By Vincent Gunde
The Development Aid from People to People (DAPP) Dowa, says it will implement a 4-year- Building a brighter future for girls’ and children living with disabilities project targeting 21 primary school teachers in three zones (Boma, Kapita and Mvera) who will be capacitated in innovative pedagogical skills to improve learner’s performance in Dowa district.
DAPP Malawi has worked in the Education sector for over 20 years, apart from the four Teachers Training Colleges, it is continuing implementing a number of projects in the sector and the project is part of DAPP Malawi’s continued efforts to support the Ministry of Education in providing quality, inclusive and equitable education in Malawi.
Building a brighter future for girls’ project is aligned with National Education Sector Investment Plan and Malawi 2063 blue print, DAPP and FEDOMA will use their experience to ensure achievements of the project outcomes.
Presenting the project to the District executive committee (Dec) in Dowa, DAPP Malawi Programs Officer Ndamiwe Munthali, said the project will improve schools’ hygiene and sanitation which affects attendance particularly among early graders and girls.
Munthali said the project will engage relevant structures and stakeholders to advocate for accountability of rights on duty bearers to protect girls and learners with disabilities with a purpose of improving equitable access to quality learning for all children in primary education.
He said the project will increase the number of girls including children with disabilities attending primary education, and teachers who use inclusive teaching methodologies and child friendly techniques in their teaching.
The officer said the project will also increase awareness and participation of community members in inclusive and girls’ education and enhanced initiatives to improve gender and inclusive education in school based Continuous Professional Developments (CPD).
“The project will train 210 teachers about disability mainstreaming and inclusiveness, train members from mother groups, PTAs, SMCs in disability mainstreaming, train Area Disability Forum and student teachers at Dowa DAPP TTC in inclusive education,” said Munthali.
On project sustainability, Munthali said the project will partner closely with the Ministry of Education, community engagement working with existing structures, investing in teacher trainings and leveraging the existence of the Dowa DAPP Teachers Training College.
DAPP Dowa will implement Building a brighter future for girls’ and children with disabilities project alongside with their main partners FEDOMA, UFF Finland- Finish Disability Organization and the Ministry of Education.
According to statistics, Dowa has 208,968 learners in its 246 public primary schools of which 8,030 are learners with disabilities.
