Month: Jul 2017

CSTL makes an impact at Blackfordby Primary School

The story of Blackfordby, a primary school in Zimbabwe, provides just one example of how the Care and Support for Teaching and Learning (CSTL) programme has impacted on a school and its community. Through CSTL, much has changed for the better at the school.

Improving infrastructure

With the help of community members, the school has constructed six additional classrooms  and an ECD block is nearing completion. The School Development Committee (SDC) has built Blair toilets for both boy and girl learners.

Promoting good nutrition and health

CSTL has assisted the school to establish a nutrition garden and a greenhouse. This has allowed the school to implement a feeding scheme for the ECD and Grades 1 and 2 learners, and other vulnerable learners. Fruit and vegetables produced are sold to the community and local shops,

Psychosocial support at Escola Primaria Magoanine A

Through its adoption of the Care and Support for Teaching and Learning Programme (CSTL), the Mozambique Ministry of Education (MoE) has become aware of the importance of establishing service delivery partnerships with other governmental ministries, as well as non-governmental organizations and the private sector. Through these multisectoral partnerships, the MoE has facilitated the delivery of essential services and support for learners at the school level. One of the many schools that has benefited from this action is EPC Magoanine Primary School.

EPC Magoanine A is a large primary school with an enrolment of nearly 4 800 (over 2 200 girls and 2 500 boys). Before the introduction of CSTL, many of the learners were underperforming. This was largely due to the lack of psychosocial and other support services required to help these vulnerable children deal with the many learning barriers confronting them.

Chingoli Primary School puts CSTL into practice

After being included in the Care and Support for Teaching and Learning (CSTL) Programme at the start of 2016, Chingoli Primary School has put CSTL principles into practice to support vulnerable learners.

Material support to vulnerable learners

Firstly, Chingoli has introduced a programme to provide material support to needy students for example, by providing them with school uniforms.
After they attended the CSTL training, teachers contacted partners and the business community to raise funds to buy materials to make uniform for learners. The school has also set aside one day a month when teachers and students alike make a voluntary contribution to the fund for this.

Formation of partnerships

The CSTL Programme has encouraged schools to form partnerships, and Chingoli School approached various organizations to join hands in caring and supporting vulnerable children.