Nothing impacts children’s learning more than the quality of teaching. In Sierra Leone, a west African country that has been ravaged by civil war and Ebola, a lot of hope is being placed in the education system. Yet, less than half of primary school teachers have any formal teaching qualifications. At CODE, we want to help change that by offering scholarships to motivated young women who aspire to positively impact children’s lives as teachers. We’re a Canadian international development charity focused uniquely on promoting quality education and literacy. For the last 60 years we’ve been working towards a vision of a world where every child can realize their potential as literate, empowered and self-reliant citizens. Listen to learn more about education in Sierra Leone and how you can help.
Our host Emily Prashad interviews Dr. Johanna Kuyvenhoven who is a reading specialist and the lead at CODE in Sierra Leone.
In this mini episode we hear about what is included for each recipient in order to complete their three year teacher certification .
For all the information on the scholarship program please visit our website.
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We are located at 321 Chapel Street Ottawa, ON, Canada K1N 7Z2. 1-800-661-2633. info@code.ngo
This is Emily Prashad, and you're listening to a CODE mini podcast where we aim to provide you with interesting insights and perspective on the global literacy and learning crisis one question and one answer at a time.
Today, I'm speaking with Dr. Johanna Kuyvenhoven CODE Sierra Leone country lead. She’s spent 40 years in the education sector and 20 years working in Sierra Leone. Dr Jo welcome.
Oh, thank you so much. It's a pleasure to be here with you.
The scholarship package that we're offering, these young women who are participating in the program is really all encompassing and it's going to offer them the greatest possible chance of completing their three years of teachers' college. Dr. Jo, I'm just wondering if you can tell us what exactly is included?
Well we pay for the basics. It's not a rich prize, but it gives them what they need to complete the certificate. So we pay for their registration and we also support them through that process of registration. Most of this is done online and many of the women in this program have not actually ever worked on a computer before. We paid for their full tuition and administrative fees. We give them an annual stipend for books, stationary, photocopying. They get a very modest stipend, which is above the equivalent of $40 a month to support them with life's needs and transportation, to, and from their schools and two visits to the college.
We also support them with mentoring. Actually the scholarship program is much more than just about paying fees. Paying fees, not enough to ensure young women in challenging circumstances can follow through with their education and get their certificates. We also have Ruby on the CODE Sierra Leone team. She is available for their phone calls and she checks in on them every couple of weeks to see how they’re doing and if they’re staying with it. Each of the scholarship recipients is also working with a local mentor, a woman who is older than she is or more experienced than she is and can supply her with encouragement and help her talk through some of the issues of teaching and what they’re reading in their distance education modules.
So it's a comprehensive program in that, we really support them personally and professionally the money is adequate to all of the needs that are related to the scholarship program and the certification path.
Thank you, Dr. Jo, stay tuned for more CODE mini podcasts and if you're interested to learn more about our efforts to promote every child's right to learn and read, please visit us online at www.code.ngo