Teacher Training 2023

We want to start by saying, in all the years we have been working with people in Nepal, we can’t get used to the fact, as a generalisation, they do not smile in photos. They are happier than they look! That fact alone should make you smile.

Our partners, First Steps Himalaya (www.firststepsHimalaya.org) are doing an amazing job in training the teachers in the schools we are supporting. They are also rebuilding the schools in the communities they are supporting while training the teachers. They have worked around the physical, political and cultural obstacles in the years we have got to know them and nothing stops them! What a team of professionals who are really making a difference to the education in this area of rural Nepal. 

Here is the first update on progress with the teachers we are supporting for 2023. Written by Fionna Heiton, Founding Director of First Steps Himalaya:

Dear Pauline and Jo

I am delighted to report that the first round of teacher training has taken place at Jugal School.  Durga and our trainers Ranjana and Sabina were over there recently and spent 3 days at Jugal – 1 full day and 2 x half days ( where it was just 2 degrees and a bit of a shock to the girls who hadn’t dressed for the weather- they will know next time!). The training went really well and the group learnt new active movement activities, behaviour management techniques and ideas for resources for their classrooms.19 teachers attended: 12 teachers from Jugal including the head teacher, 2 from Shree basic school ( Milan’s school) and 1 from Kalansha. They also had the following fill the extra spaces from other interested nearby schools: 2 from Kalidevi, ( one of the Jugal teachers had transferred here and asked to come). Similarly 1 from Panchakanya basic school and 1 from Jal Devi Basic School attended as they had heard about the training and they joined.

Unfortunately, the project vehicle did not go well on the roads ( it was bad last time but worse this time) and Durga spent 4 hours trying to get it fixed then had to head back to Kathmandu with it for repair. This meant sadly having to cancel the second one-day training at Sundaradevi. Ranjana is working on either getting back over there or calling them into Sangachok along with Singhadevi school and we will let you know when this has been arranged.

It was too soon to go back and do monitoring as the schools were just doing admissions for the next sessions and  we actually need to let them start using what they have learnt. As it would be near impossible to attempt going into the area during the monsoon which is not far away, Ranjana and Sabina plan to go there soon.

Durga is back in Nepal from end August/ early September until November and we will be running training and monitoring again then.