Institute set up in Mombasa to train nursery school teachers

A new institution has been set up to train pre-primary education teachers for three coastal counties.

The Madrasa Early Childhood Development Teacher Training Institute will equip teachers with professional skills for handling children in Mombasa, Kwale and Kilifi, according to Programme Director Amina Mwitu.

“We have training facilities that will improve the professionalism of our graduates,” she said during the opening of the institute in Mombasa Town on Monday evening.

“In this way we expect to produce the best teachers who are well equipped to handle children.”

The project is sponsored by the Aga Khan Foundation, the national government, Mombasa County and the Canadian government.

It works with community pre-schools.

WORLD-CLASS CURRICULUM

So far, more than 600 teachers have been trained in a two-year early childhood development course and over 2,000 in short courses. The programme has helped communities to graduate over 50,000 children.

Ms Mwitu said they had developed a world-class curriculum that would enable the trainees to become model early childhood teachers focused on quality and holistic child development.

Mvita MP Abdulswamad Nassir, who was the guest during the opening of the institute, said it was necessary to upgrade teachers’ skills to bridge the gap existing between technological advancement and curriculum.

The institution will receive an annual allocation from the Constituency Development Fund to run its activities.

Ms Mwitu said they were determined to ensure that the college makes a lasting contribution to the development of the county and the coastal region.

“We are hopeful that the new development will provide sustainable learning results and better transition of pupils from pre-primary to primary school hence igniting their prosperity for future academic excellence.”

Ms Samira Mbarak, the principal, said the institution has a well-equipped library, a training kit and a laboratory.