At least 128 school teachers in parts of Duk County, Jonglei State, are undergoing in-service training on pedagogy for learners with special needs.
The 9-day training program, organized by the national NGO Christian Mission for Development (CMD) under the ‘Education Can Not Wait’ project, started on Wednesday.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj, Peter Pal Chol, the organization’s project field supervisor, said the exercise will help improve the quality of education by equipping teachers on how to boost the learning process among the schoolchildren there.
“Apart from teaching on how to assist learners with special needs, we also train them on social and emotional learning, peer-to-peer support that reports learning cycle, and also there will be a training of mentors to help guide the teachers when we are not there,” Pal said.
He added, “82 teachers are being trained here in Poktap and also a similar training is ongoing in Pajut targeting 46 teachers. The teachers are drawn from both the secondary and primary schools.”
One teacher, Abiar Kuol, said: “The skills I will receive will help me become a perfect teacher. This will make the learning process continue. But as female teachers, we also have challenges like no sanitary pads and books even for students. So, we want them (aid agencies) to help us.”
For his part, Daniel Deng Aleer, an administrator in Duk, applauded the teachers’ training program saying it will help tackle a high illiteracy rate in the county and enhance quality education in the schools.
In October last year, about 122 teachers in Duk Padiet town of Duk County in Jonglei State underwent a similar program to improve the learning process.