Education managers/advisers

The introduction of free primary education for all in Malawi in 1994 was a tremendous step forward in the country’s development. However, very high pupil to qualified teacher ratios are an inevitable result of the policy. Once teachers are qualified, there’s little opportunity for continuing professional development, which is essential for increasing both the quality of teaching and the motivation of teachers.

Volunteers in Malawi support the Ministry of Education in both pre-service and in-service primary teacher training. As a continuing professional development facilitator, you’ll support colleagues to assess and respond to the training needs of primary school teachers throughout the district. You’ll help to raise the profile of the teacher development centres (TDCs) and increase their accessibility to all sectors of the community.

What does the role involve?

• Identifying rofessional development needs of teachers and running appropriate forms of training
• Supporting and advising teachers in the classroom
• Promoting the use of the TDCs to encourage and engage teachers, pupils and the community to use them
• Encouraging the embedding of teachers’ development within school improvement plans<
• Organising training for teachers on HIV and AIDS issues in relation to both integration in the school curriculum and their own lives

Skills, qualifications and experience required

You’ll be a qualified primary teacher with at least three years’ classroom experience. Some computer literacy and the ability to share basic IT skills are essential. Experience of teacher training is useful, but not essential. Experience of working with children with Special Needs and some knowledge of information management would also be helpful.

You’ll need to be flexible and adaptable enough to deal with last minute changes or hitches with good humour. Patience, commitment and enthusiasm are essential for all VSO volunteers. You’ll get around by motorbike (we will provide training) so a sense of adventure is also beneficial.

And the rest...

You’ll be based at the Bumba Teacher Development Centre on the outskirts of Rumphi in the north of Malawi. The region is surrounded with beautiful hills and has marvellous views across the plains to the Zambia. Rumphi has a moderate climate with daytime temperatures ranging from 22-35°C, with cold nights from April to August and a hot, rainy season from December to March.

The people of this region are mainly subsistence and tobacco farmers and, like all Malawians, usually very friendly and welcoming to newcomers. You’ll probably share accommodation with another volunteer. Most houses have two bedrooms, a living room, bathroom and kitchen, with electricity and cold running water. Although Rumphi is a rural town, it does have a few facilities including a post office, market and supermarket. For banks, the internet and a wider variety of goods you’ll travel to Mzuzu, a vibrant and bustling town about 64km away.

Papua New Guinea enjoys exceptional cultural and linguistic diversity but due to its geographic complexity, development challenges are particularly difficult. Many rural areas, where the majority of its 5.3 million people live, can only be reached by air, reinforcing inequalities in access to education and health services. Papua New Guinea is currently reforming its education system with the aim of improving the quality of teaching and learning practices in secondary schools across the country.

VSO tries to address the underlying problem in secondary schools by working with the University of Goroka, the only university training teachers that are teaching secondary schools. The Faculty of Education has the vision of graduating teachers who will become highly skilled and knowledgeable, as well as excellent role models in every sector of society. As an educational manager you will help to improve teaching, learning and leadership practices with Papua New Guineans.

What does the role involve?

• Developing and implementing course materials for a mixed mode school leadership/management programme
• Helping to develop research skills by conducting studies in partnership with Papua New Guineans
• Sharing knowledge, skills and experience with members of the Educational Foundations section
• Co-teaching courses in school based management and leadership programmes

• Networking with satellite schools and other organisations

Skills, qualifications and experience required

You’ll need to have a post-graduate degree in educational management, as well as management experience at head or deputy head level at school level or within educational institutions. You’ll need the ability to produce teaching materials in modular format and localised teaching materials. You will be able to be flexible and appreciate tertiary linkage with the community. You’ll have excellent interpersonal, communication and team working skills. In addition, an enthusiasm for living and working in a new and diverse culture.

And the rest...

The mainland of Papua New Guinea and its associated archipelagos stretch across a distance of almost 3,000km between the equator and the southwestern rim of the Pacific Ocean. Although the country only represents one per cent of the world’s surface area, it is home to an estimated five per cent of the world’s biodiversity. The climate is generally hot – most regions experience sunshine for the majority of the year and likewise all areas have a rainy season. The university will provide furnished accommodation with a reliable water supply. Internet access in available at the university and in cafes in Goroka town.

We’ll ask you to commit to 12-24 months to make a sustainable contribution to our development goals. In return, we’ll give you comprehensive financial, personal and professional support. We'll provide you with extensive training before your placement, and our financial package includes a living allowance, return flights, accommodation, insurance and more. When you return to your home country, we'll help you to resettle and many of our returned volunteers stay involved with us long after their placement ends.

Much progress has been made in improving school attendance and the overall quality of education in Namibia. However the remote northern region of the country have not received an equal level of support and guidance needed to ensure that children have access to the quality of education they deserve. As an education manager based at the Ministry of Education in northern Namibia, you’ll strengthen the professional capacity of staff to enhance the quality and effectiveness of classroom teaching. In addition you’ll develop and implement a cohesive cross-school performance management system to effectively assess staff training and development needs within the Oshana region.

What does the role involve?

• Developing and implementing a performance management system to assess staff training and development needs
• Working with senior staff to strengthen team planning, implementation and review of the region’s schools
• Increasing the management and leadership skills of school directors, enabling them to lead there schools more effectively
• Providing support in areas such as analysis of assessment models and examination methods for schools

Skills, qualifications and experience required

You’ll be a qualified teacher with at least five years’ management experience within the education sector. The role requires strong leadership and managerial skills and the ability to work effectively in a cross-cultural team. You’ll be proficient in organising and delivering training workshops and have a strong understanding of monitoring and evaluating systems. A sense of humour and a flexible, positive approach are key qualities in all VSO volunteer!

And the rest...

Namibia is one of the largest and least known countries in Southern Africa, with the vast landscapes and spectacular red dunes of the Namib Desert, the unspoilt Atlantic coast and game-rich national parks. The Namibian climate varies from arid and semi-arid to sub-tropical with the hottest months being January and February. You’ll be based in Oshakati, the capital of the Oshana region. The town affords a variety of restaurants, a thriving local market and a railway station and airport, making it easy to travel to Windhoek, the capital of Namibia.

We’ll ask you to commit to 12 - 24 months to make a sustainable contribution to our development goals. In return, we’ll give you comprehensive financial, personal and professional support. We'll provide you with extensive training before your placement, and our financial package includes a living allowance, return flights, accommodation, insurance and more. When you return to your home country, we'll help you to resettle and many of our returned volunteers stay involved with us long after their placement ends.

Rwanda’s education system suffered huge losses in qualified teachers during the 1994 genocide but the country is rebuilding its education infrastructure and has made remarkable progress since then. Rwanda is on its way to reaching the education Millennium Development Goals with a primary school enrolment rate of over 90 per cent. But retention rates are poor, with many students not attending school past primary level, due to social exclusion and poor quality of education.

As an education manager working with the Provincial Office of Education in Shyogwe, you’ll supervise schools and promote formal and non-formal education programmes. You’ll enhance the quality and effectiveness of classroom teaching and learning in primary and lower secondary schools by strengthening the professional capacity and inclusive education skills of teachers.

What does the role involve?

• Assisting the provincial coordinator of education for schools in supervising schools in the Shyogwe diocese
• Enhancing the teaching skills of teachers and enabling them to implement effective training for staff in their schools
• Promoting the effective and efficient use of teaching resources in schools
• Raising awareness of inclusive education management
• Increasing the management and leadership skills of school directors, enabling them to lead their schools more effectively

Skills, qualifications and experience required

You’ll be a qualified teacher with at least five years’ experience in primary or lower secondary education. Strong leadership and management skills are also essential, as is knowledge of best practice in differentiation and inclusive education. Patience, flexibility and the ability to speak French are important, as it will help you to build strong relationships with colleagues. A sense of adventure would also be beneficial, as you’ll be travelling around by motorbike, (VSO provide training).

And the rest...

Rwanda has a surprisingly varied landscape for such a small country. Known as the ‘Land of the thousand hills’ it’s situated on the watershed between Africa’s two largest river systems, the Nile and the Congo and most of the country is impressively mountainous. Rwanda is happily situated just below the equator, so enjoys a temperate climate all year round.

You’ll be based in Shyogwe in a small village four kilometres from the road that runs from Kigali to Butare in the South of Rwanda. It has a small market selling fresh fruit, vegetables, meat, fresh bread, milk and clothes. Rwanda is Africa’s premier gorilla trekking ground and you might get the chance to spend time with rare primates such as mountain gorillas, colobus and baboons.

The education sector in Guyana has been placed under severe strain due to an acute skills shortage. VSO volunteers are working to improve this through teacher training and management support for regional education offices and curriculum development. One of the organisations that we works with is the NCERD, an organisation that is responsible for the planning and implementation of all in-service teacher training in the country. As a senior educationalist, you’ll enhance the leadership and management capacity of schools and regional education officials by developing the organisation’s Education Management Certificate Programme.

What does the role involve?

• Analysing educational leadership and management needs to inform the development of the Education Management Certificate Programme
• Reviewing training modules and relevant materials used for the Education Management Certificate Programme and offering advice on improvements
• Holding training sessions for trainers who are delivering the Education Management Course
• Advising on examinations and module assignments for the programme

Skills, qualifications and experience required

You’ll need extensive experience of working in the education sector with at least five years’ in a senior leadership role. You’ll be confident in giving guidance and advice on education management issues and conducting assessments of education leadership development programmes. Strong facilitation and training skills are essential. You’ll also need to be adaptable and patient as the pace of work and life can be very slow. Excellent team working and interpersonal skills are also important as you’ll need to build strong relationships with your colleagues and a variety of stakeholders.

And the rest...

Situated on the Caribbean coast of South America, Guyana is a beautiful, fascinating country where you’ll find a rich mix of cultures and landscapes. Geographically it’s part of South America, yet historically, culturally and politically it has more in common with the English-speaking countries of the Caribbean. You’ll be based in Georgetown, the countries capital with approximately 160,000 inhabitants. The city has good facilities and you’ll be provided with accommodation within a 20-minute bike ride to work.

We’ll ask you to commit to 12-24 months to make a sustainable contribution to our development goals. In return, we’ll give you comprehensive financial, personal and professional support. We'll provide you with extensive training before your placement, and our financial package includes a living allowance, return flights, accommodation, insurance and more. When you return to your home country, we'll help you to resettle and many of our returned volunteers stay involved with us long after their placement ends.

The three northern regions of Ghana (Upper East, Upper West and Northern) are the poorest and most disadvantaged area of Ghana. In these regions, 28.5 per cent of adults are illiterate, whilst less than nine per cent of school children who finish primary school can barely read with understanding. VSO is working in partnership with the Ghana Education Service to improve access to and the quality of education in primary schools.

As a management support officer with the District Education Office in Zebilla, you will support this work by strengthening the capacity of Ghana Education Service staff and Head teachers at the district level to implement functional monitoring services.

What does the role involve?

• Working with senior management, circuit supervisors and head teachers to ensure effective monitoring and supervision of schools
• Working with senior management, circuit supervisors and head teachers to improve the school attendance of girls in the district and improve their performance
• Working with senior management and other staff to strengthen accountability, teamwork, planning, monitoring, supervision, and effective people management
  

Skills, qualifications and experience required

You will need to be a qualified primary teacher with substantial experience in education management. You will need to have several years experience as either or a head teacher or management trainer. The ability to develop teaching and learning materials for use with children and to be able to train others to do the same is desirable. You will need to be able to work independently and be a self-starter. Patience, flexibility and a good sense of humour will also help you settle into working and living in a resource-poor country.

And the rest...

Ghana is located on North Africa’s Gulf of Guinea, bordering the Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso and Togo. It is a land of plains and low plateaus, covered by rainforests in the west and magnificent Lake Volta in the east. Zebilla is the capital of the Bawku West District, which was created in 1990. It is a major stop and therefore has fairly easy access to transport to Bolga. You will be sharing your accommodation with another volunteer. Your accommodation will have electricity though water is from a borehole nearby. There is a district hospital in Zebilla and a market where you can buy food and other essential items.

We’ll ask you to commit to 12-24 months to make a sustainable contribution to our development goals. In return, we’ll give you comprehensive financial, personal and professional support. We’ll provide you with extensive training before your placement and our financial package includes a living allowance, return flights, accommodation, insurance and more. When you return to your home country, we’ll help you to resettle and many of our returned volunteers stay involved with us long after their placemen ends.