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School
chairs - from Camelford...
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Linking
schools...linking lives
Twinning
with Africa doesn't mean benefits for
just the Africans. DAVE PALMER explains.
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 ight
in the heart of the country area of Eastern Rwanda, the government
plans to open a secondary school. It’s one of the most significant
developments in education in that country.
In
Rwanda, secondary schools are few and far between. Many children
are not even able to get to a primary school, let alone afford
it if they could. Yet it is the government’s wish to develop education,
especially at secondary level so as to make openings for up-and-coming
leaders of the country.
The
people of Kabarore, with the help of UK funding organisations,
have just seen the completion of a brand new brick-built school
in the heart of their village due to open in September 2003. Rather
smaller than a normal English school: it has at present only three
classrooms but more are being planned! At first 100 eleven and
twelve-year olds will benefit from a formal secondary education.
For some time children of primary age have been given lessons
under trees for shelter from the sun and rain, but this is a big
step to helping the nation move forward. There are already a number
of teachers teaching at primary level, and Pastor Emmanuel from
Kabarore Church will oversee the training of these and other teachers
to take on the challenge of the secondary curriculum.
While
visiting the UK last May , Pastor Sadiki Zacharie went to a South
West secondary school to see how English children learn and to
look at the possibility of opening up a link with a school in
England. The school he visited was Sir James Smith’s Community
School in Camelford, the school where I am currently teaching.
...to
Kigali! |
 adiki
was impressed by the amount of resources available to children
and the breadth of the subjects they learn as well as the warm
welcome from students and staff alike.
He
met a number of children and talked to the Head Teacher, Angela
Perlmutter, about a possible link between Sir James Smith’s and
the new school to open in Kabarore: he even wanted to use the
same name and school uniform!
The
idea was received enthusiastically, because it also helps children
from our own area to appreciate the needs and lifestyle of their
contemporaries in Africa. We are hoping that with the coming of
electricity to the area, there will be e-mail contact between
the schools. In the meantime, the school has given 135 classroom
chairs which have been sent to Rwanda, where they will help equip
the new classrooms (see photos).
I
am excited by this development and if you too would like to be
involved there is a great need for school stationery, pens, pencils
etc to get the new school off to a flying start in September.
There are also possibilities for going there to do practical work
and giving training to teachers if that appeals to you!
We
will keep you informed of how this interesting project develops!
Please contact us on 01822 616625 or keep an eye on the website
here at www.kingsnews.org.uk for further details.
David
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What
a giveaway
(Church
notice gaffes continued)
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| Ladies,
don’t forget the rummage sale. It is a good chance to get
rid of those things not worth keeping around the house. Bring
your husbands. |
| Please
place your donation in the envelope along with the deceased
person(s) you want remembered. |
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The
associate minister unveiled the church’s new tithing campaign
slogan last Sunday - "I upped my pledge - up yours!"
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