Save the Children trains teachers for better classroom management and child participation

Pupils at a primary school in Blama Massaquoi in lessons, July, 2021: Photo credit, Save the Children

The admission, retention and performance of children in school depend on the ability and commitment of teachers. With more attention on education over the past three years, it is evident that girls and other vulnerable children are being left behind when the learning environment is not conducive and teachers who are mostly men, do not give all of them, especially girls the space to learn and participate equally.

If the classroom is to meet learning needs of all children, teachers must have adequate knowledge, skills and appropriate attitudes to make schools safe and inviting for girls, boys and children with special needs.

From the 23 to 25 August 2021, Save the Children, through the Building Futures for Children project, completed training for 79 teachers on Gender Responsive Pedagogy. In this training, new teachers were equipped with knowledge on topics such as Language in the Classroom, Classroom Interaction, Classroom Set-up and child protection to improve classroom management, and protect children from harm in order to get the best out of learners.

“This training has given us new and valuable knowledge. It makes us realize that most of us teachers are guilty of practicing harmful gender norms in the classroom. At times we do so without even realizing we are doing harm to the child.” said Hannah Sallu, a teacher in the training.

“Going forward we will put in practice what we have learned in these trainings to make the classroom an equal space for girls and boys.”