80 Educators Awarded Certificates by the Aga Khan Academy, Maputo
The group of educators from 16 primary schools in Matola and Boane Districts who were awarded certificates.
The Professional Development Centre at the Aga Khan Academy Maputo awarded course completion certificates to a group of 80 educators from 16 primary schools in Matola and Boane Districts at a ceremony held at its premises Saturday, November 14, 2015. The group of education technicians comprised 19 head teachers, pedagogical directors and coordinators from several areas, who completed a certificate course in Educational Leadership and Management, 27 teachers who attended the Early Reading and Writing programme and 34 teachers who participated in the Early Mathematics and Geometry programmes. These training courses are ministered by the Aga Khan Academy Maputo - Professional Development Centre in partnership with the Ministry of Education and Human Development through the District Services for Education in Matola and Boane, the Professional Training Centres in Matola (Matola Teacher Training College) and Munhuana (Leadership Institute).
The School Principal of 4 de Outubro in Matola, Mrs Maria Antónia Langa giving the diploma to an educator.
The ceremony was honoured by the presence of representatives from the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) in Mozambique (Mrs Nadya Rawjee and Mrs Barbara Ribeiro), a representative from IBIS Mozambique, Mr Moisés Mutuque, a Danish non-governmental organization, which has been collaborating with Matola Teacher Training College, one of our partners, and by alumnae (Mrs Maria Antonia Langa and Mr Lourenço Matusse) graduates from previous certificate courses in Educational Leadership and Management (cohorts 2010 and 2014) very active and influential members of the Leadership Association.
Speaking as the Guest of Honour, the Chairman of the Leadership Association, Mr Lourenço Matusse, congratulated especially the group of headteachers who had just received their certificates of completion of the Course in Educational Leadership and Management, saying: "In every individual, in every moment, there is a place and task to fulfil." However, ‘success in carrying out this task involves necessarily applying the knowledge and skills acquired during the different stages of training along with the experiences shared with fellow colleagues. Today, it is the end of a training programme, but it marks the beginning of another challenge! Therefore, ‘go and exercise your leadership and share your learnings through collaboration and open communication!’ Mr Matusse urged the group of headteachers. Moreover, Mr Matusse used this opportunity to invite all the 19 headteachers to join the Leadership Association.
In another development, the speaker addressing the group of teachers, said: ‘You are also managers in your own way. Every teacher who has to deal with a class of learners is also a manager. Therefore, each of you should strive to get the most from your learners, that is, better learning outcomes in your schools’.
Junior School Principal Maputo Mr Nicholas Manley with the Principal of 4 de Outubro, in Matola, Mrs Maria Antónia Langa and Programmes Coordinator Mr Aleixo Amélia José, cutting the cake at the end of the ceremony.
The certification of this group of head teachers and primary school teachers by the Aga Khan Academy Maputo - Professional Development Centre is in line with the efforts and critical role played by the Academy in the capacity building of educators in Maputo Province, aimed at improving the quality of education. In the certificate course in Educational Leadership and Management, head teachers engaged in collective discussions in which they question their current leadership practices. They are challenged to implement good leadership practices in their schools, including collaborative management, transparency and open communication among all members of the school community for better learner results.
Moreover, the teachers who participated in the Early Reading & Writing and Early Mathematic & Geometry programmes found at the Aga Khan Academy Maputo - Professional Development Centre a forum to share their daily psycho-pedagogical challenges and experiences. Through interactive discussions they learn and try out student-centred approaches and methodologies in the mentioned areas. Teachers are also challenged to use low-cost and recycled learning materials for improved teaching and learning in the classrooms.
The Aga Khan Academy Maputo - Professional Development Centre is also planning to scale up its activities from upcoming year to a more comprehensive approach. It is to train members of school councils, introduce a new educational programme in Information Communication and Technology (ICT) and a more synchronized interaction with school clusters with the sixteen primary schools it has been cooperating with since 2010.
In his closing remarks, the Aga Khan Academy Junior School Principal, Mr Nicholas Manley, encouraged the participants to take the knowledge and experiences shared at the Academy and share with their colleagues who had not yet had the opportunity of attending the programmes at the Professional Development Centre: ‘Please partake the knowledge and skills you learned here at the Aga Khan Academy Maputo, be the change agents who will bring better students results in your schools. We hope to see you soon in our facilities for more of our programmes!’
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