AKU’s Institute for Educational Development in East Africa (IED, EA) partnered with SOS Children’s Villages Tanzania for teachers training as part of the Play and Learn Project in ten primary schools in Zingiziwa and Chanika Wards of Ilala District in Dar es Salaam.
43 classroom teachers were trained on alternative approaches in promoting interactive learning and teaching in early years education with school headteachers and ward education officers receiving training on leadership and m
"There is a need to equip teachers with skills to teach in overcrowded classrooms. "
Fortidas Bakuza, assistant professor at IED
entoring.
Speaking at the closeout ceremony, Mr Robert Munna, a civil servant at the Human Resource Office, addressed the challenges faced by early years teachers such as overcrowded classrooms and spoke of the possible innovations to improve teaching and learning outcomes.
“The government will continue to support projects with all education stakeholders from the education sector,” he said.
Fortidas Bakuza, assistant professor at IED, highlighted the impact of the training citing the importance of showing teachers how to teach in overcrowded classrooms as a key step in educating children in their early stages.
“Free education has contributed immensely to early year’s education enrolment which has also resulted in overcrowded classrooms where we have more students than teachers. This training will equip the teachers with skills to teach in overcrowded classrooms,” he said.
The project was developed in response to SOS Children’s Villages’ commitment to support children in early years for basic education (pre-primary, standard one and standard two classes), with the goal to provide a solid foundation in their education at the early stages.
The training brought together early years teachers (pre- primary, standard I & II classes) and school leaders from the ten primary school and education officers. AKU staff and faculty and SOS Children’s Villages’ representatives were present to reflect on and to validate the outcomes of teacher trainings aimed to support children in basic education for early years.
Jane Lyayuka, acting programme manager of SOS Children’s Village, Dar es Salaam expressed optimism about the trainings, which ran for 24 days.
“We hope that all of the teachers and school leaders who benefited from the project will continue to enforce their training so that they increase the capabilities and performances of their students throughout their academic lives,” she said.