Classrooms for Malawi - Nursery Caregivers Training Course
18 January 2023
We are delighted to share this member post from Classrooms for Malawi, which reflects on their recent training provided to 27 Caregivers from 6 Nurseries in Malawi.
Since 2020 Classrooms for Malawi have partnered with the Rotary District 1190 , comprising Rotary clubs based largely in Cumbria and Lancashire as well as support from the Rotary Foundation. The group has supported 15 Early Childhood Development Centres (Nurseries) in the Blantyre area of Malawi for a number of years.
Classrooms for Malawi facilitated a number of successful interventions to improve the facilities at the Nurseries funded by the Rotary Group. These improvements included constructing and repairing Latrines, providing hand washing materials and improving access to water. In late 2022 the Rotary group asked Classrooms for Malawi to facilitate the training of 27 Caregivers from 6 of the Nurseries. Most public nursery school learners in Malawi are taught by untrained Caregivers.
Classrooms for Malawi’s local representative Mr Dezie Trigue sourced the required training course through the Association of Early Childhood Development in Malawi (AECDM) .
AECDM conducted a two-week Early Childhood Basic training course for the 27 Caregivers. The Caregivers were from the following nursery schools: Mzedi Butao (5), Kachere(1), Madulira (2), Mang’omba (3), Mbinda (5), Mpunga (3), St Mary’s Chemusa (3), Bright Future (4) and Joshua Foundation (1).
The residential training took place from 8th November to 18th November 2022 at AECDM`s Training Centre in Blantyre. The course facilitators were from AECDM College and the Government of Malawi professional trainers.
The course covered 10 principle topics, in modular form: Child Development, Play and early learning materials and equipment, Learning through play, Planning and organizing the learning environment, Child health and care, Child hygiene and environmental care, Child nutrition and care, Children’s rights and their welfare, Care and Development of children with special needs, Management and Partnerships.
The participants were happy with the training and enjoyed receiving their Certificates on graduating. Some of their feedback were as follows:
“At first we were just teaching using common sense and guess work. We were standing in front to present our lessons instead of putting the learners in groups and joining and assisting the groups.”
“We have learnt a lot of things that we were not aware of. For example, the psychology of the child, how to care for a child, the areas of child growth like spiritual, physical, behavioral, cognitive and linguistic growth.“
“In addition, we have also learnt about investigating children’s background so that we understand their behavior better in partnership with their parents."
“We sincerely thank Classrooms for Malawi and the Rotary Foundation and District Clubs for the training.”
The training provided is a first step in the professional development of the Caregivers and will benefit not only the participants but also the children attending the Nurseries. The Classrooms for Malawi team are delighted to have been able to facilitate this important intervention and look forward to working in partnership with Rotary in the future.
James Kelly Chair/Dezie Trigue Country Facilitator. Classrooms for Malawi December 2022.