Hawaou: renewed hope thanks to teaching at the right level approach
Thanks to the Teaching at the Right Level (TaRL) approach, Hawaou is improving her results at school.
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Hawaou Djibrilla, 14, is a pupil in Cours Moyen 1 (CM1) at the Madjadou public school in northern Cameroon. The young girl, from an indigenous community in the region, is the first in her family to go to school. Her dream is to become a doctor, but she is having trouble reading at school.
Sitting in the front row, just inside the classroom, Hawaou stares at the blackboard. She is paying close attention to the teacher, who is giving a fun literacy remedial session. Hawaou can't read. But she dreams of becoming a doctor. TaRL remediation is a lifeline to her ambitions.
"I started school late. Initially, my father didn't want me to go to school. But the teachers managed to convince him. Now that I'm here, I'm going to study hard to become a doctor and look after the people in my community," she confides.
Through lively discussions, the teachers have been able to get Hawaou interested in reading. Games and small interactive activities fill the schoolchildren's afternoons.
"We have an hour of TaRL class every day. During this time, we had a lot of fun while learning. I already know the letters of the alphabet and I'm sure I'll be able to read on my own in a few months," explains Hawaoua.
Hawaou Djibrilla comes from a family of 6 children. Unfortunately, her parents were unable to pursue a long education. The young girl intends to go all the way, fulfil her dream and become a beacon of hope for the young girls in her community.
Encouraged by her teacher, the schoolgirl redoubles her efforts. "Since we started the remedial classes, Hawaou has improved a lot. She came to our school with major literacy problems. We started teaching her the French alphabet, then syllables. Now her level has improved dramatically", says Angeline, her teacher.
Thanks to the TaRL approach and the unfailing support of her teachers, Hawaou Djibrilla is seeing her dream of becoming a doctor come closer every day. She embodies the hope and determination of a whole generation of children who, despite the obstacles, aspire to a better future. With initiatives like UNICEF's, these young girls and boys can not only dream, but also realise their ambitions and become agents of change in their communities.
