Our students’ school performance improves significantly

“It was impossible for us to observe the process and understand the relationship between action and reaction of science concepts. Internalizing the theoretical part of our education was one of our tough challenges,” recalls Abdulselam Ahmed a student in Enemor ena Ener district of Gurage zone.

Schools in World Vision interventional areas did not have a library where students can have access to reference books to support their classroom lessons and expand their knowledge about the world outside the school. In a similar fashion, the targeted school did not have laboratories where they can help their students understand, see and grasp science lesson concepts. They were entirely dependent on classroom lectures than experiments or practical lessons. There was no or minimal readiness from the school teachers to prepare teaching aids. In general, the students’ only academic source of knowledge was their school teachers’ notes.

In an intention of improving quality of education in primary schools, World Vision Ethiopia funded by World Vision Korea introduced integrated education projects in Amhara, Oromia and South Nations Nationalities People Region and five Woredas.  In these areas quality of education are inaccessible.

World Vision in collaboration with the community constructed laboratories and libraries, equipped them with relevant materials and provided trainings to teachers on how they can develop teaching aid materials.

Now, students are enjoying reading books in well-established libraries, carrying out experiments in laboratories, teachers and students are creating teaching aid materials in their pedagogy centers. In addition girls get opportunities to have counseling, guidance and psycho social awareness training services in the organized counseling room. These facilities helped students to enjoy school and improve their school performance.

Accordingly World Vision constructed 11 resource rich blocks (a block consists of four rooms that serve as library, laboratory, pedagogy center and girls’ counseling rooms) in 11 schools, build two classroom blocks at different schools. It also provided 3,998 reference books and supported a total of 98 library shelves, 133 tables, 313 combined desks, and different laboratory equipment to all targeted schools. 

The laboratory helps the students to internalize theories.  Workat School was one of the schools without laboratory since its establishment. After the laboratory was in place, students’ interest in school has increased and so has their performance. Abdulselam says, “We are now able to practically prove theory and internalize the subject matter in depth. I personally have improved in my school performance. I stood first from four schools around our area.”

Nejat Abdulwohab explains “There was no opportunity where we can get reference books, we used to read only our teacher notes. This was limiting our knowledge of the subject matter and the world around us.  Since World Vision put this library in place, our academic performance has improved and we are able to gain knowledge about the world around us.” 

“Our students’ academic performance has improved significantly specially in geography, biology and science and Afan Oromo ever since we started to use teaching aid. We are also able to save resources that we used to waste. We are grateful to World Vision for all these remarkable improvement in our students’ performance,” explains Mr. Yared, the school Director.