World Vision recognises 42 primary teachers in Guijá, Mozambique

Login

Register

http://www.clubofmozambique.com/

World Vision recognises 42 primary teachers in Guijá, Mozambique

11:46 CAT | 26 Sep 2017

DW (File photo)

Forty-two primary school teachers in the Guijá district of Gaza province have recently been recognised for their services by World Vision, a nongovernmental organisation which provides assistance to vulnerable children and social groups.

The teachers, who teach from first to third grades in primary schools in Guijá, were cited in recognition of their efforts to improve the quality of teaching, especially reading and writing, in early education.

Each teacher received a diploma of honour and TV signal receiver as a way to keep informed about what is happening in the country and around the world.

The percentage of students who can read and write was one of the criteria used by the NGO in partnership with the District Education, Youth and Technology Services to select the best teachers, Leonel Sitoe, district technical coordinator in the education project at World Vision, explained.

“Punctuality, attendance and behaviour in their interaction with children were also evaluated, among other fundamental aspects and the recommendation of the Ministry of Education and Human Development.”

“But we must emphasise that our main focus was on reading and writing, especially in the first to third grades,” Sitoe explained, adding that the evaluation covered 23 primary schools in Guijá.

Sitoe said Word Vision had been building capacity in teacher education and retraining methodologies, as well as training school councils in school management and reading and writing programs in communities.

“For the 2018 academic year, World Vision’s attention in the Guijá district focused exclusively on reading and writing from the 1st to 3rd Grade and, for this purpose, 12 reading and writing campuses will be created in two administrative posts,” he said. Activities will be supported by volunteer facilitators from the community, who will “undoubtedly be people committed to quality non-profit education in the country”.

Each reading campus would host 25 to 30 children.

Marta da Cruz Albino is one of the 42 teachers honoured and told our reporter that the distinction was the result of selfless effort aimed at improving the quality of teaching in the country.

She is a second grade teacher, and this year has two classes at Nguzane Primary School, where she has been teaching since 1986, the year she began her teaching career.

“I am happy to receive this distinction, of course, but the battle is not yet won. In fact, we teachers have to do quality work and teach the children to learn. I have been doing this since 1985, since when I have received four distinctions as one of the best teachers at district level. I will continue to do my best as a teacher,” Marta said.

Rafael Matsinhe, another of the teachers, said the distinction was yet another reason to continue working in the teaching field, “always sharing” knowledge with the children.

“Today, many children have difficulties reading and writing, even those who are already in secondary education, which means that we have to work hard in the initial classes. Only then will we be forming the future doctors, engineers and – why not? – our own replacements!” Matsinhe said.

Source: Diário de Moçambique