IMPROVED PSYCHOSOCIAL WELL-BEING: EVIDENCE FOR THE REPSSI TEACHERS DIPLOMA PROGRAMME IN PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT FROM TEACHERS AND STUDENTS IN ZAMBIA PSS Forum, 2 nd September 2015, Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe Jacob R.S Malungo, Lisa Langhaug, Liying Zhang, Linda Kaljee, Kelvin Munjile, Anitha Menon, Bonita Stanton, Stephen Tembo, Xiaoming Li

2  University of Zambia Professor Jacob R.S. Malungo, PhD Dr Anitha Menon, PhD  RuralNet Associations, Zambia Mr Stephen Tembo Mr Kelvin Munjile Ms Evangeline Kaonga  Wayne State University, Michigan, USA Professor Xiaoming Li, PhD Dr Linda Kaljee, PhD Dr Bonita Stanton, PhD Dr Liying Zhang, PhD  REPSSI, Regional Dr Lisa F. Langhuag, PhD Mr Kelvin Ngoma Mr Finkasa Chanda A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT

3  Briefly describe the Teachers’ Diploma Course  Study Design  Baseline findings  Findings from the randomized control trial  Conclusion OVERVIEW OF PRESENTATION

4 Situated Supported Distance Learning Model 2-4 teachers from one school teachers in a learning group – Community of Practice Meet once a month Teachers share facilitation role Written assignments marked by teacher college 15 month course HOW THE TEACHERS DIPLOMA COURSE IS IMPLEMENTED

The Teachers’ diploma was born Teacher Classroom School Student Community

6  Funding to conduct a randomized control trial of the Teachers Diploma in Zambia.  4 districts in 2 provinces Eastern Province Lusaka Province  Data collected from Teachers – self administered paper questionnaire Students – grades 3 and 4 – interviewer administered using CASI (tablet) PROGRAMME IMPLEMENTATION SUPPORTED BY RESEARCH

7  Hypothesis 1: Teachers’ trained in the Teachers’ Diploma in Psychosocial Care, Support, and Protection will score higher on measures for teacher self-efficacy and greater awareness of children’s psychosocial needs.  Hypothesis 2: Students with exposure to teachers trained in the program will have higher attendance, better school performance, greater self- efficacy, higher self-esteem, greater hope for the future and higher levels of emotional literacy.  Hypothesis 3: There will be environmental changes reflecting the content of the curriculum in schools in the intervention condition including increased cleanliness, perceived safety on part of teachers and students, and changes in disciplinary practices. HYPOTHESES

8  Teachers 560 teachers across 4 districts; Lundazi, Katete, Luangwa, Kafue from Intervention zones from Control zones Quantitative questionnaire, self administered, paper and pen  Students 2100 students in grade 3 and 4 across 2 districts: Katete & Kafue from students who are taught by a teacher on the course – ‘Direct’ from students who are not taught by a teacher on the course – ‘Indirect’ from control schools Quantitative questionnaire, interviewer administered, CASI (tablet)  Baseline Data Collection: January – March 2013  Follow up Data Collection: May – July 2014 Course completed in April 2014 SAMPLING FRAME

Teacher baseline – teacher’s roles/POSTIONS

10  School Physical Environment Adequate and convenient water supply for latrine use = 63.6% Soap available for students to wash their hands = 39.2% Soap available for teachers to wash their hands = 49.3% Safe and easy disposal of menstruation pads = 46.2% TEACHERS - BASELINE

11  Gender equity for boys: mean score of 11.9 out of 18 Male students have the opportunity to speak out and be paid attention to in class  Gender equity for girls: mean score of 12.4 out of 18 Female students are involved in decisions about how the school is run  Equity in school environment: mean score of 10.5 out of 15 Materials used by students are free from prejudice about different tribes (e.g. Peter is a thief because he belongs to tribe X.) TEACHER BASELINE: STUDENT GENDER EQUITY

SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT CHILD WELL-BEING CHILD WELL-BEING COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TEACHER SELF CARE TEACHER SELF CARE SAFE ENVIRONMENT 0.145* * 0.228*** 0.138** 0.264*** 0.206*** 0.163** 0.212*** 0.241*** 0.168** 0.210*** Physical care Psychological care Social care In classroom In school 0.218*** 0.200*** 0.140** 0.119* *p<0.05; **p<0.01; ***p< ***

13 TEACHERS GENDER EQUITY (GIRLS) TEACHERS ADMINISTRATORS TEACHERS ADMINISTRATORS CAREGIVERS Stronger Relationships LESS OBSERVED BULLYING EQUITABLE ENVIRONMENT 0.151* * p=0.002, ** p= **

14  56.1 % female (57.6% in Intervention; 53.6 in Control)  Mean age = 10.8 years (10.9 in Intervention; 10.5 in Control)  Age group:  Grades: ~ 50% in each grade in both Intervention and Control  10.2% are orphans (9.6% in Intervention; 11.4% in Control)  Mean household size = 6.8 persons (6.9 in Intervention; 6.6 in Control) STUDENTS: BASELINE- DEMOGRAPHICS InterventionControlTotal < >=

15  Overall, 26.4% did not eat one day last week because there was no food in the house Orphans = 36.0% (p<.01) Non-orphans = 25.3%  75.0% said not everyone has at least one pair of shoes Orphans = 65.6% (p<.01) Non-orphans= 76.0%  Overall, 43.0% said their health problems sometimes or often affect their ability to do school work, play, or do chores. STUDENT BASELINE - POVERTY

16  Self esteem mean score was 6.5 out of 12 You feel good about yourself There are many good things about you  Social support mean score was 13.1 out of 27 There is someone you can talk to if you have a problem You can count on your family when things go wrong  Emotional literacy mean score was 20.4 out of 28 You calm down quickly after feeling upset You are easily hurt by what people say to you STUDENTS: BASELINE DATA

17  School safety 22.4% don’t feel safe in school - Girls=24.1% vs boys=20.3% 18.5% don’t feel safe in class* - Girls=20.0% vs boys=16.6% 29.6% don’t feel safe travelling to school* - Girls=31.9% vs boys=26.7% 22.8% don’t feel safe on the playground 27.7% don’t feel safe in the school bathrooms  School environment 67.6% say there are no pictures and posters on their classroom walls 71.7% say that students’ work is not on classroom walls STUDENT: BASELINE DATA

18  Reported that this took place “often” (at least 4 times in the past year) Were you threatened by another student = 8.6%* - boys = 9.7%; girls = 7.8% Were you hit or beaten up by another student = 6.2%* - Boys = 6.8%; girls = 5.7% Have other students told lies, said bad things, or told stories about you that were not true = 7.8%  BUT, 73% of teachers report their school has an anti-bullying policy 93.2% of them say it has been put into practice STUDENT BASELINE: BULLYING

19 STUDENTS: BASELINE ASSOCIATIONS SCHOOL SAFETY GENDER EQUITY SELF ESTEEM SOCIAL SUPPORT EMOTIONAL LITERACY SCHOOL PERFORMANCE SCHOOL PERFORMANCE PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT 0.173* 0.113* 0.204* 0.156* 0.195* 0.239* 0.188* 0.062** 0.230* 0.371* * 0.346* * p=<0.000, p<0.01

20 STUDENTS: BASELINE ASSOCIATIONS TEACHERS STUDENTS CAREGIVER INVOLVEMENT LESS REPORTED BULLYING SCHOOL SAFETY SCHOOL PERFORMANCE 0.113* p< * 0.126* 0.311* 0.126*

21  Baseline  Teachers: 447 Intervention: 264 Control: 183  Students: 1792 Intervention: 1168 Control: 624 DATA AT BASELINE AND FOLLOW-UP  Follow-up  Teachers: 325 (72.7%) Intervention: 212 (80.35) Control: 113 (61.7%)  Students: 1378 (76.9%) Intervention: 903 (77.3%) Control: 475 (76.1%)

RCT OF TEACHERS DIPLOMA COURSE: TEACHERS RESULTS

RCT OF TEACHERS DIPLOMA COURSE: STUDENTS RESULTS

24  Baseline data shows high levels of vulnerability in primary school students  Baseline data supports the tenets for the Teachers Diploma  RCT Results show improvements in key areas for CONCLUSIONS Teachers’ wellbeing Teachers’ PSS skills School environment Students’ wellbeing Students’ perception of the school environment  A number of areas we need to explore further Corporal punishment

25 THANK YOU