Think Creative - Issue 3

reshaping education

Arnane de Castro, like Martin Mphinga and other drivers, helped deliver bilingual textbooks to remote schools by motorcycle, car or canoe.

For young children like Nenita, learning how to read in a familiar language can be the key to success.

the Let’s Read! program in helping to ensure school attendance of students and teachers. “As a member of the school council, I will be doing my part to ensure that the teachers come to school every day and the parents are aware of their children’s performance in the class- room,” says Neto. He adds that it is not enough that the children have received books. Teachers and school directors must undergo continuous training on how to effectively teach bilingual education. The Let’s Read! program and the Ministry of Education have conducted trainings for more than 1,600 first grade teachers and school directors to provide quality bilingual educa- tion knowledge, skills and methodologies for instructing students. And what does this all mean for the teachers, and students like Nenita? They will experience the excitement of learning in their own language –many for the first time in their lives. n With editing by Natalie Lovenburg and Kelsey Woodrick.

sized the critical need for good book mainte- nance and security. The Ministry is currently developing a strategy that gives responsibility to the schools for the conservation of the books so students can enjoy them longer. To support book longevity and maintenance, staff distributed plastic boxes to keep the student books well-stored at the end of every school day. The children bring their exercise books home. Nenita and her first-grade peers will learn how to hold their books, how to pro- tect them from damage, and most importantly, how to read and write. Newmaterials part of holistic approach The newmaterials are only one part of a holistic effort to improve the quality of early grade education in the country, including sharpening teachers’ skills and boosting attendance – both important to theMinistry and the schools alike. Constantino Xavier Neto, President of Mutori School Council in Nampula, says he is happy to collaborate with the Ministry of Education and

Mozambique has more than 20 local languages spoken in its 10 provinces, but Portuguese remains the official language of instruction in the majority of schools. This results in many students struggling to understand and learn in class.

24 | Think Creative | Summer 2018