Blog

Tales from Tanzania: Meeting the Teachers

I've had the great opportunity to meet a few of the teachers at Ibiri and Ililongulu Secondary Schools last week, and was inspired by how hard-working and dedicated they are.  Coming from a family of teachers, I know that working in the education field is never easy-- even in the highest performing schools, under the best conditions.  It is remarkable, then, to consider how hard teachers must work here considering the huge class sizes, limited classroom space, and lack of materials.  Schools here have over 300 students and only five to seven full-time teachers.  The students and teachers are in charge of school upkeep and maintenance.  Talented teachers are faced with enormous classes and a lot of pressure to help their students pass national exams so they can continue their education.  It's enormously challenging, though somehow the teachers I met seem unfazed by these obstacles!

The good news is that teachers are excited about the potential of computers Connect To Learn is providing and are eager to use them, they've told me, to plan lessons, find resources, and keep track of their students' progress.  I'm very hopeful that the computers and Internet connectivity that will arrive next month will do something very important here: make teachers' lives easier!  We are in the process of identifying the best tools and resources to enrich their teaching in the classroom.  They certainly deserve the help, and the quality of education the students receive can only benefit from the support Connect To Learn is providing.

Hannah Ayers is a graduate student in the SIPA program at Columbia University and is volunteering for her second term Internship with Connect To Learn to provide on-the-ground support for our programs in the Millennium Village of Mbola in western Tanzania.