Salima district chief education officer Saulos Namani says the new teaching methods implemented by The Story Workshop Education Trust have motivated children to remain in school.

He said this on Friday when the trust held an education festival at Ngodzi in Traditional Authority Kambalame in the district.

Namani said since the trust launched the Kankha Maphunziro Campaign in November 2022, learners have been motivated to work hard.

He said the campaign has equipped teachers with knowledge and skills in teaching adolescents interpersonal skills and critical thinking.

He said: “The Kankha toolkit is what we needed in the district because there is high school dropout rate due to fishing activities and early marriages.

“We hope to retain learners who dropped out of school because the Kankha approach encourages us to find ways of re-admitting learners.”

The Story Workshop Education Trust executive director Kent Mphepo said the Kankha approach was research-based.

He said: “We conducted a survey which revealed that most learners don’t feel inspired to stay in school.

“So, we came up with the initiative to make lessons enjoyable.”

The toolkit employs special interventions and activities to equip learners with interpersonal and critical thinking skills and self-awareness to unlock their hidden talents and open their eyes to see the value of education.

The initiative is a one-year Unicef-funded project implemented through the United Nations Joint Programme on Girls Education in Mangochi, Dedza, Salima and Kasungu districts.

During the community festival, students recited poems, debated on issues that affect them and played a football match. The learners also showcased educational jingles on the Kankha Campaign.

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