Village Education Project
Country : Tanzania, United Republic of
Description:
LATEST UPDATE January 2015
The construction work on 2 classrooms we are helping build with funds from Kili 14 is going in full swing. We received latest images that show that the brickwork is almost finished, already. More updates to come soon!
November 2014
G4G has done the next phase of donations of US $6050 for the construction of the 2nd classroom.
Have a look at the latest photographs of the new classroom with the pupils in it, the new staff room with the teachers in it, and also materials which have already been collected by the villagers for the next phase of the building programme. The Kili 2014 challengers have seen these buildings at final stage of finishing and now these are occupied.
The charity project team is trying their best to optimize the funds & resources to make the most of it. They will start to build new classrooms ASAP. Everyone at Sumaye primary school is ecstatic about the new buildings and the possibility of more to come!
September 20 2014
We have a fantastic update on Sumaye school, the project supported by Kili 2014 challengers.
Trek to the Roof of Africa 2014, will yet again support the lovely Village Education Project in Moshi Tanzania. This time it will support a primary school called Sumaye on the plains to the south of Moshi town.
Sumaye was set up as an ‘overflow’ school. Its neighbouring school, Mvuleni, became full to bursting and so the District Education Office instructed another school to be built and opened. This burden fell on the villagers. The new school, called Sumaye, eventually was built with three classrooms, and one small staffroom. The Head teacher is given space in Mvuleni to have her office – some 400 yards away.
Sumaye needs seven classrooms for its classes (standard I to VII) and yet it only has three classrooms. There are 244 pupils. The education standards at the school are relatively high, which is astounding considering the physical conditions. The saving grace of Sumaye is its go-ahead Head teacher Mrs Rehema Mhombo and her small team of teachers. They teach outside under trees, under a plastic tarpaulin or in the small kitchen hut, until it becomes too hot with the overhead sun, or too wet in the rainy season to be able to carry on. Mrs Mhombo is determined that her school will be a success and has fought hard to get those three classrooms at Sumaye. The villagers are poor, and have already contributed to Mvuleni and so her source of local funds is very limited.
The G4G challenge is to raise funds to get another classroom for Sumaye, Mrs Mhombo and her teachers so that their pupils can be taught in proper conditions.
Original Information about the Village Education Project
Sponsorship raised by the Kilimanjaro challenges in 2003 and 2006 went towards renovating two Primary Schools in the Western part of Marangu, Moshi district, Tanzania.
The Village Education Project was set up as and International NGO (Non Governmental Organisation) in September 1994, and is based on the Northern slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro.
There are four main areas of work:
- Primary School Renovation & Support- to make a better learning environment leading to increased attendence, better health and increased teacher morale
- Provision of English Language Teaching – volunteers are trained in the UK, and teach English in rural primary schools and organise extra curricula activities
- Teacher in-service Training – training local teachers.
- Vocational Training – training in carpentry & masonry, arts & crafts to primary school leavers.
Gulf for Good supported the renovation of Matala Primary School, near Himo which will involved the renovation of the buildings and addition of a covered veranda, and tables and chairs. Children of the school and parents were heavily involved in the building process, for example collecting stones to build up the foundations.
The Kilimanjaro challengers visited Matala school prior to their climb, as well as another school which had already been renovated by VEP.
Visit:
www.kiliproject.org
Primary Education in Tanzania
Children go to primary school from age 7 for seven years. For the first two years they have half a day at school, so it is not until age 9 that they start full time education. Most schools are in a terrible condition with earth floors, breeze-block walls, no shutters or doors and decrepit desks. Over 90% of primary school leavers in rural villages never have the chance of secondary education. Their primary schooling is vital for their foundation in life.
The Importance of English
Most children are already bilingual with their tribal language and the national language, Kiswahili. At school in year 1 they start to learn English. English is essential for any individual development after primary school as all manuals, instruction books and text books are in English.
The majority of villagers on the slopes of Kilimanjaro are subsistence farmers, but the land is now cultivated to the full. The tribal tradition of sons inheriting part of the father’s plot in most cases can no longer carry on as there is insufficient land. So, most of today’s children will not be able to stay in their village as subsistence farmers. They will need to find jobs and new homes. For this they must be equipped with an adequate basic education so that they can act to their advantage and have some hope of earning a living.
Basic education is the key to any lasting development for rural communities, and that is what Village Education Project (Kilimanjaro) seeks to improve.
Their Mission
Their mission is to enhance the quality of education, especially for village children, in order for future generations to become confident and responsible citizens.
Associated Challenges:
