CSTL

Recently, the Care and Support for Teaching and Learning (CSTL) team embarked on a mission across four SADC Member States – the DRC, Mozambique, Swaziland and Zambia. The aim was to build the capacity of five project schools and their communities in each of the countries, on how to conduct “community dialogues”�. These dialogues can be used as a strategy for soliciting and drawing out community-driven solutions that address the problem of sexual harassment and abuse of children and youth.

The training sessions were all very well coordinated by the Ministries of Education. Based on the active participation and commitment displayed by participants, it can be assumed the messages were well received and will be acted upon.

It has been a very busy first semester in the DRC, with the process of customizing regional documents to the national context needing to be completed before the end of the current phase of CSTL. A four-day validation workshop was held from 22-25 July, during which three teams intensively scrutinized the National Support Pack, the Monitoring, Evaluation and Research Framework and Speak Out! materials. The workshop was held soon after Mme. Yenga Sako Wivine’ was appointed Focal Point Person for CSTL, to replace M. Konga Bakombo Jose’, who was on sick leave.

The workshop was graced with the presence of an advisor to the Ministry, M. Bula Bula Joseph, and M. Odon Mulanda (Director Curriculum), which confirms the importance and seriousness with which the DRC Ministry accords to CSTL and CSTL activities.

The National Coordinating Unit approved all the documents, and a the letter of approval was signed by the Focal Point Person (Ministry),

There have been a lot of activities in the latest phase of CSTL.

Following the sad passing of Theodora Cassamo, the Mozambique Ministry of Education (MINED) appointed another vibrant Focal Point Person, Arlindo Folige. A series of workshops were held to complete the work of customizing the National Support Pack, Conceptual Framework, MER framework and other documents to the Mozambican context.

Speak Out! Phase 2 was introduced, and has been warmly received at both national and school level. It focuses on prevention and management of sexual harassment and violence. It follows on from the great strides made in the first phase in 2012, during which people’s concerns about these issues were identified, and there was an increase in public debate about them. A number of cases were reported to the police, and through the establishment of focus groups, the schools and community have collaborated closely in the fight against this scourge.

Our CSTL programme (Care and Support for Teaching and Learning), which provides a comprehensive approach to addressing the barriers to teaching and learning that are associated with health – and poverty-related challenges, is being implemented intensively in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mozambique, South Africa, Swaziland and Zambia.

Read the latest news articles on cstlpulse.africa to find out how our Member States have incorporated CSTL into their education systems.

On 22-23 April a workshop was held in Swaziland, at which the Ministry of Education and Training, supported by MIET AFRICA and its consultant, Ms Eleanor Hazell, began the process of customizing the Regional CSTL MER framework to the Swaziland context.

The new MER focal person, Ms Nonhlanhla Shongwe has quickly grasped what needs to be done, and took a leadership role throughout the proceedings. With her leadership – and with the support from other people present, in particular Mr John Hlope (Acting Director: Guidance and Counselling), Mr Jabulani Shabalalaor (Director: EMIS) and Mrs Sthembile Mbingo (Diretor: SHAPE) – it should be possible to complete the customization within the allocated time. The team themselves are confident that they can do it, and remarked that “it is not that difficult after all”.

It will be vital for the team to consult with other stakeholders,

Lynn van der Elst, Development Associate at MIET AFRICA, was recently invited to participate in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s (OECD’s)Innovative Learning Environment’s (ILE) International Conference in Santiago, Chile from 7-9 January.

In response to the fact that many schools are still functioning as they did at the beginning of the century, the OECD’s ILE Project is an international initiative that responds to the question: “How can today’s schools be transformed so as to become environments of teaching and learning that make individuals life-long learners and prepare them for the 21st century?” The project focuses on innovative ways of organizing learning for young people and on evidence of what makes the environments in which this takes place effective. The project, which currently involves 26 countries, has been broadened to include non-OECD countries. MIET AFRICA has facilitated the participation of South Africa in this international project.

Lynn’s presentation at the conference included a discussion on the Dimensions of inclusive learning environments,