GENDER RESPONSIVE PEDAGOGY EXPERIENCES FROM MALAWI Presented by

GENDER RESPONSIVE PEDAGOGY EXPERIENCES FROM MALAWI Presented by Mary Chalamanda Ministry of Education, Science & Technology

Presentation Outline • Introduction to GRP • The GRP Model • Steps taken to integrate GRP in Teacher Training Curriculum in Malawi • Enabling factors for success • Issues to take note when integrating • Policy Recommendations

Introduction to GRP • Ministry of Education, Science & Technology (Mo. EST) in Malawi realised that teachers were focusing more on boys than girls when teaching and in other school activities • Mo. EST decided to adopt gender responsive pedagogy (GRP) to empower teachers with new pedagogical approaches that promote a gender sensitive teaching and learning environment.

GRP Model • • • Teacher – learner- learner interaction Classroom language use GRP classroom management Institutional management GRP resources GRP methodologies

Steps Mo. EST went through to integrate GRP • Mo. EST invited Principals from all public and private TTCs to discuss how to address the gap • Establishment of Principals Forum on GRP • Mo. EST in partnership with FAWE Malawi trained a core team of national trainers (4) on GRP using manual developed by FAWE.

Steps Mo. EST went through to integrate GRP • All TTCs were advised to establish Gender Committee of Lecturers and select a Gender focal person, leading gender activities at TTC level • The national trainers then trained all lecturers in public and private TTCs • Then FAWE Malawi in partnership with Mo. EST (through Malawi Institute of Education) developed training manual on GRP for teacher trainees

Steps Mo. EST went through to integrate GRP • Mo. EST trained the gender focal persons in all the public and private TTCs in GRP using the Malawi GRP Manual • The gender focal persons trained all lecturers from their respective TTCs on GRP • The trained lecturers were integrating GRP when training student teachers in their respective learning areas (subjects)

Steps Mo. EST went through to integrate GRP • New lecturers are oriented/trained as soon as they join the TTC. This also provides opportunity of refresher training for in-service lecturers • Once posted to schools after qualifying, the newly trained teachers were asked to establish gender committees at school level. They were also training other teachers at the school on GRP so that they integrate GRP in their lessons. • An element of Gender was slotted on supervision form during teaching practice.

Enabling Factors • Commitment from Mo. EST to integrate GRP in TTCs and schools • Involvement of Gender Focal Person at Mo. EST • Principals forum on GRP meeting quarterly to share experiences, lessons and challenges and how to address them • Regular monitoring and support visits by Mo. EST in all TTCs • Provision of training manual to all lecturers in both public and private TTCs • GRP manuals were distributed to both primary and secondary schools

Enabling Factors • Teachers in all demonstration primary schools were trained. Demonstration schools are those primary schools attached to a TTC to provide teacher internal teaching practice platform for teacher trainees • Exchange visits among TTC lecturers to foster learning and sharing • All TTCs developed gender policies, strategies and plans e. g. orienting support staff to integrate gender in their work such as Cooks giving equal portion of meals to female student teachers as their male counterparts

Issues to note when integrating GRP • Commitment and leadership at Mo. E is critical • The use of Teacher Training Colleges as entry point for GRP training • Development and distribution of GRP training materials to colleges and schools. • Having gender focal person at Mo. E and TTCs

Issues to note of when integrating GRP • Principals Forum to encourage exchange of experiences, lessons and ideas • Training of all relevant stakeholders in the Ministry of Education on GRP • Regular monitoring by Ministry of Education • To upscale, there is need to decentralised Education structures on GRP so they can orient/train in- service teachers

Policy Recommendations • Teacher Training Colleges should develop gender policies, strategies and plans to effectively mainstream GRP in teacher training programs • Develop training materials on GRP for preservice and in-service teachers, including lecturers in Teacher Training Colleges

Policy Recommendations • Establish learning and sharing platform for Teacher Training College leadership and lecturers such as in Malawi TTC Principals Forum and exchange visits for lecturers. This is a good platform for learning and sharing across TTCs • Institutionalize Gender Committees and Gender Focal Persons at Mo. E, TTCs and schools to push the GRP agenda • GRP trainings should target both public and private TTCs

Policy Recommendations • Build capacity of decentralized Ministry of Education Structures. In the case of Malawi, Education Division Officials, District Education Officials. This will ensure support and sustainability beyond TTC. • Review Mo. E curricula to integrate GRP • Develop gender responsive pedagogy assessment tools for the student teachers. This reinforces the use of GRP by student teachers in their training and teaching practices.