Train 60 girls in computer coding in Afghanistan

Project Report | Aug 19, 2016
Teachers training now reaching all 15 schools!

By R Sherazi | Fundraising Specialist

As we enter the second half of the school year, during the reporting period, January to June 2016, Womanity implemented activities in all of the 15 schools enrolled to the School in a Box program in Afghanistan.

The training focused on science subjects in partnership with the National Science Centre of the Ministry of Education and.

Below is a summary of activities implemented up to June 2016 (accumulative) against each subject area:

Science training:

This year to date Womanity has conducted a total of 15 training modules in science in three locations (in the premises of the National Science Centre, in the Malalai-Shahid school in the district of Char Asyeab and in the Gholam Haidar Khan school for Girls in Panjshir) for a total of 540 hours of classes to a total of 244 teachers.

Each training course included 180 hours of teaching divided into five subjects (Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, Biology and Environmental Science).

A science refresher training and teacher performance monitoring:

Following the learning from the past academic year, between June and August, Womanity planned a series of visits to be conducted by the trainers of the National Science Center to science teachers directly in to teaching environment and school labs to address any specific problem or questions related to the teacher's daily tasks. This on-site coaching is a valuable process for driving changes in vocational performance to in turn better affect teenage girls in class.

During the reporting period and based on the requests of schools, 80 sessions (10 per schools in eight schools) are planned for a total of 640 hours of supervision for 2016. 40 sessions (five in each school) were organized during the reporting period. They have addressed the needs 143 teachers to date.

Beneficiary schools were Al Fatah, Sardar Daud Khan, Spen Kalai, Wahdat, Khauja Lakan, Naswan Paghman, Abdullah Bin Omar, and Qala Malik schools.

Computer and English training

Womanity has organized two computer sciences training in Sardar Daud Khan school to date. One computer science training and one English training in Spen Kalai school ended in June 2016 and one computer science training in Malalai-Shahid school expected at the end of October.

Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and teaching methodologies training, Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) training, First Aid training

Womanity organized the CRC training for 53 teachers in Al Fatah, Abdullah Bin Omar and Mer Bacha Koot schools; DRR training for 47 teachers in Wahdat and Malalai-Shahid. This is very importsant conosdering the political and social instability of many regions in Afghanistan, and also the earthquake prevalence across the country.

In total 392 teachers have enrolled in Womanity training classes to date. 62 are still attending classes, while the rest are well equipped with the previous training.

Pre and post tests of completed teacher training classes showed an improvement in the knowledge of the subjects taught of 43points/100 (pre-test average score 28/100 – post test average score 71/100). This shows considerable differences once teachers are given the skills and knwoledge to drive eduactional shifts for young women in Afghanistan.

Links:

Check out how girls are learning to code in Afghanistan

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May 20, 2016
More Teacher Changemakers are in the classroom

By Ryna Sherazi | Fundraising and Communications Specialist

Since our last report in February, the school bells have rung out for the start of the semester and the academic year. Afghan's school year begins in March, before which many teachers were already being trained in key areas for the classroom (see previous report, February 2016).

In the past three months Womanity has seen a great increase in its training activities for teachers. Womanity has also seen the kick-off of one of our most exciting educational activities to date: teaching girls to code, and training teachers to teach and encourage this subject amongst Afghanistan's schools.

In this quarter 254 training participants have received subject-related training to enhance their working practices in the classroom. Some remain ongoing - such as computer teacher training which is a six month training commitment. Womanity has been overwhelmed by the high levels of attendance and participation.

We can only conduct this much-needed training for Afghanistan's educational changemakers, because of your support. Thank you!

But don't just take our word for it. Here's what one of our teacher trainees things of the training, and the difference it will make:

Malaka, a 41 year old teacher in Kabul says:

"This very useful training for all science teachers, and now we can learn more classroom experiments it means we will provide these to students in the school.

"This is very good training for us as we learn more. I am convinced that our improved knowledge has a very good effect on the students."

Can Girls Code? Yes, Girls Can Code!

In April 2016, Womanity embarked on a new teaching enterprise to compliment its curriculum and school infrastructure work.

Following a deep and thoughtful evaluation of School in a Box, at the end of 2015, one thing became very clear: that while offering a quality education at high school has great education outcomes - to ensure real and lasting livelihood outcomes for educated girls, we needed to revamp our vocational training program into a program that was market-led and provided necessary skills, and provided life skills necessary for life as an independent woman.

The Womanity Foundation is pioneering a yearlong Web Development Course in two of the largest girls’ public high schools in Kabul, Afghanistan. This groundbreaking program, Girls Can Code |Afghanistan, is designed for 11^th and 12^th grade girls and includes over 300 hours of instruction in HTML, CSS, JavaScript and PhP. It is anambitious curriculum and is additive to the core curriculum for the school year. The primary objective is to improve the educational, professional and economic opportunities for young Afghan women in the technology field. For more information check out the link to the Womanity blog.

Links:

Teaching girls to code as well as traditional subjects

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Feb 22, 2016
Transforming our teachers into ChangeMakers

By Ryna Sherazi | Fundraising and Communications Specialist

Thank you for your kind donation to Afghanistan's girls. By providing quality teachers you are helping to give the best possible gift for the future of the country.

The last three months have seen real progress in the provision of teacher training. November saw the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding with the Ministry of Education (a formality that allows Womanity to work with the Ministry in its implementation of quality girls' education).

Since then 128 teachers began their course of training in Computer science, Maths, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Environmental science, English and disaster preparedness creating inspiring community leaders who will affect real change for their students.

The teacher training sessions have been organized by independent professional trainers and prior to each training. Womanity monitors qualitative changes through initial and post-training testing in order to ensure that Afghanistan's girls' schools are equipping their teachers in the skills and knowlegde they require to deliver a quality education. The 15 schools in which Womanity works are in Kabul, Panjshir and Kapisa provinces.

With your support Womanity is able to improve the learning of girls in Afghanistan, and in improving the livelihood of (often women) teachers. For us this is a win-win.

The academic year begins again in March 2016. This year Womanity will also pilot a new part of its vocational training in 2 schools. Girls Can Code, Afghanistan will bring a university coding course to girls in public schools for the very first time. For more information on this new and innovative part of our program please contact info@womanity.org

As the program to train 250 teachers is still not 100% funded, we would be grateful for your help in spreading the word and encouraging friends and family to join this vital campaign.

With thanks once again for you kind suupport.

Links:

The Womanity Foundation Website

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