There are 110 children in each class of school visited by Melania Trump in Malawi.

Talk about big classes.

The first lady, Melania Trump, was in Malawi on Thursday and visited a school with more than 8,500 students and 77 teachers. Each teacher works with an average of at least 110 students, according to the Associated Press.

Trump, on a solo trip to African countries, was in the capital Lilongwe and visited Chipala Primary School, which is considered one of the best in the country.

Malawi is facing infrastructure challenges in its education system, which is free but not compulsory. Children sometimes learn outside under the trees because there are not enough formal classrooms for all students. A key goal of the Malawi government in education is to reduce class size.

Bright Msaka, Minister of Education, Science and Technology, quoted by the AP, said that Chipala was one of the best schools in Malawi.

The White House has issued a statement (see full text below) about the visit. Trump had visited classrooms, attended an English lesson and met with teachers, parents and school officials.

Class size is also a problem in many American schools, but their numbers are considerably lower than in Malawi. Although some insist that class size is not an important factor in student achievement, a review of major research on the subject has shown that this is the case. It said:

Evidence suggests that increasing class sizes will not only hurt short-term child test scores, but also their long-term human capital formation. The money saved today by increasing class sizes will result in greater social and educational costs in the future.

According to the National Education Association, some of the largest teacher-to-student ratios in the United States are found in Nevada. Some high schools have up to 50 students per class.

The Tampa Bay Times has published an article on struggles for class size in Pasco County, Florida, where officials are looking for ways to reduce class sizes. It says:

A recently created report indicates that hundreds of classrooms in the district have exceeded the constitutional limits of at least one student. School board members reported receiving class calls of 40 or more students, which is particularly the case at Fivay High, which has absorbed over 500 Ridgewood High teens and has not provided for all of its students. teaching positions.

A recent article on this blog has cited statistics on the size of certain classes in North Carolina, including:

38 10th to 12th grade German AP class, without planning period (Guilford)

39 freshmen and seniors, Math 4 (Union)

40 high school students in a trailer of Math 3, Title 1 (Mecklenburg)

42 students in Math 2 (New Hanover)

43 years old, eighth grade in a healthy life. Only have 40 offices, when all are present, one sitting at the teacher's desk, the other two sitting on the floor (Wake)

44 students American History I (Onslow)

45 children in physical sciences. The majority of them have already taken the course, which includes many students with learning disabilities and students categorized as suffering from a severe emotional impairment. (Mecklenburg)

The Detroit News has published an article titled, "Class Size Worries Michigan Parents, Districts, and Teachers." The first anecdote of the story concerns a boy who is in a third-grade class with 30 students . had in the past: classes with just over 20 children.

It should be noted that some class size statistics can be misleading because schools provide average teacher / student ratios that include specialized teachers and other educators who do not have their own classrooms. As a result, ordinary classes may have more students than school report cards.

This is what the White House reported about Trump's visit to Malawi:

First Lady Melania Trump arrived Thursday afternoon in Lilongwe, Malawi, nicknamed the "warm heart of Africa." Ms. Trump was greeted at the airport by the first lady of Malawi, Gertrude Mutharika, and her granddaughter, who gave her flowers. The children and dancers played during the arrival ceremony.

The First Lady went to Chipala Primary School and was welcomed by the Minister of Education, Science and Technology, Bright Msaka, and by the Director, Maureen Masi. More than 8,000 students attend school. The establishment has 22 classrooms with an average size of about 106 students per class. The First Lady visited the classrooms, observed an English lesson and then met with teachers, parents and local school management.

At a textbook ceremony, the First Lady discussed the importance of educating and empowering youth and commended USAID's ongoing efforts to improve children's access to Malawi for children. education. Before leaving school, Mrs. Trump stopped in the schoolyard to watch students play football with some of the balloons she had given. In addition to footballs, the First Lady donated other Be Best items, including tote bags containing classroom supplies inside teachers, as well as Frisbees for kids.

"The growth and success of a country begins with the education of our children," said First Lady Melania Trump. "I would like to thank the teachers and children of Chipala Primary School for the warm welcome of today and to congratulate the staff for its commitment to providing its students with the education and tools they need to grow." and contribute to a prosperous society. The positivity and passion to learn were so obvious in every class and I appreciate the time that everyone took to make me visit the school.

After visiting the school, Ms. Trump met with Ambassador Virginia Palmer and embassy staff, thanking them for their services on behalf of the United States and their continued efforts in Malawi. Ms. Trump is the first First Lady of the United States to visit Malawi.

Ms. Trump then visited First Lady Mutharika at the State House. Both men had a fruitful discussion about the importance of ensuring that education and resources are available for all children. The visit also included a cultural show on the rooftop garden of the residence.

"Thanks to Professor Mutharika and the many other key leaders in Malawi who made me feel welcome today. This visit showed me the warmth and kindness of Malawi and the incredible efforts that support the growth of childrens education. I look forward to returning to Malawi in the future. "