News from Malawi.

1. House rental for all teachers.

Started from October 2014, all teachers who occupy teachers houses belong to the schools should pay house rent of 10% from the salary to the Brothers. Most of the houses are in bad condition and we are not able to maintain. The only way is to ask people to pay rent so that we can do the maintenance. The schools that provide houeses for teachers are: Montfort SNE College, School for the Deaf Children in Mua, Mountainview and Maryview, St. Louis CDSS, Demonstration School, St. Patricks Secondary School and Mitengo Technical College.

2. Renewal of vows. Recently two brothers renewed their vows for one year. They are: Bro. Trustful Mwachande and StanslaoFinye. Bro. Trustful is teaching SNE (Special Needs of Education) pupils in Maryview. Bro. Stanslao is taking Formation Course at cape Coast in Ghana.

3. House rental of Nyambadwe.

In 2013, we bought a house in Nyambadwe, Blantyre. We renovated and first used to accommodate brothers who attended Con-Con 2014 on August. After that we offer to people to rent our house. We placed advertisement on the newspaper, and many people are interested. We take the applicant who can pay better, it is a Chinese, a newcomer who is doing business in Malawi.

4.1. Daily diary of the Provincial Superior.

October, I visited Mua School for the Deaf to discuss some issues with the headteacher and senior teachers. After the meeting it was ample time to meet teachers and pupils in classes. It was an opportunities for me to try teaching "speech" to learners. They were very enthusiastic.

After entering some classes, it was a time to see the outcome of the renovation of the Convent of Sisters SBVM. The sisters work at the school of the Deaf. The Sisters expressed their gratitude to the Brothers and to donor people help us.

4.2. Teaching Practice Supervision in the field.

On 19-24 October I went to the field to supervise student teachers who are doing Teaching Practice at Primary Schools in Blantyre Rural. We were seven lecturers, visited 32 Primary Schools, supervising 269 students, and covered distance of 675 km. It was an effective work. Everyday, we left at 06.00 and each lecturer was given one school with eight student teachers. So we have to sit down from 07.30 up to 13.40, supervising all students. After knock off, we have to meet all students together with head-teacher, deputy head-teacher and mentor (the senior teacher in charge of helping student teachers.

There I gave report on the performances of student teachers, and at the same time to point out some common mistakes or weaknesses and how to deal with it. The last step was to check their files and other administration assignments. Usually by 16.00 we finished the work, waiting the car to pick me up upon the arrival at the place of accommodation we gather together and share our work of the day.

Teaching pupils in big classes.

Most of the schools I visited are big schools. The classes are crowded. A classroom can accommodate more than hundred pupils especially in junior classes of standard three and four. This is the big challenge for the teachers in Malawi. In some schools, learners are still learning under the trees as there are lack of classroom. However, most of learners are very keen to learn.

Meeting former students.

The most inspiring experiences of this exercise is that everytime going to the field I always meet former students both Montfort College or Blantyre TTC. When I arrived at Michiru Primary School, the head-teacher asked me: "Brother, do you remember me?" I answered :"Montfort 1992-1993". "Half correct!" he said. "I am Mr. Kadambo, Montfort 1993-1994!” The mentor of this school is former student Montfort 1996.

Feeding children at the School

This project was started by the NGO called "Mary's Meal". The aim is to provide porridge to the pupils at school so that children are encouraged to go to school. As far as I know this project is done in some districts in the South. Every-time I visit school I always ask for porridge. It is made from soya flour mixed with maize flour.  There are two schools that started received porridge this week, these are Mlambe 1 FPS and Michiru. This organization has been feeding thousand of pupils daily for more than five years. They got donations from many countries in Europe. This project helps children to stay at school until the last lesson.  The school committee employs women to cook, the organization provides food-stuff and cups for each pupil. In standard 1,2,they go home at 11.05, In standard 3-5, the lesson ends at 13.05 while in standard 6,7,8, they knock off at 13.40. Most of the children go to school without breakfast.   Feeding children at schools is very effective ways of helping children to be educated.