It is cultural in many Tanzanian and Zanzibari communities that the child care and rearing practice is believed to be solely a women’s role., with most men taking a back step in child care matters.. This is similar in many African communities, thus, has led to women being burdened with household and child rearing chores that have deprived them of potential opportunities such as education, sports, employment, and pursuance of carriers . This cultural belief and practice is also reflected in the MECP community supported preschools where by 2021, 97% of preprimary teachers in the 59 preschools benefiting fro F4EE interventions were femals
Ali develops children book
Yet, the roles of males in leveraging the female dominated care role is critical to ensuring balance and complimentarity to retrogressive existing cultural norms that hinder women opportunities for education and participation in social, economic an political life. Therefore, in implementing F4L project, Madrasa Early Childhood Programme Zanzibar (MECP-Z) is working to support the transformative change toward this cultural gap. In doing so, it has succeeded in enrolling a total of 5 (representing 8% of targeted trainees in 2021) young men receiving training of 2-years gender-sensitive certificate course in pre-primary education in Zanzibar. These young men apart from being a minority, have shown readiness and willingness to work with their female colleagues. For them, the inferiority set by the local community on the gender attitudes toward early childhood education was not a concern. They are motivated to participate in all training activities when they are in class regardless of their gender.
Ali Abdalla Rashid is one of the five male teacher trainees perusing the 2-year course at MECPZ Teacher Training College is funded by F4L. He comes from Tahadhib Uwlad pre-school, a community preschool, in Tumbe village, Micheweni District, Pemba Northern region. Ali is 23 years old and graduated Secondary Education and believes that the presence of female and male pre primary teachers in communities can change the perception of the community on the child care role being only for women. The very positive attitudes to ensure that women are supported adequately within families and all children get their basic rights in society now and in future.
Ali says, “I have decided to study and eventually become a pre-primary teacher voluntarily”. His previous experience as Qur’an teacher makes him competitive, keen, and ready to raise and teach young children. Initially was uncomfortable with the low numbers of male trainees in the class, Ali is currently appreciative of the role he is playing to change the gender narrative in pre primary teaching and child care in the community. He is very humble, collaborative, motivated and interactive with female colleagues unconditionally. Community members valued his work and always support him as he use the knowledge of child development to rise the children.
Alis’ knowledge of child development made him to be very promising to better rise his children and support children learning in his community. He is role model to his community fellows as an influencer of change in enrolling more male trainees in 2022 intake who can join the early childhood course .
Successfully, Ali is motivated to practice inclusive learning and fair interaction with other colleagues in the course and the classroom at school for all. He applies knowledge and teaching skills equally to all children regardless of their origin, race, learning ability, gender, and needs. The attitude of Ali is to be a very competitive candidate in supporting early childhood development in the wider locality and promotes gender responsibility for all and the rights of marginalized community. Taking Ali as a good practice this necessitate MECP-Z to upheld in all future recruitments to ensure their greater participation of males in training and by extension leading to enhanced appreciation of the male role in early childhood care, development and learning.