We successfully completed the learning to read project in Nepal through your help.
Enabled by a child-oriented expansion of their learning environment, 210 preschoolers as well as 400 first and second graders have improved their reading skills. Thanks to your generous donations, we have raised a total amount of EUR 12,000 to support this project. Together with the local educational authorities and the help of families of the project region, Plan International renovated pre- and elementary school institutions and upgraded them with age appropriate learning materials. Furthermore, the teaching staff was trained in child appropriate teaching methods. Parents were more strongly involved in the learning process of their children as well.
The ability to read and comprehend texts is essential for school success and builds the foundation for further educational opportunities. Plenty of children, who live in the remote region Dolpa, which is located in the northwest of Nepal, have a big problem to learn how to write in their official language Nepalese, because it differs from their mother language. To strengthentheir reading ability the children should start to learn how to read in their mother language at preschool age. If they are able to handle their mother language confident it could be easier to recognize connections between languages, which leads to an basic way in learning Nepalese at elementary school age.
Project background
Nepal is one of the poorest countries in Asia. In the region of Dolpa more than 55 % of women and 30 % of men cannot read nor write. There is hardly no road transport infrastructure in the sparsely populated region at the foot of the Himalaya, between 1.500 m and 1.700 m altitude. It takes two to four hours to get from one settlement to another. A bad educational situation is the consequence of such harsh living conditions in Dolpa.
Measures
Plan International is renovating pre- and elementary school institutions together with the local educational authorities and the help of families of the project region. They’re upgrading these institutions withage appropriate learning materials. The teaching staff will be upskilled in child appropriate teaching methods. Parents should be integrated more in the learning process of their children.
Thanks to your great donations, we were able to support these individual components of the project
Workshop for the preparation of local toys
In addition to training for parents to improve early childhood education, plan offers workshops where mothers and fathers can learn how to make toys from locally available materials. This way, parents can help their children with simple and cost-effective means for their development.
Play and learning materials for preschool
The preschool classrooms will be equipped with age-appropriate play and learning materials. The books and toys promote the social and motor skills of children.
Renovation of two preschools
In addition to the classrooms for the first and second class in primary schools, plan also renovates the seven pre-schools in the project villages. The rooms are renovated and equipped with child-friendly furniture. With your help, we were able to renovate two of them.