Every day, Mephen, a Standard 3 teacher at Ndaula Primary School, walks toward her crowded classroom, greeted by a chorus of cheerful pupils. Their voices echo from afar as they welcome her with a warm, unified shout: “Mwadzuka bwanji aphunzitsi!” (Good morning, Teacher!)
Smiling, Mephen exchanges greetings and carefully squeezes through the narrow path left at the front of the room. She faces the packed classroom and begins her routine by calling out names from the register book, marking all learners present on that day. Then she dives into her lessons, carefully prepared to meet the needs of every child.
Since her posting to the school in 2022, Mephen has dedicated herself to helping her learners excel in all subjects including Chichewa, Mathematics, and English. But the overwhelming enrolment numbers make her work extraordinarily demanding.
“Each time I give my learners an assessment, I must go through each and everyone’s work to ensure they are following and receiving the support they need. It is exhausting.”
Overcrowding is not her only challenge at the school, Mephen is the only teacher for her class. “When I fall ill or have an emergency to attend to and can not come to work, my learners are forced to go back home without learning anything,” she explains.
Like many other classrooms, hers includes children with various disabilities, including learning difficulties. These learners require a more inclusive and supportive environment to effectively learn and associate with their peers. Yet, Mephen is not an expert in special needs education.
In September 2025, an opportunity arose. Mephen was among 2000 teachers to attend a training in Inclusive Pedagogy Skills, which was organized by Link Community Development Malawi under the Realising Safe and Inclusive Education (RISE) project. The training targeted teachers from all 111 project schools, equipping them with the skills and knowledge to effectively generate lesson plans, teaching methodologies and create a space that support learning activities for all children including those with disabilities.
As one of the beneficiaries, Mephen was equipped with professional and practical skills on how to identify learners with disabilities in her classroom, and how best they can be supported to improve their learning.
“Although I’m not a special needs expert, I am proud to say I can now develop inclusive lesson plans that meet the needs of every learner.
Despite the ongoing challenges in her teaching field, Mephen feels empowered. The training has given her a lifelong skill that she is committed to using to support children with disabilities and ensure they succeed.
RISE is delivered by Link Community Development Malawi, Chance for Childhood in Rwanda and School to School in Zambia. It is managed by Link Education International and funded by the Scottish Government.
Read more about the RISE Project