This spring, ten fourth-year students from the primary teacher education programmes (Years 1–7 and Years 5–10) undertook a four-week placement at Mumana Primary School in Lusaka.
The students were divided into four groups, each responsible for a Year 5 class of approximately 45-65 pupils. During the first week, they observed lessons in the classroom, and from the second week onwards, they took over much of the teaching.
They taught a range of subjects, including social studies, English, mathematics, and science. The students had to adopt different strategies and methods from those they are accustomed to in Norwegian classrooms, due to class sizes, available resources, and the length of lessons.
Highly educational
"The placement has been both educational and engaging, and I have gained a different insight into Zambian education than I had expected beforehand. We were welcomed by motivated and inspiring teachers who received us warmly and included us in everyday school life," says Lise Johanne Holtet Moen, one of the fourth-year students who travelled to Lusaka and who appears on the far left in the photo above.
She continues: "One of the reasons I wanted a placement in Zambia was to gain experience that could be useful when working with pupils from diverse backgrounds in Norwegian classrooms. Although the Zambian classroom does not represent all classrooms in Africa, I still feel that I have learned a great deal about pupils’ backgrounds and culture."
Lise Johanne Holtet Moen concludes:
I think many people have assumptions about what the school system is like in other countries, but it is only when you actually become part of it yourself that you truly begin to understand how it works.
Long-term collaboration
The placement opportunity in Zambia is the result of a collaboration between the University of Inland Norway, the University of Zambia, and Mumana Primary School. It was initially established in connection with the now completed NORPART project 'Literacy Education in Multilingual Settings', led by Anne Marit Vesteraas Danbolt.
Since 2021, a total of 38 students have completed a placement period in Lusaka. From LUP, Inger-Kristin Larsen Vie (Department of Nordic Language and Literature) and Marit Elise Lyngstad (Department of English) are academically responsible for the programme and follow up the students during their placement, while Sevika Stensby (Internationalisation Adviser) is responsible for administration.
INN’s teacher trainees and placement supervisors together with the headteacher and teachers at Mumana Primary School, spring 2026. Photo: Faculty of Education, University of Inland Norway
Photo: Faculty of Education
