Sophia Kawegere, a 30-year-old preschool teacher at Enaboishu Primary School in Arusha, Tanzania, earned her the top spot in the first-ever national competition held in Tanzania. Organized by the Tanzania Institute of Education (TIE) and funded by the World Bank’s Boost Primary Student Learning Project (BOOST), the competition aimed to celebrate teachers’ competencies and encourage the use of its Learning Management System (LMS), an online platform for accessing digital teaching resources and online learning initiatives.
The competition is an integral part of Tanzania’s Teachers’ Continuous Professional Development (TCPD) initiative, known as Mafunzo Endelevu kwa Walimu Kazini (MEWAKA), which supports school-based professional development for teachers. It brought together pre-primary and primary teachers from 26 local government authorities (LGAs) participating in the BOOST Project to demonstrate their skills in teaching mathematics, particularly in challenging areas like geometry, algebra, integers, and statistics.
When Sophia Kawegere heard about a national teaching skills competition, she saw it as a chance to elevate the image of preschool teaching. For too long, the profession had been undervalued, and Sophia wanted to showcase the joy and honor that comes with teaching at this level.
Empowering Educators: Tanzania’s Teacher Continuous Professional Development Initiative
To participate in the competition, teachers recorded videos of themselves teaching live classes and submitted them through TIE’s LMS. A total of 99 videos were received and reviewed in three phases by a panel of judges, including school quality assurers, university lecturers, and curriculum developers. The process narrowed down the selection to the top 10 finalists who had to demonstrate their teaching skills in person before a panel of six judges.
Sophia’s exceptional teaching skills and dedication impressed the judges, and she was crowned the winner during a ceremony attended by education officials, including the Minister of Education, Professor Adolph Mkenda, and representatives from the World Bank. Apart from receiving a cash prize and a certificate of recognition, Sophia’s victory has set a new precedent for celebrating preschool teaching in Tanzania.
The competition not only celebrated teachers’ competencies but also aimed to highlight the significance of early education in shaping the skills of future generations. Through the BOOST Project, which also focuses on developing teaching-learning materials, constructing classrooms, and empowering schools with ICT hubs, Tanzania seeks to improve the quality of education and competitiveness of the nation.
As the winner of the competition, Sophia feels motivated to continue teaching with creativity, knowing that her efforts and dedication are recognized. The competition’s success has shown that by empowering teachers, especially those shaping young minds in the early grades, Tanzania can create a promising future for its students and the nation as a whole.
Dr. Xiaoyan Liang, the BOOST task team leader, emphasizes that prioritizing support and respect for teachers is vital for improving the quality of education and enhancing the nation’s competitiveness. Tanzania’s commitment to empowering its teachers through initiatives like the national competition is a positive step towards achieving educational excellence.
