Living and Learning

Tuesday evening the power went off at 6.30pm and was off till around 11.30pm. This is normal and can happen a few times a week. Had to walk back to my accommodation from base in complete darkness, but everybody here is really kind (especially to old people!) and someone offered to accompany me. How privileged we are to have phones with torches!

Here there is a mixture of government-run and private schools. The private schools are either linked to the churches, charities/foundations, or individuals. In theory education is compulsory, but a high proportion of children don’t go to school, particularly in the most deprived areas. Government schools are heavily subsidised but not completely free and are overcrowded. The other schools are fee paying, apart from a handful that attract sponsorship so they can offer free education. We visited the schools that are partnered with GVI on Tuesday. GVI have a good reputation and are well respected locally. They provide stationary and female sanitary products to all their partner schools. Kids generally stay in the same school from kindergarten up to school leaving age (around 15 or 16).

There’s a national curriculum which all the schools follow. Trained teachers all work in government schools, so most of the teachers in the other schools aren’t trained and often don’t want to be teaching at all. Teaching is very traditional, a lot of rote learning. Also lots of chanting, e.g. times tables, but this is partly cultural. Lots of lessons start with an impromptu song/chant and dance-no inhibitions!

Teachers are called sir or madam (pronounced Ma-DAM) followed by their name, so I am Madam Maz (easier than Marilyn!). Corporal punishment is still seen, although theoretically illegal.

GVI principles are based on sustainability, so all their programmes start at school level and aim to change attitudes from early education to build lasting change. They’re about working with local communities and established customs and absolutely NOT about ‘white superiority’. I like their values and that was one of the reasons I chose them over other programmes I looked at.

The kids love being at school and love GVI lessons, which tend to be a bit more on the creative side. Having shadowed 2 lessons today I’m already buzzing with ideas. I need to remember I’m supposed to be retired!

Another day of shadowing tomorrow (Thursday) then doing my own projects next week. Still discussing with Ebby how to best use me! Fridays are sports/activity days, so we’re ‘off’ from Fridays for the weekend. This weekend I’m going on a trip to Ada, a different region, so time for a bit of sightseeing.

Posting this now while I have time, power and internet!