided the teachers in preparing children to write, and helped them to make teaching aids from local materials. During each visit Jane gives support to teachers in their classrooms and helps with any difficulties.

In her latest visit Jane’s seminar looked at ways to teach ‘place value’, addition and subtraction with carrying, multiplication and easy fractions. Jane again visited teachers in their classrooms and helped them with teaching techniques and classroom management.

Forum for District Education Officers

Following two successful workshops held in 2008, district education officials requested VEPK to continue its efforts to provide a forum for the district education officials from the seven districts of Kilimanjaro region to meet, learn and share experiences. In April 2010 facilitators from the Business School of the University of Dar es Salaam ran a two-day workshop on management and communication. Participants – the district education officers and their chief inspectors of schools – were encouraged to share examples of their managerial experiences, to conduct role-plays and to examine case-studies. Their evaluations showed that the workshop was well-received and relevant to their work.

Headteacher development

In June headteachers from 13 primary schools benefited from a training course on leadership and team-building. This was for them to form united teams with their teachers with a view to improve the performance of their schools. The course was facilitated by Evans Lushakuzi who has worked with VEPK on such training courses since 2006. The course covered management in a school (principles of good administration in education, collective decision-making, delegation), building an effective team, leadership and developing individual action-plans. The participants worked in groups and discussed in detail pertinent issues in their own schools and how to deal with them. Further training was requested.

English Training

Suzanne Al Kaddah, a specialist English language trainer, visited in February 2010. Suzanne worked with teachers in their schools, and, at their request, helped them with the difficult grammar of the passive voice.

VEPK team meet Education Minister

In April 2008, Katy Allen, Dr Anne Samson and Dilly Mtui met the Minister for Education and Vocational Training, the Hon Professor Jumanne Maghembe to discuss the teaching of English in government primary schools. Katy's paper on the subject was the focus of the discussion. Professor Maghembe was very interested in Katy's recommendations and invited her to join a committee he is forming to consider the most suitable teaching materials.

Subsequently Katy met the Minister again in March 2009 and they are now working together to reintroduce some teaching materials which were successfully used in the past.

In August 2008 Katy presented a further paper, 'Primary School Teachers and the Problems Faced with Teaching the English Language', at a conference in Dar es Salaam. A copy of the paper was handed to the overall international team-leader of an initiative between UNICEF and the Tanzanian Ministry of Education for in-service teacher training, and is assisting their work.

Collaboration with Singa Chini Teacher Training College

In April 2008, a link was made with Singa Chini Teacher Training College to examine pre-service training and to propose a programme for in-service training. Tutors from the college worked with us to give training for members of three school committees (who have a function akin to school governors) in November 2008 and February 2009.

In September 2010 school committee members from three different primary schools - Sembeti, Samanga and Mengeni - received four days’ training. The training gives committee members an understanding of their duties and responsibilities with guidance on how to conduct meetings and the essential agenda items to be included.