Educating New Teachers in the Developing World

Current and former students of the Planet Aid-supported DNS Teacher Training program talk about their experience in this video from Mozambique. The program produces skilled educators whose influence and impact extends far beyond the classroom.  "I've received three diplomas of honor recognizing that I am one of the best teachers at the school," says graduate Joaquim Mandlate. "But all of this I learned thanks to DNS."

The DNS methodology is a response to the great demand for qualified teachers in developing countries. To provide primary education to all children by the year 2030, 69 million teachers must be recruited and trained. Most teachers placed in developing communities will face enormous challenges, such as high student-to-teacher ratios, few resources, and student populations that lag behind literacy benchmarks. Teachers trained through DNS are prepared to handle these challenges as they complete the curriculum that emphasizes a self-reliant, holistic approach to pedagogy. Graduates go on to become agents of change in both the classroom and community.

The voices featured in the video are just a sampling of the many teachers who have been transformed by the DNS system. Since 1993, more than 15,000 teachers have graduated from the 11 DNS Teacher Training Colleges in Mozambique. The institutions are run by ADPP Mozambique, which has managed a multitude of cross-cutting development projects in the country for over 30 years.

The DNS method has trained teachers in other parts of the globe, as well. Worldwide there are more than 50 DNS Teacher Training Colleges across Mozambique, Malawi, Guinea-Bissau, India, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Angola, and Zambia.

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