News from DNS

3 new EPF started in 2006 - in Bié, Gaza and Inhambane
The DNS Africa Movement is on track with expansion. The plans are big - to reach a total
of 12 teacher training colleges in Mozambique, 16 in Angola and 6 in Malawi.

In the Province of Bié in Angola a new Escola de Professores do Futuro, School for the Teachers of the Future started on 1 August. Bié is the province to the east of Huambo. You can go by road from EPF Huambo to EPF Bié in 5 hours. The college is situated in a big, open landscape, just outside the town of Katabola on 40 ha of land, about 45 minutes drive from the provincial capital, Kuito. The first phase of construction is almost completed, with the class rooms, assembly hall, offices and kitchen in one unit, and with teachers’ residences as another unit. In October the second phase will start, with construction of the dormitories for the students. The buildings are very beautiful, designed by Jan Utzon, like Headquarters and a number of other EPFs. EPF Bié has 105 students on the first team. 32 of them are women, which is a high number compared to the conditions in Angola. The teachers’ council is of course new, but has several experienced members among them. The construction and the first years of operation is funded by the Norwegian Embassy in Angola, and as for the other EPFs in Angola, the Ministry of Education is also a partner.

In the province of Gaza in Mozambique, on the low plains along the Limpopo river not far from the town of Chokwe, EPF Gaza has started with 100 students on the first team. Here the rehabilitation of an earlier agricultural school, which was destroyed during the war in Mozambique, is in full swing. Classrooms and dormitories are being rehabilitated in the first phase of construction, and assembly hall, kitchen and offices will follow soon after. The teachers’ accommodation is situated in the village neighbouring the school and is also part of the rehabilitation.

The partners of this EPF are UFF Finland and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Finland, and Humana Spain, IAPALA and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Spain - and then of course the Ministry of Education in Mozambique.

In the province of Inhambane, Mozambique, close to the provincial capital of Inhambane and close to the sea, EPF Inhambane has started with their first team of 65 students. Here yet another Utzon-building is under construction, and here yet another team of students will be the pioneer team, which at all schools will go into the history as THE best team! This EPF has UFF Finland, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Finland and the Minstry of Education in Mozambique as their partners.