Friday, May 24, 2013

PIE Projects Revolutionize Educators in the Masai Steppe


In the heart of the Masai Steppe, a revolution is going on. A revolution that will change the landscape of educational advancement in very remote, sleepy but picturesque locality of Kibaya in Central Tanzania. CUSO – VSO volunteers Martin and Debra Martyn and Tessa Moss together with the local counterparts from the Ministry of Education and Vocational Trainings and CEDRC, headed by Mr. Ndee joins hands together to empower teachers to provide quality education by providing with trainings to enhance their English skills, provide low cost educational materials and to improve their teaching strategies using the participatory education methods.

The CUSO – VSO volunteers spearheaded the PIE Projects which were supported by the British Council and VSO Tanzania for both primary and secondary teachers in Kibaya.  Eight primary schools benefitted from the PIE Primary projects and five champion’s teachers   are now mentoring their colleagues in their respective schools for the PIE Secondary Schools Project. These primary teachers and CHAMPIONB teachers   now have the confidence and empowered to mentor more  teachers in teaching  the students  using an  English as a medium of instructions, produce low cost teaching materials and using varied strategies to make learning more fun and interactive to students  using the participatory educational learning.

To support the PIE projects, Library in Boxes was launch by Peter and Debra to eight schools, one secondary girl’s school hostel and in the model classroom   to continue and develop the culture of reading from the students and the teachers alike where the culture of reading was almost non-existent this schools in Kibaya. Also to further motivate the teachers in providing a good idea on how to have a classroom that is conducive to learning and interactive, a classroom model was introduce.Today, teachers in Kibaya are more motivated and empowered to teach with their acquired and developed skills in teaching English using participatory methods that makes the pupils and students learn better.

However, the challenge remain that sustainability in providing support to the teachers is not yet enough. More support needed for the teachers to empower them and to be self innovative and resourceful that they will continue to strive for excellence to deliver quality education. Kudos to  the CUSO – VSO volunteers Peter and Debra Martyn and Tessa Moss for   sharing their expertise, time and resources  and VSO Tanzania   and the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training for their joint efforts to realize the dream, the dream of delivering quality education to support development  in  improving the teacher s delivery of instruction in English as well as  in utilizing the local  and  low cost but quality educational   materials to make the participatory learning more effective. Let the revolution of change continues!

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