YAI begins teacher training in Sierra Leone
Freetown, Sierra Leone: Youth Action International has launched its first teacher training workshop on leadership and capacity building. The new program was launched at the organization’s head office in Freetown on Feb. 17th. The workshops, which will take place from February 21st -23rd 2008 at the Kissi town community hall will provide training for 50 primary school teachers from five primary and one secondary school in the Kissi town community.
The five day workshop, which is being held under the theme: “Rebuilding Sierra Leone Through Education” is geared towards enhancing the capacity of untrained teachers working in one of Sierra Leone’s poorest communities. Training will be conducted by facilitators from private schools in Freetown and by certified trainers from Sierra Leone’s Teacher Training Institute.
Speaking at the launching program, Yeanoh Conteh, YAI’s Country Representative for Sierra Leone, noted that “35 percent of the teaching population is comprised of untrained and unqualified teachers who find themselves mostly marginalized and desperate to have a future in the teaching service.” She continued: “it is against this background that YAI-SL is taking a critical look into the future of these teachers, and will be working to build capacity of teachers around the country.”