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ECO-STAR PROJECT TO HELP IMPROVE TEACHING AND LEARNING
In the wake of the environmental degradation and low quality of education in the country, the Catholic Archdiocese of Lilongwe through its Education Development Commission has started training focal teachers from different educational zones to help improve teaching and learning on the same.
This week (from Tuesday, 12th March 2024 to Thursday, 14th March 2024), the commission through its project “Eco-Star” conducted a training for focal teachers in Active Teaching and Learning (ATL), Investigation, Vision, Action, and Change (IVAC) and Inclusive Education (IE) at Kabuthu zone in Lilongwe Central West Education Division.
Mrs. Chrissie Mithi, the Education Coordinator for the Archdiocese of Lilongwe
The Education Coordinator for the Archdiocese of Lilongwe, Mrs. Chrissie Mithi says the project will help to equip the focal teachers with extra knowledge which they will share with learners in their everyday lessons.
Mrs. Mithi is optimistic that if new learners in different primary schools are taught on how to conserve and care for the environment, the future generation can adopt good strategies which may again improve the environment without any interference.
“We want the teachers to use the environment in teaching and learning. The teacher should take a learner to a tree, so that they should relate what is happening outside and inside the classroom so that in the end, this learner should protect the environment and assist in planting more trees,” said Mrs. Mithi.
She also added that the training will help the teachers and their respective schools to have gardens and kraals which may help to meet their learning resource needs through selling the products.
Lessie Jim, one of the facilitators at the training
Speaking after lecturing, one of the facilitators at the training, Lessie Jim who is an Inclusive Education Coordinator for Lilongwe Rural West said that the training has assisted the focal teachers to gain more skills on how they can accommodate learners with different diverse needs.
Jim has encouraged teachers in the country to include learners with special needs to do different activities together with their fellow learners as everybody has a duty to help in developing the country.
The Primary Education Advisor (PEA) for Kabuthu Zone, Elfrida Ndau
In her remarks, the Primary Education Advisor (PEA) for Kabuthu Zone, Elfrida Ndau commended the move saying that it will motivate learners to attend classes thereby improving their results.
She says that the microprojects are capable of improving the quality of education in different schools including where there are no Eco-Star projects as the focal teachers will help to disseminate the information which they get from the training.
“Teachers will use these micro projects as teaching resource. For example, if they are rearing the animals at the school, they may use them to teach different subjects like Agriculture even Mathematics or Chichewa,” Ndawu concluded.
The training was organized to help teachers to have knowledge on new methodologies of handling classes while keeping learners on board. The second phase of ECO-STAR project is targeting 30 primary schools from 4 districts which include Lilongwe, Salima, Mangochi and Thyolo.
Below are the highlights of the training.
by Eric Norman Mkwaira