Mostly for Althea and Carol and Gayhurst Primary

We finished our Royal Tour of local development organisations/service providers with a trip to a local primary school;  the head of the school had made time for us and came out of his office – actually a cleaners’ store cupboard between two classrooms with just enough room for a desk and some other crap – see below – so we sat under the trees while he explained how it is. 

The building is a survivor of the French authorities – built 1958 – and has no electricity - water is provided by a standpipe in the yard.  There are six classes with approximately 80 per class – children are 4 to a desk meant for 2 - and in order to write, some have to be on the floor. Every class usually has a small group outside at any given point – unsupervised, the yard is unfenced and they are next to a main road where lorries thunder past – I assumed this was essential decanting.

The teachers have undergone a year’s training and have no provision for or requirement to have CPD training.  The head is desperate for more resources for teacher development.  A recent review sponsored by overseas NGOs demonstrated that their basic training material is deficient – poorly spelt, inaccurate in large parts …..  Given this is a relatively remote posting, there should be some teacher accommodation attached to the school but there is not.  The head is squatting an abandoned house – although he had never heard the term ‘squatter’ before, which Simon the Canadian taught him.  I guess this could indicate differing attitudes to property - he is just using a spare house.  ‘Squatter’ sounds great in a French accent – try it!

The children arrive in the first year to learn French, which is the teaching language.  If they come from town, they will have some French at least – if they come from a village – and many do, and weekly-board from 6 – they may be learning French for the first time.  They are examined at 11 in French, Maths, sciences, geography, sport and arts.

There is a kitchen building – almost derelict – which will stop preparing food this month because the money has run out.  The building will not last the next rainy season.  The head explained how ironic it is to be giving lessons on cleanliness and health in this context.

The rainy season is also the exam season – so every year a certain number of senior students will be removed to help at home with the immense task which is using the season to ensure subsistence;  they will miss matriculation, will not be eligible to go on to the next stage, and their education will be over. 

Back in the day, the government tried to encourage education for girls by making it cheaper – net result, 75% girls in class.  The balance is just being restored.  Primary school attendance is about 65% in towns, much lower in villages depending on access.  It costs about 2% of a middling monthly wage to send a child to school.

Diébougou is twinned with Floirac in Burgundy and they have sent computers and a photocopier to the school.  No electricity - so they sit with the head in the cleaners’ cupboard.

Education at this level is not seen as a development priority.  Secondary is where the money goes.

There was a happy buzz about the place.  Children were curious about us, respectful, disciplined.  There was work on the walls, and rigidly correct cursive French orthography on the boards.  Even folk who struggle to write out their names, I have noticed, use correct script.  While we were talking a young man of about 13 arrived on a bike – he was a fairly recent leaver and had come back with his report to show the head and his last class teacher.  He was so proud, and they were so proud of him.  I love primary schools.