Teacher development in Zambia

Dr Lore Gallastegi

Author:

Dr Lore Gallastegi is an Education Lecturer at The OU and project lead.

Lore Gallastegi

The Open University is developing a one-year school-based teacher development programme in Zambia.

Open University staff visited our partners World Vision Zambia as part of a set of meetings intended to kick-start the Zambian Education School-based Training (ZEST) project.

During the visit we met with colleagues in both the Lusaka and Kabwe offices with whom we will be working closely throughout this four and a half year project.

The picture below was taken at the World Vision Zambia Kabwe office:

ZEST project - World Vision Zambia and OU colleagues

From left to right: Kalimansi Sinyangwe (Area Programme Manager, World Vision Zambia Kabwe); Gladys Chanda (Development Facilitator, WVZ Kabwe); Chaangu Kashewe-Daka (Project coordinator, WVZ Lusaka); Lore Gallastegi (Academic lead, OU in Scotland); Misheck Mwanza N (Technical specialist, WVZ Lusaka); Olivier Biard (Senior Project Manager, OU).

ZEST, which has received funding of almost £1.3 million from the Scottish Government’s International Development Fund, will work with primary teachers, head teachers, local and district officials and the Zambian Ministry of General Education to develop a one-year school-based teacher development programme.

The programme will guide teachers to use student-centred learning approaches in the classroom with resources available in different formats (including print, SD cards, and online) for use by primary teachers in Zambia’s Central Province.

ZEST project - World Vision Zambia and Chibombo zonal school colleagues

The picture above was taken at Chibombo zonal school. From left to right: Alex Mulenga (Dep. Head Teacher at Chibombo zonal school, in Chibombo district, Central Province); Chaangu Kashewe-Daka (Project coordinator, WVZ Lusaka); Kalimansi Sinyangwe (Area Programme Manager, WVZ Kabwe).

During this initial trip we had the opportunity to visit a number of schools in different zones in Central Province to understand better the reality of the schools and teachers who will be participating in our project.

We saw and learned a lot and this will help to ensure that the project is appropriate and impactful in the local context.