Strathclyde People 2018

The value of teaching

A group of final-year primary education teachers travelled to Malawi with the purpose of improving learning. What they returned with was a heightened passion to teach the next generation back home.

Applied learning

When the trainee teachers learned about the severe challenges faced by the Malawian education system, they organised sponsored climbs in Scotland and Malawi, raising around £2,000. Organised by Education Lecturer, Monica Porciani with the assistance of former Primary Teacher Susan Kirk, the group received generous funding from our Alumni Fund.

The students set off for Blantyre – the commercial capital of Malawi. They visited Machinga Teacher Training College, learning about TALULAR – teaching and learning using locally available resources. Here, they witnessed bottle tops and stones being used in numeracy, which also encouraged the group to reflect on their own practice.

Taking TALULAR further

Recognising that there was a pressing need for support with numeracy, the students took the knowledge of TALULAR into The Makokezi School, where they worked during their trip. They shared resources and sustainable active learning strategies with the class teachers, many of who are unqualified.

Part of the money raised by the students went towards the school becoming affiliated as a government school, making it easier for children to access secondary school. It also helped to purchase essential resources, and has enabled several children to attend secondary school – something that isn’t free in Malawi.

Leaving with more

Not only did the group leave a vital footprint on the school, they also strengthened an important partnership between the University of Strathclyde and the Makokezi School.

Every student who took part in the trip is now following their passion in full-time education as probationary primary teachers.

Find out more about the Alumni Fund and the projects it helps support.