World Vision Sierra Leone one of the leading child-focused non-governmental organizations in collaboration with the Ministry of Education Science and Technology has commenced four weeks In-service training for 185 primary school teachers drawn from their operational areas at N’jala University Bo Campus.
The objective of the In-service training is to provide primary school teachers in mostly remote and underdeveloped communities with new techniques of teaching through the child-centered teaching techniques for core subjects like Mathematics, Language Arts, Integrated Science and Social Studies amongst others.
The training will also focus on modules relating to reading and life skills, functions of school management committees (SMC).
Speaking at the formal opening ceremony of the training workshop, the National Director of World Vision Sierra Leone Leslie Scott, expressed grave concern about the fall in the education of children across the country.
He said World Vision has in the past, constructed and furnished many schools but observed with dismay that the poor teaching methods in some of the schools are largely responsible for the poor performance of the children, as a result, the country has recorded poor performance in the educational sector.
The World Vision National Director also stated that their new focus is to build the capacity of teachers and communities for an improved educational system in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology.
He added that World Vision will also be providing text books for teachers and pupils in some of the school, so as to improve their teaching methodology.
“We want to see our children reading at age eleven,” he assured.
The National Director of World Vision Sierra Leone, Leslie Scott, also stated that they will be working closely with the Ministry of Education to monitor and track some of the school activities by providing a motorbike for school supervisors to ensure effective monitoring of teachers and pupils.
He went further to commend N’jala University for their continued support towards education in the country and assured of their continuous collaboration.
World Vision Education and Innovation Manager, Alfred Moses Kamara, who facilitated the training through the Education and Life Skills project, said the participants were carefully selected for the training and encouraged them to implement knowledge learnt at the training for the improvement of education in their respective communities.
He said the In-service training aims to enhance teachers and to also provide intellectual growth, professional responsibility for an improved educational system for the children.
The Vice Chancellor and Principal of Njala University Professor Abu Sesay commended World Vision for supporting the education of children in the country.
He also said the training is necessary, so as to upgrade the standards of teaching in the classrooms as it determines the output of students in the future.
He said N’jala is currently the best University in the country and assured World Vision for continuous collaboration towards the education sector and also highlighted some of their challenges at the university which ranges from low budgetary and poor understructure of the campuses.
The Chairman of the Bo District Council, Joseph Bindi who chaired the ceremony said World Vision is complementing the efforts of the government of Sierra Leone in ensuring the achievement of quality education with improved access and teaching methods.
The Bo District Director of Education while delivering the keynote address, expressed profound thanks and appreciation to World Vision for providing the in-service training for primary school teachers and appealed for continuation of the in-service training, so that other teachers will also benefit.
Some of the participants interviewed told our reporter that this is the first time they have participated in an In-service training for teachers and commended World Vision for the opportunity, they also promised to improve on their teaching methods on their return to their respective schools.
August 14, 2013
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