Education – Projects

CONTEXT

Los Quinchos School was founded in 1981 during the early years of the Sandinista revolution and occupies a one acre site located in the southwest neighborhood (barrio) of San Judas in the capital city of Managua. Its 30 committed teachers are paid by the Ministry of Education, while donations from many international sources (including the United Church of Canada) strive to meet its operational costs.

The school provides elementary and secondary education as well as informal value formation, cultural enrichment, and skills training for 900 students from ages 6-16. Historically, students from this area worked as street vendors and the school still draws on families facing significant socio-economic barriers. Over the years, the school has been a successful catalyst for personal growth and the development of thousands of youth.

PROJECT

Building on the extensive background work of Compañeros staff and Los Quinchos teachers, Canadian participants will, before and during their time in Nicaragua, devise and deliver a number of 3-hour activities, workshops, and resources that may be shared with students and teachers in and outside of the classroom.

Participants will supplement the central role of the teacher and have opportunities to listen and learn about the daily joys and challenges of education, culture, and the socio-economic realities of San Judas.

Related projects include the construction of 11 houses in the San Judas area with families of students attending school, the creation of 5 murals at Los Quinchos, and the provision of 5 scholarships to students from different barrios.

GOALS

Devise and deliver activities, workshops, and resources with teachers and students in and outside of the classroom that are aligned with themes identified in advance by Los Quinchos. Engage in a cross-cultural learning environment that promotes an exchange of best practices.

OUTCOMES

Teachers and students better equipped to prepare and use lessons with material resources. Participants gained better understanding of educational, cultural, and socio-economic issues.

NOTES

Topics of interest indentified by Los Quinchos: – History of Los Quinchos – Reading – Writing – Arithmetic – English as a Second Language – Computer skills – Puppet-making – Cooperative games – Gender equality Donations of Spanish children’s books, posters, puzzles, games, and simple classroom materials are welcome.

More information: Compañeros Participants > Learn More www.companeros.ca and its social media sites Nicaragua Ministry of Education (MINED) http://www.mined.gob.ni United Nations Development Index http://hdr.undp.org/en/content/human-development-index-hdi UNICEF http://en.unicef.org.ni/