At present I am a teacher working voluntarily for 'Out of Africa', in Kigaa Primary School Central Province, Kenya.

Yesterday I visited several secondary schools with Jacinta and Desmond Ng'anga. There I was privileged to watch how the principals received news of the computer package on offer to them from the charity.

Let me say there were expressions of disbelief, relief and joy, plus many smiles. Many secondary schools are pressed to teach computing, but money is in very short supply in this area due to a national economic downturn. Schools have not known which way to turn. At one school, a super computer laboratory has been built and it will now house your computers.

It was here Desmond was initiated into his first teaching experience, when a group of form 2 students (14 - 16 yr. old) learnt about computers and how life is changed by the computer in general.

Much excitement was generated by our visits. Most importantly we can see how the children in this area are going to benefit from your generosity here (Out Of Afrika Computer Project)

Thanks to you on their behalf.

Bernadette Taylor

KIGAA PRIMARY SCHOOL, NOVEMBER 2001

For schools in Kenya, November is the end of the school year. This means the all-important K.C.P.E or Kenyan Certificate of Primary Education for the standard 8 pupils of Kigaa. The others in primary school take grade exams for promotion. So school life is busy with revision.

The School at Kigaa has approximately 560 pupils, but the number fluctuates as pupils are sent home because of unpaid school fees. These are paid in January, but the balance must be paid by the year-end. Cachement is very local, within 30-40 minutes walking distance.

There are two classes in every year group from the age of 5/6. The year groups are known as standards. Primary education is completed in std.8. But as movement between standards is dependent upon exam success so there are pupils who are 15 or 16 still at primary school.

Kigaa has a nursery school attached to it.

Each classroom has 4 walls of stone, a tin roof (some with holes!) desks and a B.B (blackboard). The B.B. is smoothed concrete and painted. It is along one wall and is the most important resource. There is no electricity.

Concrete floors were laid over the usual earth floor last year, but it is already breaking up. The windows are open to the air, but have metal grills over them. This means rain blows in, as well as dripping on the teacher through the roof. But in hot weather, the rooms are cool, but if windy, everyone gets covered with fine red dust.

The red dust or red mud prevades the whole day.

Textbooks, provided by parents if they can afford them, or the exercise books, are red and dusty or red and muddy.

Pupils sit three to a desk, often to share the textbook of one pupil. Exam time means desks are in short supply to enable the std.8s to have one desk each. This means that classes are combined, and sit 4 to a desk.

It is common practice to combine classes if teachers are absent or revision is necessary. Science is always taught combined. This means 80+ pupils per double lesson.

The day begins at 7am with prep. Assembly or parade is called at 8am. This is held in the open, there is no other venue. Here notices are given and prayers said, and hymns sung. On Fridays the National flag is raised and anthem sung. Lessons begin at 8.20 and are set in double blocks of 1hr 10min. There are two breaks a short one at 9.30 and then a longer tea break at 11am. Lessons go on until 12.40, lunchtime.

Lower primary (std. 1,2 & 3) are sent home at this time unless there is work to finish, then they are called back. Upper primary have lessons in the afternoon, time-tabled. Teachers do this time voluntarily. They should be paid, but the money is not forthcoming. This time is used for extra tuition in a term such as this.

Pupils clean the classrooms each Wednesday and Friday and wash them down and wipe them out. To this end, each pupil has to bring a jerrycan of water on these days. A sanction for misbehavior is to bring more jerrycans of water or go to the river several times. Pupils also wash out the staffroom, staff latrines and pupil latrines as part of their duties. The school day finishes at around 3.30-4.00pm.

Pupils mostly stay to lunch this term. They bring small containers of cold food (what is a sandwich?) and drink water from their jerrycans.

The teachers employ a cook, who brings bread and tea at long break and a meal at lunchtime. All this is paid for by the teacher, who have also built a small kitchen between standard 1 and the nursery.

At break times, pupils like children all over the world play football. However, footballs are non-existent. The pupils are mostly barefoot too, so as necessity is the mother of invention pupils wrap many layers of plastic around a cloth and bind it up into a ball shape.

The curriculum is relentless and exam-led. Art, singing, homescience and agriculture are no longer examined, so they are not taught this term. At present the lessons are divided into English, maths, science, GHC, re (geography, history and civics and also Christian religious education) and Kiswahili.

All lessons are taught in English, one of the country's official languages (Kiswahili is the other. Imagine English pupils (age 9-10) learning all their lessons in another language!

The school is very proud of its exam results and usually manages to be either top of the zones league tables or near it. The school has a particular reputation for being 1st in maths in the zone. All this is managed with a teacher's text book, a lot of effort and will and few resources.

Kigaa is a place to admire.

A LETTER FROM KIGAA

Term is drawing to a close. Children are suffering exams and my thoughts are moving towards holiday.

Not once have I regretted my time here, and there is more to come.

Tired and stressed out in the English State education system, I was pleased to accept an invitation from Julie to join Kigaa Primary School for six months. So on September 15th at 7am I arrived at Nairobi airport.

I was met by the family Ng'anga. Mrs. Ng'anga, Jacinta is a teacher at the school and local administrator of funds for sponsored children. I am staying with the family; their home is full of laughter.

My first school day began with a staff meeting. I was then taken around the classes and introduced to the children. The white (freckled) face was a bit of a shock to them to begin with, (are those marks a disease, miss?) but there was nothing but a warm welcome.

By break time, due to dire staff shortages, I was teaching English to 80+ std.7 and then science to 80+ std.6 pupils.

I don't think I will ever get over the applause from std.6 every time I enter or leave their room.

My timetable begins at 8.20, and I teach until 12.40. At present with the league table pressure, all groups are combined and long revision for the various national and local exams due soon.

Marking is a nightmare, 80 books at a time, but it is also very satisfying to see advice and teaching taken on board so enthusiastically. I am teaching English and science specializing at present on the std.8 composition in English. (imagine the local difficulty of mixing L & R. and correcting clapping with R!)

School accommodation is very basic with no running water (except at the bottom of the compound in the river) and electricity. There is a blackboard in each classroom and chalk, these are often the only resources available for lessons.

There is no chance to rest one's weary bones - there aren't enough chairs and tables for all the teachers.

Now I ought to mention the climate and physical geography (ever the teacher!) When it is hot, it is sunny, clear and dry but the soil dries quickly to become fine volcanic dust.

When it rains, it rains. The soil becomes claggy (sticky) there is no traction whatsoever. So driving and walking is like walking on ice with the soles of your shoes polished. (the roads are another subject all together) the classrooms are very thick with red dust or mud.

I am pleasantly surprised at how hard everyone works to keep clean. To see teachers and pupils arrive at school, one would not guess now difficult it is to wash dry and iron with no running water or electricity.

The teachers have welcomed me and there is a lot of laughter in the staffroom. It is certainly a boost to do a job and be popular with children and parents. (So much that I have received many gifts of produce, including a live chicken)

I am to go on holiday to relatives in Jo'burg, then I am to return home for speaking commitments and Christmas with family and friends.

I return to Kigaa for the beginning of term in January, the startt of a new school year and another term for the mad English lady.

Bernadette Taylor