| During 2019, BOTAWA was awarded a Connecting Classrooms through Global Learning grant from the British Council. Teachers and students prepared digital presentations on the current presence and role of Student voice in their own school.They included the structure of their school councils/representatives, the election process, examples of issues addressed previously through the council.Students and Leaders reviewed whether inclusion of marginalised students identified in the school assessment activities of the previous project on Children’s Rights, could be highlighted and addressed in anyway through the Schools Council forum.
Collaborative work and interaction between Wales and Tanzania took place through teacher and student forums using established WhatsApp groups as well as digital presentations. Schools were able to to see alternative models of the use of Student voice and consider whether their current arrangements could be improved as a result. Through the inclusion of Heronsbridge Special School, teachers and students had positive experiences of how students with ALN and other disabilities can make significant contributions to discussions and considered inclusion strategies in their own schools. Celebrating positive relationships and an overall school ethos of respecting rights, wil contributed to higher levels of pupil wellbeing and improved engagement which lead we hope to higher attainment and possibly lower absenteeism. The project work raised awareness/empathy for the different challenges schools in different circumstances may face, challenging stereotypes. All participants became better informed about Rights and are better equipped to promote positive relationships for all members of the school community to ensure their school is inclusive and equitable. Five Welsh teachers visited Tanzanian partner schools in October. They attended Assemblies, carried out lesson observations, team taught on the Collaborative project work and attended a British Council training day in Moshi. They met with School Councils at each school to discuss “Pupil Voice”.
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