Teachers learn to handle LEGO Braille Bricks for the benefit of visually impaired children

In the Reference Centre for Inclusive Education (CREI), in the Kigobe district, we met with a group of enthusiastic teachers playing with small plastic bricks. They met here as part of a training course to teach them how to handle the LEGO Braille Bricks, an educational tool to teach braille to visually impaired children, through games.

The material was created and developed by the LEGO Foundation which, in partnership with UNICEF's Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Office, decided to test it in three pilot countries: Burundi, Madagascar and Uganda.

In Burundi, thanks to the Ministry of National Education and Scientific Research in collaboration with UNICEF Burundi and the financial support of UNICEF Denmark, the LEGO Braille Bricks project is being implemented in 16 pilot schools for inclusive education, through teacher training and donation of LEGO Braille Bricks toolkits.

“Through this training, we will learn how to handle LEGO Braille Bricks properly so that we can be closer to pupils with visual disabilities and prevent them from having difficulties in learning”, assures Herménégilde BANDUSHA, 50, teacher at CREI, with a big smile.

45 teachers from 4 pilot schools for inclusive education, including the CREI and the Basic Schools of Mirango I, Foreami and Kanyosha III, benefited from this training of 10 days.  

Each pilot school for inclusive education in Burundi has already received 4 LEGO Braille Bricks toolkits, with the exception of CREI, which has received 8 toolkits, in its capacity as Reference Centre for Inclusive Education.

The educators will be trained for a week so that they can then teach braille with the LEGO bricks to other teachers and children in their respective schools.

During the training, all the teachers were showing their enthusiasm and joy in working with the LEGO Braille Bricks, as if they were children themselves: “What is different from traditional braille learning is that with LEGO Braille Bricks students and teachers learn by playing. This is less tiring compared to the traditional method”, Gabriel Nganahe, Director of CREI.

With didactic material like this, teachers hope to be able to teach children braille easily. “It's not difficult to show it, and little children can learn quickly by touching the bricks”, Agnès BIGIRIMANA, 49 ans, teacher at ECOFO Kanyosha III.

Teachers estimate that LEGO Braille Bricks will not only benefit visually impaired children, but also other children with other types of disabilities. “With the bricks, students can also develop their cognitive or creative skills. Even children with motor or brain disabilities can show their emotions through the play”, concludes Gabriel with great enthusiasm.

Another such training was given last November to 52 other teachers from 14 other pilot schools for inclusive education in Burundi. These trainings will be followed by another session for 30 teacher trainers from 15 pilot schools.