In the 2022-2023 school year, Projet Jeune Leader launched a new pathway to scaling up comprehensive sexuality education in Madagascar in collaboration with the Regional Center of the National Institute of Pedagogical Training (CRINFP) in Haute Matsiatra. We trained and equipped public teachers-in-training — or “Mpanabe Jeunes Leaders,” as we called them in this role — to deliver the exact same CSE program as our PJL Educators in 97 rural public middle schools, in addition to teaching a primary subject (mathematics, Malagasy, life sciences, etc.).
In addition to providing rigorous training, our tried-and-tested curriculum, and other pedagogical tools, another key ingredient contributed to the success of the 113 Mpanabe Jeunes Leaders: meaningful supportive supervision!
Involving CRINFP teacher-trainers to effectively support the new Mpanabe Jeunes Leaders
The "Mpanabe Jeune Leader" program presented us with new challenges. For the first time, we were working with CRINFP teachers-in-training, not PJL-recruited Educators. All were placed in some of the most rural and isolated public middle schools in the region.
In this context, we needed to establish new systems to monitor their work, but more importantly, to provide them with genuine support. We knew that feedback and encouragement would be essential for the teachers-in-training to feel supported in their new role as CSE Educators and to be able to address any problems encountered. This kind of supportive supervision has been one of the key components of making our PJL Educator model work — until now, provided directly by our staff.
In the Mpanabe Jeune Leader model, we decided to involve the CRINFP teacher-trainers. They are already tasked by the CRINFP with supervising teachers-in-training in their practicum year by conducting visits to their placement sites. As part of our goal of valorizing and strengthening existing human resources within the public education system, we saw an opportunity to engage them in monitoring and supporting implementation of the CSE program.
Preparing the teacher-trainers for the visits
Over the course of our decade of experience delivering CSE, we have refined our processes and tools around how to support and monitor our PJL Educators. This has been core to their — and our — efficacy.
We wanted to share our approaches with CRINFP teacher-trainers to help them conduct real support visits, rather than the typical “inspection” approach used to date. Ahead of their planned site visits, we organized a series of activities to exchange experiences, conduct practical simulations using our approaches, and enhance their skills in coaching and providing feedback.
And so, equipped with these new tools and ideas, 36 CRINFP trainers headed to 97 rural public schools in February 2023 to conduct supportive supervision missions of 113 Mpanabe Jeunes Leaders.
During these visits, each trainer attended a CSE class taught by the Mpanabe Jeune Leader at that school and filled out our evaluation grid. They then conducted a participatory survey with students and held feedback and reflection session with the Mpanabe Jeune Leader.
"They gave me good suggestions during this visit, which will help me make improvements and changes in my work." - Mpanabe Jeune Leader, Isorana school district
The impact of the visits on the Educators and teacher-trainers
After the visits, we brought together the teacher-trainers again for a debriefing workshop. Their reflections confirmed that the Mpanabe Jeunes Leaders were delivering the CSE program very well and with high motivation, meeting Projet Jeune Leader’s expectations and adhering to our curriculum.
It seemed to be a truly eye-opening experience for the CRINFP trainers, many of whom had never spent time in such isolated and underfunded rural schools, given most teachers-in-training had previously been placed in urban settings before the partnership with Projet Jeune Leader. The visits also led to new awareness of the importance of CSE. The proportion of teacher-trainers who believed that the CSE program would improve students' lives increased from 56% before the visits to 100% after the visits. After witnessing the impact of the program first-hand and students’ new-found enthusiasm to attend school, many of the teacher-trainers — originally hesitant — openly shared their hopes that the program be expanded to all schools across Madagascar.
"Projet Jeune Leader's program is so essential for young people because it's a holistic approach to education and really necessary for one's entire life. Therefore, it's key that this program be expanded across all public and private schools." CRINFP teacher trainer, in a survey following the visit
When we surveyed the Mpanabe Jeunes Leaders, they testified to the significant positive impact of the supportive supervision they received from the CRINFP teacher-trainers. The vast majority reported feeling supported and accompanied in their work, which helped increase their level of commitment and motivation for the CSE program. Some also shared that the visits from CRINFP trainers built their confidence and even increased their credibility in the eyes of local colleagues. Almost all of the Mpanabe Jeunes Leaders noted that they received more positive feedback than negative from the CRINFP teacher-trainers, thus confirming that the trainers really did conduct supportive supervision and not just critical inspection visits.
"I think that their approach during our discussion was very good. When they gave us negative feedback, it took the form of proposed solutions and recommendations." - Mpanabe Jeune Leader, Ambalavao school district
Thanks to the dedicated work of the Mpanabe Jeunes Leader, our program successfully reached an additional 25,000 adolescents in 2022-2023. Our activities in this pilot year, including the supportive supervision visits, have helped us strengthen our approach to training and supporting these new CSE Educators from the CRINFP, as we move towards expanding our program across Madagascar in the coming years!
