Mozambique SECURING EDUCATION IN COVID-19 TIMES: THE CASE OF THE NORAD PROJECT
The Save the Children NORAD Project, in partnership with the Government of the Province of Manica, in central Mozambique, has been implementing, since May 2020, the family-based teaching strategy to prevent students from dropping out of schools in the most remote regions during the restrictions imposed by the pandemic of the COVID-19 and that affect children's education in a peculiar manner. In this context, 436 mobile teachers and 520 community reading promoters were trained to respond to around 50,142 students in the districts of Macossa, Tambara, Machaze and Manica.
In March 2020, the Mozambican State decreed the State of Emergency as a measure to prevent and contain the rapid spread of COVID-19. Among the restrictions imposed, all schools in the country were closed. And for the students to maintain their school rhythm, the lessons would start to be taught at home through Internet and through classes on public television and radio channels and also from exercise sheets that parents and guardians should collect in the children's schools.
The reality of some remote districts in Manica province, however, showed not only the scarcity of material for reproducing exercise sheets for students, but also that many families do not have a radio or television set, not to mention the fact that many communities are not connected to the electricity grid. The district of Macossa, for example, has no community radio, which makes it virtually impossible for students to continue studying in the terms proposed by the Government.
As to minimize the situation, the Save the Children NORAD project, in partnership with the Government, sought an alternative that would be comprehensive for 50,242 students from the four implementing districts of that project, namely Macossa, Sussundenga, Machaze and Manica. The solution was to establish a system of mobile teachers. They would have the responsibility to produce and reproduce handwritten or digitized exercise sheets, where possible. On the other hand, a group of 520 community promoters was activated with the responsibility of collecting these exercise sheets in schools and delivering them to students in their respective homes, while explaining their content and answering questions.
Save the Children's Provincial Program Manger in Manica, Ana Dulce Guizado, explains that teaching is based on families because the community reading promoter takes the exercises to the student's homes and they ensure that the exercises are understood by the child. In the next day the promoter collects the exercises to the school so that the teachers can correct them.
“Society must safeguard the rights of the child and education is fundamental; so much that it is one of our strategic goal. One major challenge we face is ensuring that more girls have access to education – I mean quality education. For that, we need the support and get the commitment of the families", said Ana Dulce Guizado.
MACOSSA AND MACHAZE AS ROLE-MODEL DISTRICTS
Macossa and Machaze are the role-model districts for implementing the family-based teaching strategy, as it is through this strategy that the District Education, Youth and Technology Service (SDEJT) of Macossa rescued a little more than 50 students who were on the local plantations.
The Head of the Department of General Education at SDEJT in Macossa, Manuel Fundisse, positively assesses the family-based teaching strategy implemented by Save the Children.
“We know that in our district, we do not have the situation of community radio where some children learn, as it is happening in other districts. Recognizing these difficulties, we welcome this family-based teaching strategy and it is having the expected effects", said Manuel Fundisse.
The SDEJT Director in Machaze, Juvêncio Fulede, evaluates the family-based education as an asset for the education system in general, and he is of the opinion that even after resuming normal classes, the strategy must continue.
“We had many difficulties in the beginning of the implementation of the decree, but as soon as we started the model based on families, we noticed that the children who had passed to the 3rd class were already able to read words, simple sentences and numbers. Children do not leave the home at will; they now have a specific and controlled occupation through the reading promoter, which is a great gain. We feel that parents and guardians are very engaged", said Juvêncio Fulede.
WHAT DO THE BENEFICIARIES SAY?
In the community of Nhamagua, in the District of Macossa, we had the opportunity to meet the 10-year-old girl, Serena João. She attends 4th grade and claims to have received the exercises through reading promoters, from whom she also asks questions about some subjects.
“I am enjoying the exercises; the teacher must continue bringing them here at home because I like to study. When I grow up I want to be a carpenter to make doors here in my village", she said.
Parents and guardians in the district of Macossa and Machaze welcome the strategy, as it enables and drives their children's teaching and learning. Edmo Sianhalo, Serena João’s father, says that his daughter is increasingly evolving in school.
“Before the introduction of this system, it was difficult to concentrate children to study; all they wanted was to be on the streets playing. When the promoters started to act and bring exercises, we were relieved because it was really on time. I have been monitoring her performance and helping the promoters work within my capabilities”, said Edmo Sianhalo.
Dunda, in the district of Macossa, is another community where the NORAD Project is implementing the family-based education system. Here, over a thousand students from the Primary School in Dunda are assisted, a task carried out by three mobile teachers.
Joaquim Serrote attends 6th grade and says:
"I usually receive exercises to solve on my exercise book and sometimes I read a book to help solve these exercises that Teacher Inácio Raisse brings weekly".
Elisa Marizane is Joaquim Serrote's grandmother. She closely monitors her grandson's efforts and says that “the initiative is welcome because it encourages teaching, something that my son (Joaquim's father) did not have the opportunity to enjoy properly. The school is doing well for my grandchildren and it is good because while they are here at home they are also prevented against coronavirus. I want them to be doctors".
In Machaze, Zacarias Timóteo, nine years old boy and studying at the Primary School of Save, 3rd class, says that "its nice” studying at home, despite missing school playing. He likes to read and dreams of being a teacher when he grows up.
"I also like to study at school to play with my friends, but here at home, when my promoter arrives, I like to study with her as well. I want to be a teacher when I grow up", said Zacarias
Still in Machaze, in the community of Macu, we met little Moisés Mussá, nine years old, who studies at the local school. He claims to miss his friend and colleague Elias, who has not seen him since the schools were closed.
“I wanted to go back to school to see my friend Elias. When I go back to school I really want to study to be a teacher, because teachers receive money and with that money I will be able to help my parents”, said Moses.
