Case Studies
St. Dominic's High School (Santa Sabina), Sutton and Masongola Secondary School, Zomba, Malawi
Background
This partnership is now in its second year, having grown rapidly since it was established in 2009. the initial contact between the two schools was made during a Trócaire study trip for Irish teachers to Malawi in 2008, which Sara Bradshaw - a teacher in Santa Sabina and WorldWise project coordinator in the school - participated in. She returned there in the summer of 2008 to teach at Masongola Secondary School and a link between the schools was established. Both schools formally joined the WorldWise programme in 2009.
Focus
The aims of the project are to enable mutual learning of each others’ culture, to understand daily life through letter writing and profile exchange and to investigate development issues through joint project work. In recognition of the importance of development education there is now a Development Education module in Transition year and several R.E. classes in Santa Sabina which are involved in projects with Masongola students. Development issues are also explored in many Geography and CSPE classes. See our partnership agreement for more detailed information.
Progress
Following an initial exchange of student profiles between both schools, participating students are now involved in joint project work on environment, rights and responsibilities, and health. They are also engaged in a joint recycling project which is progressing very well. Students in Santa Sabina have been enthusiastically involved in a series of workshops provided by WorldWise in conjunction with IDEA (Irish Development Education Association) members. These student workshops are currently available to all WorldWise schools (see the flyer for more details).
The highlight of the partnership to date has been the impact of reciprocal WorldWise teacher visits, which have created great energy and excitement for the project amongst both Malawian and Irish students, and which have helped the project to progress in terms of developing ideas and planning. The 2009 visit by Masongola teachers Ms. Ellen Chapita (WorldWise project coordinator) and Mr. Enock Abraham was a wonderful experience - you can read more about the visit from the partner teachers' perspective in Ms. Chapita and Mr. Abraham's report. This was followed by the recent visit by two other members of staff from Masongola, Mr. Mphedwa and Ms. Kansale, in November 2010, which introduced different subject teachers to the partnership.
Future
Now that both schools are well into the second year of this partnership, they are happy with the strong foundation that has been laid and look forward to gaining a deeper insight into each others' cultures, and to exploring development issues together. They are also excited about opening the project up to more students and teachers in more and varied subject areas in both schools in the future.
Good practice elements from this partnership
Partnership agreement
