Supporting teachers to teach

The school enrolment rate of children and their attendance rate is increasing in the areas where we work in Madagascar thanks to our School Feeding Project. However, the quality of education continues to be an issue we aim to address as the majority of primary school teachers are not formally qualified.

We work to support teachers through Teach For Madagascar volunteers, the NGO Ny Tanintsika /Feedback Madagascar has set up in 8 schools (Antandindo, Tsaramandroso, Sahafy  Tokoamivondro, Ankarinomby, Ambohimahamasina , Itaolana, Tanamarina Primary School) in Ambohimahamasina Municipality the “Mpanabe Fanilo” initiative, funded by Aeonian Foundation to strengthen the skills of teachers. In these schools, there are around 80 teachers that we support.

Mrs Rindra teaching at Antandindo Primary School

Since 2006, Madame Rindra has been teaching at Antandindo Primary School, she currently teaches Grade 4.  Here she tells us a little about herself and her work. 

“My preparation for the lessons has vastly improved and it is much easier for the children to understand because I now have teaching materials thanks to the Feedback Madagascar project. The children are participating much more and I congratulate the children when they do. Before, I didn’t have teaching materials, now we have these resources and are actively using them.

Teachers have received many things from this project and we are always ready to continue with any new ways of working because it is very beneficial for us. I am now very motivated to do my job because I know the best techniques to explain the lessons to the children and my students feel very connected to me, we are very close because of the way I communicate with them. The children are very active in class now and I am also active in teaching them.

I haven't taken the CAP exam yet because I've always been with baby and I feel that I don't have enough experience, but if this project continues, I'm sure that I'll be able to pass this exam because this support gives me the knowledge I need.  

One of the things that I find very effective in teaching is the use of materials because children are very involved when I use them.  Before in my class, when I asked something, no one participated, but now I am struggling to decide who to point to because all the children want to participate. Congratulating my pupils too is very effective. I've done a lot of training during the time I was teaching, but this project was special because it's actually in the classroom so can be applied.