On 16th August 2025, a Capacity Building Workshop on Strengthening Children’s Valued Educational Capabilities (CVEC) was held at Yoeseltse Higher Secondary School as part of the intervention phase of the project Promoting Gender Equality and Social Inclusion in Schools: Building on What Children Value and Aspire to Do and Be, led by Samtse College of Education (SCE). A total of 46 teachers, including the Principal and facilitators, participated in the day-long programme.
The event commenced with the launch of the LIKE Club, marked by a symbolic cake-cutting ceremony. In his opening remarks, the Principal commended the meaningful initiative introduced by SCE and stressed the importance of fostering safe and inclusive spaces for all children.
The SCE core team delivered a detailed presentation on the GESI/CVEC Project, covering its rationale, objectives, and implementation strategies. The session clarified the project’s broader aim of strengthening equity and inclusion practices in schools, while also introducing participants to the capability approach and the process through which the 16 valued educational capabilities were identified and are now being promoted.
The workshop also engaged teachers in selected activities from the LIKE Club Activity Book, enabling them to experience first-hand how the approach can be translated into classroom practices that support children’s agency, equity, and holistic development.
- Creating Inclusive Mind – focused on including everyone irrespective of disability, race, caste, or religion. It promoted capabilities such as gender equality, social inclusion, participation, physical health, mental wellbeing, love, care, and respect.
- Empathy Auction – encouraged participants to reflect on making the right choices through freedom and voice, thereby enhancing autonomy, participation, and the ability to plan, imagine, and think.
- Draw What I Say – strengthened social relations and participation by promoting collaboration and active listening.
- Innovation Lab – engaged teachers in identifying three key GESI issues, crafting potential solutions, and developing an innovation plan for the most promising idea. This activity promoted social relations, participation, and Plan, Imagine and Think capabilities.
Throughout the workshop, teachers reflected on the invisible barriers faced by marginalized groups in schools and the importance of advancing Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI)through practical classroom strategies.
The end-line workshop survey, which collected 78 responses from participants across two schools, revealed that over 42% of participants had not heard of the capability approach prior to the workshop, while 51% considered the information presented on the capability approach relevant. Less than 60% of participants reported being aware of GESI principles and educational capabilities before the workshop. However, after the workshop, over 90% of participants reported improvements in their understanding, knowledge, values, and skills related to GESI principles and educational capabilities.
For instance, one participant shared, “Before the workshop, I thought gender equality only meant equality between boys and girls.” Another reflected, “Through this workshop, I understood the importance of different capabilities and how we can integrate them into lessons to support students’ physical, social, mental, and spiritual wellbeing.”
Teachers expressed satisfaction with the interactive and engaging format of the activities, noting that they provided valuable insights for fostering equitable and inclusive learning environments. One participant stated, “I understand that true equality is not just ‘sameness,’ but ensuring that everyone, regardless of gender, background, or ability, has real access to opportunities and decision-making.” Another observed, “I have moved from seeing these concepts as just ‘nice ideas’ to understanding their real-life impact on individuals and society, especially children.”
Another question that we asked the participants is:
How has your understanding of the capabilities changed after the workshop?
As shown in the graph, 85.9% of participants reported that their knowledge had significantly improved and felt confident in applying it in their teaching. One participant shared, “It changed my understanding of creating fair opportunities for everyone regardless of gender, ability, ethnicity, or social background. I have learned that equality is not just about treating everyone the same, but also about recognizing and removing barriers that prevent some people from participating fully.” Another participant noted, “The workshop gave me hands-on experience, and I can now apply this knowledge and these values in my teaching every day.”
The CVEC Capacity Building Workshop at YHSS not only strengthened teachers’ awareness of children’s valued capabilities but also inspired them to actively contribute to building safe, inclusive, and equitable school communities. The launch of the LIKE Club further reinforced the school’s commitment to promoting GESI principles in everyday teaching and learning.
