We would like you to know a little bit more about VEPK with a second series of 10 intermittent posts. We hope that you will enjoy reading more about the type of work that the charity undertakes and the programmes that it offers to local people in the Kilimanjaro region of Tanzania. There are many charities with a focus on education but in this series we would like you to see what we feel makes Village Education Project Kilimanjaro unique. Post 2/10 - You will already know that VEPK is an education charity but did you also know that the charity has started a new pilot project in six government primary schools? The low level of English language teaching and learning in Tanzania is evidenced by the low quality of pupils’ written English work at all stages throughout primary school and by their lack of oral ability such that sustained dialogue is not possible. This is exacerbated when they continue their studies in secondary school as these are all through the medium of English. In January 2014 Village Education Project Kilimanjaro began a pilot project with two new English courses. These courses are ‘Jiandae kwa NOEC’ for Standards I and II and the New Original English Course for Standards III to VII. This has taken years of hard work to bring to fruition. Not only has the charity’s Director Katy Allen, along with her colleagues in Tanzania, campaigned tirelessly to bring the NOEC books back to Tanzania’s classrooms but she herself adapted the NOEC books for use in Tanzania’s primary schools. Below are links to two videos from Tanzanian media sources where the books to accompany these courses were discussed and brought into the public’s view - Katy Allen MBE – Director of VEPK’s Interview: youtube/watch?v=1qOs4oK50yA Katy (as above) and Dilly’s Mtui – Coordinator of VEPK’s Tanzanian Programme’s Interview: youtube/watch?v=FGy9GWjANIQ Tanzanian primary schools have not had the benefit of a coherent English language course for many years. A course is a coordinated series of successive books which build one on the other so that there is steady build-up of knowledge and skills with constant revision. What Tanzanian primary schools have had for their English language learning is a series of different textbooks for each year which merely follow the syllabus for that year and have little connection with the year before or the one to come. Through VEPK’s hard work and determination (having now worked in the education sector in Tanzania for 20 years) the books were approved as an ideal basic course for Tanzanian primary schools by the ex-Minister for Education (the Hon. Professor Maghembe), a committee convened by the Tanzania Institute of Education, the Prime Minister (the Hon. Mr Pinda), and by His Excellency the President, Dr Jakaya Kikwete. However, there remain political obstacles to overcome and so the pilot project is crucial to produce evidence that the books bring about improvements in the teaching and learning of English. Further reading on these two new English courses can be found here: kiliproject.org/Get-Ready-for-NOEC-and-NOEC-course-for-English-in-primary-schools-v1.pdf. This pilot project has been received well by the teachers using the books and they are thrilled with their pupils’ motivation and learning. Village Education Project Kilimanjaro has plans to see these new courses offered in other government schools. With an improved education in English the pupils will be better equipped for their future life, particularly with better employment opportunities in order to provide for their families, confidence to uphold their rights and engage in debate, and access to worldwide information. These courses have the potential to leave a legacy of reduced poverty. If you would like to support VEPK’s projects such as these new courses then you can do so through Just Text Giving. Simply text VEPK19 and the amount to 7070. Many Thanks Indeed, VEPK
Posted on: Fri, 05 Sep 2014 17:08:28 +0000
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