Saturday, February 19, 2011
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Library Renovation Project Description
Here is a little background information from my village's library grant proposal.
Namiyonga B Elementary School is the only school located in my village; this is where I live and teach. Its current enrollment is 378 students. There are 6 teachers, four of them have a secondary education (high school). The number of students who pass the required national standard 7 exam and continue on to secondary school varies every year, as shown here:
STD 7 Students Leave Exam (sorry...couldn't figure out how to get table to copy)
2005: 67 students took exam, 14 students passed = 20.9%
2006: 63 students took exam, 44 students passed = 69.8%
2007: 78 students took exam, 16 students passed = 20.5%
2008: 41 students took exam, 30 students passed = 73.2%
2009: 40 students took exam, 19 students passed = 47.5%
Namiyonga B is also the after school meeting grounds for students from Mkuchika Secondary School, located 1km from Namiyonga B. I also teach at this school. At Namiyonga B, Mkuchika students participate in activities such as debate, netball, soccer, tutoring, and self-study for Form 2 and Form 4 exams. Mkuchika has only 3 teachers for its 159 students. Mkuchika is a relatively new school; its first class started in 2007. Thus, there are only a few Form 2 national exam results. These results show how detrimental the lack of teachers is on these students' education.
Students Taking Form 2 Exam
2008: 52 students took exam, 7 students passed = 13.5%
2009: 37 students took exam, 6 students passed = 16.2%
The Namiyonga B elementary school and the village government have been extremely supportive with the library project. Mr. Nannenje and Mr. Mawondo, teachers at Namiyonga B, put together a budget and grant proposal almost immediately after seeing the grant application. Both of these teachers bike a total of 16 kilometers every day to teach at Namiyonga B, yet they did not hesitate to spend extra time to work on the library project. Mr. Norbert Frank, the Ward Education Officer, has been talking with the District Education Officer to get connected with NGOs (Non-Government Organizations) to apply for books to be donated to our library project after its completion. Ward Executive Officer, Agnes Mnipilika, has agreed to supervise the handling of funding and oversee the construction of the building. The teachers and villagers have all been very helpful and patient with answering my many questions. Most of all, their motivation in building this library is what makes me so sure this is what the village needs in order to develop and increase the opportunities for the youth to prosper. I have no doubt that the village leaders and teachers will support this library project to the end and be involved with every stage of the project.
Community Need:
In Namiyonga Ward there are five villages; Namiyonga being the ward capital. Currently there is no library to provide educational materials for the five villages. It is obvious with the small number of students passing the national exams that there is a deficiency in the village education system. If students fail the standard 7 exam, they are ineligible to attend secondary school, effectively ending their education. Most students in standard 7 are 12-14 years old; too young to find decent jobs and too young to get married and start a family. Girls who fail the exam get married and begin bearing children at a young age. Boys who fail, unable to find work, sit idle and turn to drugs and alcohol. The community sees the problem going on with their youth, but feel helpless to stop the cycle. Education is key for the village youth to have a chance to break free from that cycle. By establishing a library in Namiyonga village, students can have the resources available to enhance their learning and expand the opportunities for them to grow and succeed.
The library project will give students and villagers an opportunity to enhance their literacy skills, and become more knowledgeable of the world outside of their village. The library will provide the resources needed for Standard 7, Form 2, and Form 4 to study for the national exam. All primary and secondary students can benefit by utilizing English literature to assist them with learning English, the primary language used to instruct at secondary level. By providing a place to study after school, students will be encouraged to focus on their studies and less likely to become involved in delinquent activities. The fewer adolescents involved in illicit drugs, alcohol, and early pregnancy will reduce the amount of drug and alcohol abuse and family violence in the village.
Unfortunately there are many in Namiyonga village that are unable to read, write, or count. Nineteen percent of men and twenty-four percent of women of Namiyonga's working population (18-50 years old) are illiterate. For both former and current students, the lack of teachers and educational materials has hindered their ability to gain more knowledge. Literacy skills are necessary to build the capacity of individuals in order to develop the community. Education will open doors for students to be eligible for skilled occupations and bring new work and services for the community to progress.
The library project is sustainable and will continue on for years to come. Teachers at Namiyonga B Primary school will manage the upkeep of the library and implement a time schedule of designated students to oversee the library during hours of use. The library will function as a reference library to keep the books in good condition and safe from theft. The Ward Education Officer and Ward Executive Officer will continue to stay in contact with local NGOs and local organizations to apply for more educational materials and book donations when available.
Namiyonga B Elementary School is the only school located in my village; this is where I live and teach. Its current enrollment is 378 students. There are 6 teachers, four of them have a secondary education (high school). The number of students who pass the required national standard 7 exam and continue on to secondary school varies every year, as shown here:
STD 7 Students Leave Exam (sorry...couldn't figure out how to get table to copy)
2005: 67 students took exam, 14 students passed = 20.9%
2006: 63 students took exam, 44 students passed = 69.8%
2007: 78 students took exam, 16 students passed = 20.5%
2008: 41 students took exam, 30 students passed = 73.2%
2009: 40 students took exam, 19 students passed = 47.5%
Namiyonga B is also the after school meeting grounds for students from Mkuchika Secondary School, located 1km from Namiyonga B. I also teach at this school. At Namiyonga B, Mkuchika students participate in activities such as debate, netball, soccer, tutoring, and self-study for Form 2 and Form 4 exams. Mkuchika has only 3 teachers for its 159 students. Mkuchika is a relatively new school; its first class started in 2007. Thus, there are only a few Form 2 national exam results. These results show how detrimental the lack of teachers is on these students' education.
Students Taking Form 2 Exam
2008: 52 students took exam, 7 students passed = 13.5%
2009: 37 students took exam, 6 students passed = 16.2%
The Namiyonga B elementary school and the village government have been extremely supportive with the library project. Mr. Nannenje and Mr. Mawondo, teachers at Namiyonga B, put together a budget and grant proposal almost immediately after seeing the grant application. Both of these teachers bike a total of 16 kilometers every day to teach at Namiyonga B, yet they did not hesitate to spend extra time to work on the library project. Mr. Norbert Frank, the Ward Education Officer, has been talking with the District Education Officer to get connected with NGOs (Non-Government Organizations) to apply for books to be donated to our library project after its completion. Ward Executive Officer, Agnes Mnipilika, has agreed to supervise the handling of funding and oversee the construction of the building. The teachers and villagers have all been very helpful and patient with answering my many questions. Most of all, their motivation in building this library is what makes me so sure this is what the village needs in order to develop and increase the opportunities for the youth to prosper. I have no doubt that the village leaders and teachers will support this library project to the end and be involved with every stage of the project.
Community Need:
In Namiyonga Ward there are five villages; Namiyonga being the ward capital. Currently there is no library to provide educational materials for the five villages. It is obvious with the small number of students passing the national exams that there is a deficiency in the village education system. If students fail the standard 7 exam, they are ineligible to attend secondary school, effectively ending their education. Most students in standard 7 are 12-14 years old; too young to find decent jobs and too young to get married and start a family. Girls who fail the exam get married and begin bearing children at a young age. Boys who fail, unable to find work, sit idle and turn to drugs and alcohol. The community sees the problem going on with their youth, but feel helpless to stop the cycle. Education is key for the village youth to have a chance to break free from that cycle. By establishing a library in Namiyonga village, students can have the resources available to enhance their learning and expand the opportunities for them to grow and succeed.
The library project will give students and villagers an opportunity to enhance their literacy skills, and become more knowledgeable of the world outside of their village. The library will provide the resources needed for Standard 7, Form 2, and Form 4 to study for the national exam. All primary and secondary students can benefit by utilizing English literature to assist them with learning English, the primary language used to instruct at secondary level. By providing a place to study after school, students will be encouraged to focus on their studies and less likely to become involved in delinquent activities. The fewer adolescents involved in illicit drugs, alcohol, and early pregnancy will reduce the amount of drug and alcohol abuse and family violence in the village.
Unfortunately there are many in Namiyonga village that are unable to read, write, or count. Nineteen percent of men and twenty-four percent of women of Namiyonga's working population (18-50 years old) are illiterate. For both former and current students, the lack of teachers and educational materials has hindered their ability to gain more knowledge. Literacy skills are necessary to build the capacity of individuals in order to develop the community. Education will open doors for students to be eligible for skilled occupations and bring new work and services for the community to progress.
The library project is sustainable and will continue on for years to come. Teachers at Namiyonga B Primary school will manage the upkeep of the library and implement a time schedule of designated students to oversee the library during hours of use. The library will function as a reference library to keep the books in good condition and safe from theft. The Ward Education Officer and Ward Executive Officer will continue to stay in contact with local NGOs and local organizations to apply for more educational materials and book donations when available.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)