Author name: Kangwa Mushibwe

For a long time, TTCSZ has wanted to have its own ‘home’ so we could make our teaching resources available to community school teachers throughout the year.  Thanks to our donors, supporters, and T4Z’s fundraising, that vision became a reality in May 2023! TTCSZ has leased a property in Lusaka. The property will be a multi-purpose training venue that gives teachers access to a wide range of resources such as computers, textbooks, teaching materials, and storybooks to use in their primary schools. It will also be a library for local children to experience the joy of reading and having fun with toys, so they learn through play. The L/RC will also allow us to expand our support for community school teachers as it will be a venue for studying, workshops, and meetings. To celebrate the signing of the contract we had a small gathering so stakeholders could see the centre. One visitor said ‘This place will change many communities. I can see a teacher coming with a whole class to experience what a real classroom looks like. To touch computers for the first time! This is great. I am very happy!’ Our volunteer librarian has a wonderful vision for the centre and she is already working with other enthusiastic volunteers to convert our ‘blank canvas’ into an L/RC that is ‘fit for purpose’. They are approaching organisations in Zambia to seek sponsorship/donations for basic furniture and equipment. Our first donation came from Unicaf University in Zambia. TTCSZ is thankful to our founding member Dr. Christine Mushibwe, who is also VC of Unicaf University in Zambia, for approaching the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dr. Nicolaou. We are equally grateful that the CEO gladly donated desks and chairs to TTCSZ. Dr. Nicolaou was delighted to contribute because he said the L/RC would support community school teachers and children from underprivileged communities in Zambia.  TTCSZ gladly accepted 40 desks and chairs from Mr. Tyson Siyamunyangwa, Director of Operations of Unicaf University.

In August 2022 we started our fifth training programme focussing on the teaching of English and ICT. Thanks to the generosity of Macmillan Publishers, our teachers were able to experience the joy of teaching reading using ‘The Gruffalo’.  They then got to take copies back to their own schools. A story with a happy ending!! These same teachers recently finished training for Mathematics and Schemes of Work. TTCSZ starts teaching Mathematics with an emphasis on the use of real objects, so there is plenty of folding of paper for fractions and counting of sticks, stones, and bottle tops when teaching basic arithmetical functions. In the feedback, one teacher said: ‘Thumbs up on how to operate a computer, how to teach Maths and English, the lecturers are welcoming and very helpful. TTCSZ continue with the good work’.  Prior to this group our ‘Covid class’, as we called them, did not have an easy ride. Training was started, rescheduled, and then halted when Covid spread in Zambia. Maths and ICT could only be delivered in 2022. We recently graduated these teachers. The celebration included dancing, singing, speeches, and awarding of TTCSZ’s ‘Certificates of Achievement’. Phanuel Kunda, the student representative, said at the graduation: ‘I would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to the organisers and founders of this programme … for equipping community teachers with great teaching skills and teaching methodologies that are so priceless.         As community school teachers we refuse to take lightly this precious training. We understand its value and worth … it encourages us to become better versions of ourselves who will build better communities through excellent quality services.’ A positive outcome of Covid was that it required TTCSZ to fast-track our plans to have an all-Zambian training team. We now have Zambian volunteer trainers with lots of local knowledge and experience.  The above words of the teachers speak for themselves, the trainers are doing a great job!  

Since 2017, we have trained approximately 75 teachers. Our aim is to develop the competence of community school teachers in terms of planning, teaching methodologies, assessment and resource development. The emphasis is on modelling practical strategies for teaching Mathematics, English and computers.