Creativity at its best

Teachers participating in the Why Wait programme are showing full commitment by displaying what they are doing for everyone to see. Apart from completing monitoring forms after each lesson, some have decided to put their work in front of everyone. In this class, the teacher has put the whole work plan and work done for the learners to know what they are expected to cover and be reminded what they have covered. The display also reminds the teacher not forget when it comes to time for teaching. Creativity at its best!

Maveya Zonal Quiz Competition

The Annual Quiz Competition is getting unprecedented popularity. Although this was in a way expected, all of us in the programme have been taken by surprise by the speed at which the popularity is cruising. After the two annual events, the zones are taking up the challenge and have started organizing the competition at Zonal level. The first to take up this challenge is Maveya Zone. At the end of the first term in December 2018 the zone organized the competition for its ten schools. The schools were divided into three sectors (clusters) and each sector produced a winning school that participated in the zonal final. One of the reasons for the initiative is that the zone wants to do well in the District competition in June this year.

The Primary Education Advisor, Mrs Emily Mulowe, and the head teachers organised presents that were given to the schools that participated in the finals. FLAEM office was invited to grace the occasion as guests. The zone did everything on its own.

As an office we are over the moon with this development because it is testimony enough that our hope of making Why Wait sustainable is on track. Although it might take some years for things to develop fully, the first step is taken.


Participants during the competition


The winning team


Learners relaxing after the competition

Bible puzzle

Through Why Wait? learners are drilled on Bible verses through different ways. One of such ways is puzzles.

During a visit we found learners at Namadidi Primary School on such a drill. They were working on Proverbs 24:27. The teacher had included Xs and Js in the verse. Learners were challenged to write the verse by removing the inappropriate letters.

Photo 1: The verse as it appeared on the board
Photo 2: Learners working on the puzzle
Photo 3: The girl who finished the exercise first

Quiz competition

We will have the finals of the quiz competition for 2018 on June 23. Five schools will battle it out in the finals. We will have one school from each of the five zones where Why Wait? is being implemented. Currently the zones are conducting zonal competitions to find the zonal champions who will take part in the finals.

We plan to give individual as well as school prizes. As such we would like to request for financial assistance to enable us buy the prizes. We will also take the winners to Blantyre on an educational visit. Please contact us for details: lkhanyanga@gmail.com or flaemnederland@gmail.com.

Photo below shows the quiz competition schedule for Maveya Zone.

Going the extra mile

Most of the Why Wait? teachers go the extra mile to ensure that learners fully understand what is covered in the lessons. They do this through use of different teaching methods. Dramatization of the issues is one of the methods used.

The photos below show one of such scenes on How HIV attacks the immune system (T-cells). This is standard five class at Namame Primary School.

Vocabulary and reasoning skills

While Why Wait? is a faith based Life Skills curriculum, it takes into account other areas. Among such areas are vocabulary and reasoning skills.

The photos below show learners identifying words from a word puzzle.

Teaching listening skills and comprehension

Among other various skills, Why Wait? also teaches listening skills to the learners. This is very important especially for English which is a foreign language. It is obvious that a good number of learners do not do well in the Primary School Leaving Certificate Examinations because of challenges with the language.

Some Why Wait? lessons require learners to listen to stories read by the teacher and act accordingly to test their listening skills as well as comprehension of the language.

The photos below show a teacher reading a story and a learner acting accordingly.

Need for Bibles in the schools

All lessons in the Why Wait? lessons have one or more Bible references. This means that there is need for Bibles during every lesson. Unfortunately, the schools do not have Bibles. Although teachers request learners to bring Bibles from their homes, very few do so. Some learners bring Bibles that are worn out. This results in the teachers doing extra work by writing verses on flip charts.

To curb this problem FLAEM would like to provide some Bibles to each of the 55 schools participating in the programme. We therefore wish to request well wishers to assist us with Bibles or resources to purchase the Bibles. Please contact us for details.

Photos
1: A learner reading a worn out Bible
2: Bible verses written on a flip chart because of lack of Bibles

Stepping stones

One of the Why Wait? lessons in standard 6 is Stepping Stones. The lessons centers on finding solutions to problems in life. The lesson gives an example of two boys who came across a river that had no bridge for them to cross over. One of the boys saw that there were stones in the river and used the stones to cross over.

During a visit to Sukayakwe school, it was a great pleasure to watch David Chaweza who is the class teacher and deputy head teacher of the school handle the topic in a very practical way. Bravo David!

Photos
1 and 2: David Chaweza explaining the lesson
3: Teacher and learner stepping on stones to cross the river
4: Girls taking their turn

Why Wait? is “self-contained”

Jimmy Villiera, Primary Education Advisor, for Chambe Zone, recently described Why Wait? as a self-contained curriculum. Villiera said this when the five Primary Education Advisors from the zones where the programme is being implemented and FLAEM officials had a meeting with the new District Educational Manager for Mulanje, Mr. Enock Chumachao. Mr. Chumachao has succeeded Mr. Gossam Mafuta.

Villiera justified his claim by saying that Why Wait? touches on all subjects that learners cover at the primary school.

The new DEM has committed himself to seeing that Why Wait? gets all the necessary support from his office down to the schools. FLAEM is very grateful and does not take this kind offer for granted. We are grateful to God for seeing to it that whoever comes to head the education office in Mulanje favours Why Wait?

And right from the first meeting the new DEM has challenged FLAEM to do its best to extend the activities to the remaining eight zones of the district. We therefore wish to extend this invitation to well wishers to support us financially.

Photos: Learners draw what they think they looked like when they were toddlers. Although this is happening during Why Wait? it is actually expressive arts, one of the subjects in the school syllabus. This vindicates Villiera.