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SUCCESS STORY
A "Model Classroom" with Model Teachers
Fuoni Secondary School is located in Fuoni district outside of Stone town. It is a typical Zanzibari school; concrete enclosed buildings with uncovered doors and windows that are open to the elements. Open classrooms and materials that are not stored properly are susceptible to environmental damage, theft and use as an animal stable by local villagers. Except for one classroom; the "Model Classroom" which has bars or grills on the windows and doors, newer desks and chairs, painted walls, a chalk board and cabinet for keeping materials.
Fuoni School was chosen to have a "Model Classroom" because of its close proximity to the Kiembe Samaki Teachers Center (TC), the cooperation of the Head Teacher and the number of Advanced Secondary Teachers Certificate Program (ASTC) trained teachers at the school. This classroom is created based on criteria determined by Teacher Advancement Program (TAP) officials and furnished and renovated by the EQUIP1: MKEZA project, a USAID sponsored initiative. Criteria for a "Model Classroom" school include involvment in the ASTC program, ASTC Trainees actively implementing the ASTC curriculum, school head teachers cohesively working with the ASTC trainees and School Management Committees and parents' support of the program. The nearby TC trains teachers using the "Model Classroom" and sensitizes the teachers, parents and community members on why this type of classroom is ideal as well as the benefit of using local available materials for teaching.
As mentioned above, several teachers at Fuoni are ASTC trained. This means they went through the 1st year cycle of ASTC training provided by TAP. One particular teacher was lively and inspirational as he instructed his chemistry class on how to determine the acidity of a substance. The students were engaged and attentive and seemed to enjoy the hands-on work. The teacher was ASTC trained in biology and chemistry, the major subjects he teaches at Fuoni. Another teacher received ASTC training in math and emphasized the need to continue learning teaching methodologies to improve his teaching.
The biology/ chemistry teacher also mentioned MKEZA's donation of laboratory equipment to the school, explaining that he previously spent a lot of time looking for locally available materials to use in class, to help the students better understand biology. Now, due to MKEZA's support, he can utilize the lab equipment as well as improvised materials in a classroom that is furnished and appropriate. The school is privileged to have a separate laboratory classroom for performing more complex experiments and for storing equipment and chemicals. The simple laboratory was constructed and furnished with the financial help of the parents and community members who wholeheartedly support the small but thriving Fuoni School.
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