Two African university associates visited Ranch Ehrlo on April 15th as part of a Scholar Bursary awarded by the University of Regina.
Doris Mtemang’ombe and Therese Mkandawire made the trip from the University of Malawi. Doris, from the Department of Education, and Theresa, from the Department of Engineering, visited Ranch Ehrlo to further their research and curriculum development of Senga Model Primary School in Malawi.
The pair explored Ranch Ehrlo’s delivery of education at the Transition Centre, Working towards Independence and Nourishing Growing Skills (WINGS) program, high school classrooms, and Judge Bryant School.
“Doris and Therese were very interested in the variety of programs that we offer, especially those for our female students,” explained Corrina Hayden-Fidler, vice-president of Education.
The visitors took the opportunity to meet the students and to engage in a question and answer period. The youth were highly interested in the unique culture, population, religions, and animals of Malawi. Some even asked about pop culture and the Big Bang Theory.
The primary reason for the visit was to learn about the delivery and diversity of education offered to Canadian students, and to examine how different levels of education connect to one another, said Doris.
The visit comes shortly after the end of the Ranch’s involvement in Blantyre, Malawi. Between 2008 and 2014, vice-president Carole Bryant worked with Polytechnic (a constituent college of the University of Malawi) to improve governance and strategic planning. The joint U of R - Ranch Ehrlo project wrapped up earlier this year on March 31st.
