BSED Holds SCREP Open Days in Neno and Mwanza

In Neno; the open days will be implemented from 14th to 19th September 2021 In Neno; the open days will be implemented from 14th to 19th September 2021 - pic by Steve Kalungwe

The Education Department of the CCAP Blantyre Synod has organized a series of open days across its 10 impact education zones in Neno and Mwanza districts under the SCREP programme.

Securing Children’s Rights through Education and Protection (SCREP) is a 5 – year (2019 - 2023) NORAD funded programme through Save the Children International.

In Neno, the programme is in four zones namely; Nsambe, Kasenjere, Ligowe, and Chikonde reaching out to a total of 60 impact schools while in Mwanza, the programme is in 6 zones namely; Mphande, Futsa, Chidoole, Thambani, Mphete and Thawale with a total of 57 primary schools.

The zones mentioned will form the venues for the open days.

The programme’s ambition is to secure children’s right to education and protection, with a focus on gender equality and inclusion, leaving no child behind.

Mr. Geoffrey Kamanga who is Blantyre Synod Education Department’ Programmes Manager for SCREP said that BSED organized the annual open days in question for message dissemination on Inclusive Education in order to ensure strengthened capacity and zeal of communities and district stakeholders to demand and support inclusive education for their children.

“These child-led school open days are convening learners, teachers, members of school governance structures (SMC, PTA & MG), cultural gate-keepers, government duty-bearers and parents from surrounding villages.

This is a show-off way of celebrating the various gains and successes made so far in as far as Inclusive Education and Safe Schools is concerned. We are cognizant of the fact that this encourages the late adopters to be coaxed to embrace Inclusive Education and Safe Schools and at the same time – cements the passion and zeal of the early adopters to continue embracing the interventions.

Such a function also accords stakeholders a chance to interface with the available duty-bearers to appreciate and respond to gaps and gray areas that they are still grappling with.” Said Kamanga.

Both Neno District Education Manager (DEM) Mr. Reuben Menyere and Mwanza DEM Mr. Saulos Namani agreed that these open days will help communities appreciate and understand that Inclusive Education and Safe Schools are indeed doable, practical and beneficial as evidenced by the several impact testimonies as embedded in the various activities by the learners ranging from drama, poems, songs, dances and many more.

A learner from Ligowe Primary School in Neno district; one Modester Latibu was all smiles as she shared her thoughts about the activity:

“I and my fellow learners are so happy that Blantyre Synod Education Department organized this activity which gave us a chance to voice out and pitch our concerns directly to duty bearers – we know these will be addressed,” said Modester.

In Neno; the open days will be implemented from 14th to 19th September 2021 and will reach out to 48 teachers, 4 social workers, 4 Community Development Assistants, 4 PEAs, 20 chiefs, 4 Ward Councilors, 160 children, 240 community members, 10 government stakeholders.

Moving on – with support from Save the Children International; Blantyre Synod Education Department will be distributing various assistive devices (ranging from hearing aids, contact lenses, wheel chairs and walking sticks) to learners with diverse who were screened last year so that they can also have an enabling learning environment just like their peers. Kamanga added.

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Last modified on Tuesday, 21/09/2021

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