Tuesday 1 November
It was off to Ngumbe PS early this morning for another 5th anniversary plaque presentation – the schools adore them and are so proud to receive them.
And we’d been told that they had lots planned for our visit so we stayed all morning and were very late for our next appointment in true Malawian style.
Dorica, Ngumbe’s HT, greeted us like long lost family as soon as the car pulled up with pupils shouting ‘moni’ ‘moni’ and swarming all around us.
You quickly realise in Malawi that this has a lot to do with the camera…they are all such posers and love their picture being taken.
We took so many videos and pictures this morning that we ran out of battery …so no video evidence of any dancing or dressing in traditional clothes today!
First it was the formal prayer, greeting and presentation of the leadership certificates for the senior managers training run for MLOL by Tom McDonald.
Headteachers had travelled, some from a great distance, from early morning to receive their certificates from the two District Education Managers for Blantyre Rural and Blantyre Urban – Paul and Evelyn.
Paul was very complimentary about our project and the impact it is having in their schools, he said: “No matter how long the journey takes, it is a step at a time. We are creating leaders who will take our schools to new levels and it is thanks to MLOL and our continuing partnership.”
Evelyn added: “There are many differences between managers and influencers – we need our HTs to now pass on their new knowledge to other school staff. It is not easy to measure leadership but we certainly have the evidence that the MLOL partnership is working.”
How awesome is that?
As awesome as one of the HTs in the group quoting our ‘if you want to go fast, go alone and if you want to go far, go together’!
We predict this HT will go far (together).
It was then over to the learners, and they blew us away.
They held a press conference where they took on the personas of Maureen, Fiona, Tom McDonald, Marie Breckenridge and Fraser Gilmour…it was hilarious and they had obviously done their homework adding personal information when answering questions the pretend journalists asked them.
Another dust in the eye moment for us both as we headed out to the school playground to the see the sports leaders in action – including some delightful, Scottish country dancing.
It is obvious that since their interaction with our PE and active school coordinator MLOLs that the school has embraced the sports and activity concept long after the MLOLs departed for home.
Ever the teacher, Maureen explained that when she first came out five years ago there was no PE provision in Malawian schools – unlike Scotland’s emphasis on healthy children – and was met with quizzical faces when she spoke to Malawian officials about the benefits to a child’s learning.
How wonderful then that it has been embraced by so many of our Malawian schools – helping with the children’s motor skills, concentration and confidence and raising attainment!
Teamwork makes the dream work.
A quick tour of the new classroom blocks – built by Holyrood Secondary pupils – and deliver some Book Aid donated books for their library – it was with some regret that we bid farewell and left for Chilimoni.
Not before Dorica thanked us again for being part of our project – but as Maureen said to her: “We only offer up some solutions and guidance – it is the headteachers and staff that are making the difference.”
It was not quite so positive at Chilimoni.
We met the new Headteacher and the sports master, Elyias who updated us on the MYLOL group who worked alongside the 2015 MYLOLs from St Mungo’s and Eastbank Academy.
All 10 learners were successful at gaining a place at secondary school and they now have a new MYLOL team who are carry on the good work with sports leadership with the lower forms in the school – Go MYLOL!
Their library was a disaster.
But Maureen quickly switched to her solution focus mode and had a plan in place in no time.
A new Headteacher has taken over so there was no point in being downbeat and agreed to start a fresh with a new plan and promises.
Lots of nods of agreement – very typically Malawian.
Let’s hope that it is not just lip service.
Hard to believe that we have only two full days left in the warm heart of Africa – and we have quite a few schools left to visit before we leave on Friday.
A ‘wazza, wazza’ Matinde welcome to come tomorrow.
