Top class: life-transforming teacher training in Nepal

Education is one of the most powerful tools for changing the world. Across Nepal, BMS World Mission is helping to transform lives by training teachers

“Before the training I did not enjoy my job. I was always depressed and wanting to finish the lesson. I did not have a good way of teaching,” says Usha Kumal, a teacher in Nepal’s Palpa District. “Through training I got a lot of ideas to control the class, to teach in fun and interesting ways, and I became happy with my job.”

Usha is one of many teachers who have received BMS-supported training. We are partnering with the Kathmandu International Study Centre (KISC) Education Quality Improvement Programme (EQUIP) to help train teachers in 36 schools across the country and enhance the quality of education.

In Nepal, rote learning is common practice when it comes to teaching. Children are taught from textbooks and expected to memorise everything. That kind of learning makes it difficult for students to develop the important skills of problem solving and creativity.

“It’s important to remember that rote learning is not always wrong,” says Annie Brown, a BMS mission worker who trains teachers through KISC EQUIP. “But, if that’s the only way that children learn, then they have no way of applying that knowledge and they’re not thinking about what it means.”

Beyond rote learning, another challenge is often the education of teachers. Many have not had more than primary education themselves and have not had teacher training. The training Annie and the KISC EQUIP team provide gives teachers the tools they need to develop problem solving, creative thinking and character in their students. It also provides teachers with different ways to engage students in learning and gives them strategies to manage their classes.

One principal, Ram Chandra Bhandari, has been working at Himchuli School in Lamjung District for nine years and he regularly attends EQUIP leadership training.

“I was struggling with affirming my staff,” says Ram Chandra. “I did not understand its importance, but now I’ve started to do it more and have seen great results because my staff feel happy and valued. I’ve also learnt that it’s important to seek the input of my staff and to listen to them.”

It’s more than just teachers and principals who are feeling the positive impacts of the training. Students also receive support. Each year KISC EQUIP provides scholarships to students in partner schools. This year 90 students (45 boys and 45 girls) received funding.

The scholarships are helping students like 16-year-old Sunita. She’s a bright, hard-working student who recently experienced tragedy when her mum died. This has made it difficult for her to concentrate as she felt responsible for taking care of her siblings outside of school. KISC EQUIP provided her with a scholarship in the hopes that it will help her overcome challenges and fulfil her ambition to become a nurse and serve her community one day.

At BMS we know how important education is to the future of our world, and so we remain dedicated to training teachers in Nepal so that students can get the kind of education that all children deserve. Thank you for helping to make that possible.
 

Transforming lives through education is a part of the strategy at BMS. If you want to support BMS work to change lives through teacher training in Nepal, you can today!

This article first appeared on the website of BMS World Mission and is used with permission.