Introdution to Schools and Neighbours

This has been our first week of significant visits to schools. We have visited 5 different schools and met some very impressive headteachers who are battling against the odds: trying to introduce ICT when the school is not connected to an electricity supply; housing books when the room allocated for the library has to be used by 60 pupils; class sizes of over 100 in some cases; the paucity of stimulus materials etc. One thing we could do is help teachers to produce learning resources, as so much of the teaching is made up of teacher talk and use of the blackboard. The problem is that teachers have nowhere to store any resources and classrooms are wide open to the elements and intruders overnight. Some teachers are therefore reluctant to put the effort into making resources that can’t be stored safely.

It is wonderful to see how eager many students are to learn, and less wonderful to see the deprived conditions in which teachers and students have to work. We pass students in the evenings and at weekends, sitting on concrete blocks or tree trunks absorbed in reading. Education is clearly seen as something to be cherished. As we cycle around the area, we now get additional calls from the children of “you came to our school”.

We have observed lessons, and students are so keen to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding. It is a delight that in every class we enter, there is always a bright eyed child who takes the lead in welcoming us and leading the class in a song or a greeting.

We will do a blog entry on a day in the life of a school, once we are well known enough to get out our cameras. In the meantime these three photographs are of the launch of a significant initiative designed to empower communities to support their local schools and to campaign for better resources. VSO has a wonderful volunteer, Ruby, who has been here for 2 years. She has been working with the Education Service and local activists to set up a district “coalition”, representing all schools. Its aim is to raise funds and champion projects for improvement. These projects will include getting electricity to schools, building classrooms, getting toilets provided, supplying school furniture and, in some cases, actually getting a school built. The most needy village schools have classes of 50 or more meeting under a mango tree, with no facilities whatsoever. The launch of this coalition has been featured on National TV, as it is seen as an initiative that could be replicated across the country, promoting action by communities to help themselves. The coalition will help local communities to prioritise and plan spending e.g. they will ensure electricity arrives before computers, as was not the case in one recent government sponsored venture!

On the home front, we now have 2 housemates, (Cathy and Mel), so we have to be much more careful with our collection and use of water. The rainy season is gradually coming to an end, and the dry season will be with us until next March. We are getting to know our neighbours much better, and they are becoming increasingly relaxed with us. The pictures below show a few of our nearest local residents!