Teaching for Change:

Ms. Selina Salim Kime is a Class 1 teacher at a primary school in a remote pastoralist community in Tanzania. Her pupils come from diverse social, economic and cultural backgrounds and travel long distances to reach school.

Like many other teachers in Tanzania, Ms Selina and her colleagues face challenges that impact on the performance of their pupils. There are 600 learners who rely on just eight teachers. Dropout and truancy rates are significant. Learners face poverty that impacts on their concentration in class, or their ability to attend.

In the face of these challenges, Ms. Selina remains determined to improve the quality of learning in her school and build brighter futures for her pupils:

“I wanted to get better strategies that will support my students get important life competencies, including knowing how to read, write and arithmetic (the 3Rs).”

Ms. Selina’s opportunity for change came when she was selected for training through Shule Bora:

“The training I received, especially on creating Individualized Education Plans (IEPs), completely changed my teaching approach.

“Previously, I relied on general teaching methods. Now, I know how to assess each student’s unique needs and provide personalised learning solutions.”

“Learning about different teaching strategies, including using real objects, drawing pictures, bringing leftover materials like used soda bottles, lids, and boxes for improvisation, has created a sense of belonging and security and made learning a fun relatable experience for my students who come from remote areas.

“They now love coming to school, knowing they have a fair chance to learn”.

The impact of Ms Selina’s new knowledge and enthusiasm extends beyond her classroom. Alongside other teachers at Ntwike Primary, she has engaged parents in the education of their children, inviting them to visit the classrooms to see the improved learning materials and classroom arrangements.

Impressed by what they’ve seen, parents have become more engaged; they are more committed to ensuring their children attend school regularly as well as to contributing to the school feeding program and other necessary school needs.

“Parents are very impressed, because they see that now we are genuinely working together for the better. Adjusting our schedule to accommodate students who come from far distances has convinced them that we are committed, and in turn, they are supporting our efforts even more,” says Ms. Selina.

These joint efforts have led to significant improvement in school performance. Truancy and dropout rates have decreased. In 2024, 120 out of 130 students (92.3%) who completed Standard one were reported to have fluently mastered the 3Rs.

Since its launch in 2021, Shule Bora has delivered training to 2,730 teachers (1,974 male and 756 female) building schools’ capacity to deliver innovative, effective teaching and enhance learning quality. As a result, literacy levels have increased in the nine regions where the programme operates.

Through the weekly Community of Learning (CoL), teachers like Ms.Selina have a platform to share their new knowledge and skills with their peers:

“I love sharing what I have learned because it truly changes lives.

“These skills are more impactful when shared with other educators, and I am proud to lead the charge.

“Now I can confidently say that even if I am transferred other teachers can support the students perfectly and students themselves can learn at their own pace using the tools we have made together.”