The most significant component of the education agreement which is developed in the DRC and co-financed by AECID is the training of primary school teachers. This training is provided through seminars and is later complemented with online courses.
So far, the Foundation has organized four seminars in mathematics and four in French. The first six were developed by forming the National University of Distance Education (UNED) with the assistance of the teachers of the University National Pedagogic (UPN) in Kinshasa, and the last two were led by teachers of the UPN, supervised by the UNED.
The online courses which complete this training are available on the UNED website. Therefore, teachers continue their learning throughout their careers.
At first, these courses were designed to be downloaded on a mobile phone. Although most teachers do not have a computer, almost everyone is in possession of a mobile phone, also the prior generation. However, as time went by it became clear that this was not a sufficient application and it triggered the need to learn the basic use of a computer. This required the organization of computer workshops, in which the participants learned the basics of a computer and the use of on-line portals.
The great enthusiasm of the beneficiaries and the appreciation for the workshops enables the FPSC a further development and continuation of this additional training. This eye-opening technology, the on-line course and communication is something that the beneficiaries greatly appreciate and it represents a big change in their professional and private lives.
In fact, during March, full-time computer courses have been started at the Vedruna School (one of Convention’s participants) for teachers of the neighborhood and the surroundings of Ndjili. The main goal still is: the continuity of the training seminars. One part of the workshop will be devoted to teaching math and French through the portal.
The Vedruna School not only started with computer classes, but also created an access point to the Internet outside the school hours which is also available to people in the neighborhood. Currently, this initiative is in the planning to be improved by providing new equipment to the classrooms, as well as a generator that ensures stability of power. In addition, a computer teacher will be hired. This all contributes to an Internet access for teachers which are participating in the training organized in the Convention.
So far, 23 teachers have completed the courses. Next week start the new ones. The new group will have courses until the summer holidays that start in June. After the summer holidays the courses will be continued.