Village Education Project News
George Kasenga – new Programme Manager
George began working on our programme of Whole School Development in January 2010. George was a teacher-trainer in government teacher-training colleges for many years before joining Oxfam to work for five years on one of their education programmes. George is working with the coordinators of Mshiri and Mengeni teacher-resource centres for in-service training in the four primary schools which are the main target of the programme's work on the ground. George liaises closely with the district education office and chief inspector of schools, and with Singa Chini teacher-training college so that the work of the programme is allied to government programmes and requirements, and also so that it can assist and help develop those programmes.
Whole School Development
Our programme of 'whole school development' continues. Approved by the District Education Officer for an initial, renewable, period of 7 years the programme is operating in the Moshi Rural district of Kilimanjaro with pilot work in four primary schools.
Dr Anne Samson, a teacher and teacher-trainer from London, is overseeing the programme.
More details: Teacher In-Service Training and Development.
Training for early-years education
Jane Firth, a specialist in early-years education, joined VEPK for her fourth assignment in March 2010. In her previous visits Jane had given seminars on the teaching of basic mathematics for teachers of pre-primary and Standard I pupils. In March Jane gave a three-day seminar for 19 teachers of Standard II pupils covering the crucial topics of 'place value' and addition and subtraction with 'carrying'. Jane also visited teachers who had attended her previous seminars. She was able to give them guidance in classroom management and to assess the need for further help especially in understanding the aim of an activity, appreciating the importance of children working with 'concrete' items in order to understand a new concept, and in letting the children be more responsible for their learning equipment and materials.
English language training for teachers
Suzanne Al Kaddah is a very experienced teacher of English as a foreign language who has worked for many years training teachers in the UAE. Suzanne came for her first assignment in February 2010, and plans to return in September. Suzanne worked in the four target primary schools of the Whole School Development Programme not only helping teachers with difficult topics but also assessing needs for a seminar or workshop in her next visit.
Mama Mkure joins Whole School Development Programme
Mama Mkure, the co-ordinator of Mengeni Teachers’ Resource Centre who works within the large Mengeni cluster of primary schools, has started working with VEPK to extend the Whole School Development Programme to two further primary schools. Mama Mkure has had preliminary discussions in the schools and carried out observations and research and hopes to start a programme of in-service training from January 2010. Her work will begin to show whether our WSD programme is ready for further replication on a wider scale.
VEPK Director & Coordinator meet Minister
In March 2009 Katy Allen and Dilly Mtui met the Tanzanian Minister for Education, the Hon. Professor Jumanne Maghembe to discuss the teaching of English in Tanzanian government primary schools.
In January 2010 Katy was invited by the Minister to chair a committee in order to assess materials that Katy had recommended for introduction and reintroduction into government primary schools for teaching and learning English as a foreign language. The committee sat for three days and submitted its report to the Minister recommending the adoption of the materials. The Minister has accepted the recommendations of the report, and the charity is assisting the Tanzania Institute of Education to get camera-ready materials so that publishing can begin.
Pan-African Reading For All Conference
In August 2009 Dr Anne Samson, Dilly Mtui and Katy Allen presented a colloquium at the 6th Pan African Reading for All Conference held at the University of Dar es Salaam. The conference was opened and attended by Ngugi wa Thiong’o, and participants came from all over Africa. The colloquium was a success and there was great interest in the Whole School Development programme, particularly with regard to teaching materials for English as a foreign language in the primary schools.
Copies of the papers in pdf format can be viewed in Newsletters & Documents.
School committee training
In November 2008 and February 2009 training was given to school committee members of three primary schools. Tutors from Singa Chini Teacher Training College conducted the training session, and the members (akin to school governors) gained an understanding of their duties and responsibilities, and were given guidance on how to conduct meetings and essential agenda items to be included.
Dame Judi Dench our patron
Our patron is Dame Judi Dench the famous actress. Dame Judi is very well known for her work with the Royal Shakespeare Company, the National Theatre and many successful films including an Oscar for the film Shakespeare in Love. She was awarded an OBE in 1970 and became a Dame of the British Empire in 1988. She was appointed a Companion of Honour in 2005.