Teacher Training

Many developing nations suffer from a shortage of well-qualified teachers, especially in rural areas.  Resources are few, and many teachers are expected to handle classrooms with upwards of 60 students. They also face challenges that are unique to the developing world and often lack the tools and infrastructure to manage these challenges.

Planet Aid has supported teacher training colleges in MalawiMozambiqueIndia, and Angola. All colleges are approved by their respective ministries of education as institutions offering accredited programs. The pedagogy inspires teachers to become self-driven catalysts for change in the classroom and the community. 

We currently support teacher-training efforts in the Democratic Republic of the Congo through a USAID/ASHA award.


A Proven Approach in Mozambique & Malawi

 

Through Planet Aid's flagship Food for Knowledge project (2012-2020), more than 13,000 new primary school teachers graduated from ADPP Mozambique’s teacher training colleges. Graduates are employed in government schools throughout Mozambique, lowering teacher-student ratios and improving learning outcomes for an estimated 1 million students over the course of their teaching careers.

Click here for student teachers' stories.

 

One World University

One World University (OWU) was established in Mozambique in 1998 with the aim of strengthening the nation’s educational system. The university is operated by the local development organization ADPP Mozambique. Two baccalaureate degrees are available at OWU: one in education and another in community development. Graduates of the education program are qualified to teach primary education at the college level.

Combining classroom instruction with independent study and high-levels of hands-on teaching experience, OWU inspires its students to learn all that they can. In the process, they discover first-hand that learning must be made relevant and enjoyable so that children feel positive about coming—and remaining—in school. Graduates also understand the importance of involving parents and the community, and how to foster a positive environment that places a high value on obtaining an education.

 

The program in community development was added in 2008. This new degree was inspired by Mozambican President Armando Emilio Guebuza, who said, “I would like you to make a course for fighting poverty. This is what we need. People who work in the districts and with the people. You should graduate bachelors in the fight against poverty.” We agreed. In honor of President Guebuza and his leadership, the new community development program was named “Fighting Shoulder to Shoulder with the Poor.”

The new OWU campus in Changalane, 80 kilometers from the capital Maputo, was built with the assistance of Planet Aid and with support from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, EDULINK, and the Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The campus is set back from the main road, surrounded by acres of land, and close to the Pequenos Libombos mountains near Swaziland. OWU uses a part of the land as a model farm, feeding students and producing a surplus of products that are sold locally. The Changalane community is also involved in Farmers’ Club activities and other training programs to help improve livelihoods. Read more about OWU on the university website.

Amalika Teacher Training College

In 2019, Planet Aid donated funds to support the training of new primary school teachers at Amalika Teacher Training College (TTC) in Malawi. In December 2019, more than 50 students graduated from Amalika TTC and were placed in primary schools throughout rural Malawi, which will help reduce oversized classrooms for thousands of children. The TTCs are operated by DAPP Malawi, a Planet Aid partner who has been preparing primary school teachers to work in rural Malawi for more than 16 years.  A hallmark of the Amalika TCC curriculum is its emphasis on creating exciting learning spaces for children, as schools in the region frequently have scarce supplies and limited facilities.

Click here for student teachers' stories.