There is No Place Like Home!

After introductions we were able sit with the headmaster and teachers.  We shared some of our practices, exchanged ideas and compared and contrasted our educational systems. Public community schools must pass a national exam (National Examination Council of Tanzania) NECTA. The students are tested in 7 subjects.

Unlike our workshop model, where the teacher models a lesson for about 15 minutes and then have the students go and give it a try either independently or in small groups, many of the classes at Kwala are usually taught through lectures.  One of the reasons why is because of class sizes, which could have up to 85 students in one class.  Point of fact, they have no unions!!!!  What we grieve, they endure.

Another point of fact, according to the Guardian Tanzanian newspaper (Aug. 10, 2009), teachers had not gotten their pay for the month of July.  Imagine if that happened to BPS teachers!  According to the same newspaper, there is a shortage of teachers and university students in the field of education do not have schools that they can train in because there are not enough experienced teachers to mentor them.  Wonder why?  By the way, annual teacher salary is about $2,600.00