Ei-iE

Training sessions by the Kurdistan Teachers’ Union (KTU) have participants wanting more training – and generated more participants! This year alone, the KTU has trained 54 teachers on teaching methods related to new technologies and remote teaching and learning. This successful training endeavour is part of its programme of training sessions organised with Education International’s financial support.

Since November 2020, KTU has held nine training courses on new teaching methods and the use of technology in education, with the participation of 226 teachers from nine branches of the education union.

In addition, KTU held two more three-day training sessions at the end of January and the beginning of February this year.

In January, 27 members of the KTU Erbil branch attending the training sessions, followed by the same number of participants from the Duhok Governorate in February.

Deficiencies in current methods

During the courses, participating teachers reported that:

• Most teachers use outdated teaching methods
• Lessons are generally theoretical, with not enough focus on practical aspects
• Technology is poorly used
• There is very little interest in art, music, and sports lessons, because of the lack of specialised teachers

Demand for more training

Finding the training very fruitful, participants stressed the need for enhanced knowledge about e-learning and suggested a longer duration of the training sessions.

They underlined the need to continue with these training sessions as the Education Ministry has not set up any courses in previous years due to the dire financial circumstances of the country. They were clear that the number of participating teachers should be increased and that the training sessions should cover both aspects of teaching, i.e., theoretical and practical.