Case study: Link Community Development - Malawi Inclusive Education Project
International Development Funding - £400,00
- Millennium Development Goal 1 - ending poverty and hunger
- Millennium Development Goal 2 - achieve universal primary education
- Millennium Development Goal 3 - promote gender equality and empower women
- Millennium Development Goal 8 - develop a global partnership for development
Project details
The Malawi Inclusive Education Project (MIEP) is improving access to education in the rural districts of Dedza and Mulanje.
The project is a partnership of education authorities, teachers, parents and community aimed at supporting pupils at high-risk of dropping out.
Scottish Government funding has supported the establishment of "mother groups" and "female teacher networks" to tackle high drop-out rates, particularly amongst girls.
Legacy:
Strengthening education provision for girls also improves nutrition and health, reduces child and maternal mortality; improves economic productivity and protects girls from abuse and exploitation. Almost 1,000 female teachers have now been trained to tackle issues that particularly affect girls' access to education.
A mother with even just a few years of formal education is considerably more likely to send her own children to school, having a long lasting impact on furture generations.
Case study
The "female teachers networks" - there are now 19 - are supporting "mother groups" and pupils, addressing the critical problem of high drop-out rates and low learner attainment in Malawi.
Bembeke (15km from Dedza town) has a very active network, with 84 members. Mrs Philipina Kamanga, chairperson of Bembeke female teacher network and also a teacher at St Joseph Primary School, said: "We meet once a month to discuss causes of high absenteeism and drop-out of girls, and ways of resolving the challenges girls face in school.
"We put a lot of effort into promoting the re-admission policy to the community members, striving to bring back to school those that have dropped out. Currently we have two girls at St. Joseph Primary School who dropped out of school but have now come back to standards 5 and 7."
These pupils are 18 year old Judith Kolodiyo and 16 year old Virginia Magombo. Judith wants to be a doctor after completing her education and Virginia a teacher.
The girls left school due to early marriages and both now have children. The girls' parents are now helping out with childcare to allow the them to finish their education.
Judith said: "Thanks to Mrs Kamanga and other female teachers at my school who encouraged me to go back to school after hearing that I was at home with my child who is 3 years old."
According to Virginia's teacher Mrs. Phambana, she is doing well in class, studying with a vision and averaging 70 per cent in all subjects.
Virginia said: "As the first-born in the family, I would like to set a good example to my brothers and sisters. I would like to complete my education without looking back. I will always share my experiences with my fellow girls at school. I want to be a teacher when I finish school."