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Lake Malawi Teaching Volunteer Project

Make a genuine difference in the education and futures of local children, assisting the teachers in understaffed and underesourced rural schools on the shores of Lake Malawi.

Background

Most children start their formal education at primary school in Malawi at the age of six.  Primary school is divided into 8 standards and hence takes at least 8 years to complete.  All children in Malawi are entitled to free primary school education.  However, this is often of a low standard, particularly in rural areas, due to very large class sizes, which may exceed 100 students.  Classes commonly consist of children of a wide range of ages, as without sufficient personal attention, those who are struggling and hence do not pass exams, are held back to repeat the year.

Resources are so limited in some schools that children will sit on the floor and often do not have exercise books, pens, or pencils.  Even classrooms are limited, so younger classes may be taught outside, under the shade of a tree, with children writing their answers in the dirt.

This is why we need your help as a teaching volunteer in Malawi.  English, as your first language, is an important subject that you can help to teach effectively, as well as other core subjects, including maths and science, depending upon your experience and knowledge.  Marked improvement in the exam results have been recorded at the schools in which volunteers have been assisting, so you can make a difference. 

Highlights