Very basic school

This is a continuation of the story of my recent visit to the Gambia. The previous blog post was entitled Gambia Maybe Time.

On day 3 we took our students to visit the Mandinari Lower Basic (primary) School, which is located out in the countryside along the banks of the river Gambia. We arrived in our minibuses on a sandy compound, with low tin roofed buildings on two sides, and were greeted by the smiling teaching staff. The school was founded in 1964, a year before Gambia's independence. We were informed that there are 783 children on roll, assigned into 19 classes. Because there were only 15 classrooms and the same number of teachers, school hours go on until 6pm each evening, to accommodate all the pupils. I was appalled to hear that 4 teachers were absent that day due to Malaria sickness. As a result some classes were doubled up, with 50-60 children in each small room. English is the language by which all lessons are taught, and maths and English are the main subjects on the timetable, with other subjects including the Koran, science and physical education.

We went in groups of 3 or 4 into the classrooms and took the lessons. We saw right away that the children were very bright and inquisitive. They stared long at our white faces and strange clothing as we sang songs, read them stories and told them about England and the children there. These children come from an oral culture, with a focus on story telling and music, so when it came to singing, they were almost deafening. They sang and danced enthusiastically for us, and then crowded in on us as we were leaving, simply wanting to touch us.

I noticed that during their lunch break, the children only had one place to sit away from the searingly hot sunshine - under the shade of a large mango tree around the rear of the school buildings. I mentioned to the deputy head teacher that we could provide them with some more trees, and even do a planting and watering ceremony for them complete with dancing and drums. He loved the idea and so next time I am there, I plan to buy some saplings and some fencing, and do just that. In a few years time, younger children in that community will hopefully be able to enjoy some more shade from the sun.

The school is typical of many in the Gambia, with no electricity and only very basic learning resources, and where the only toilet facilities are located in tin shacks at the rear of the school, consisting of holes in the floor over a large cesspool. In the heat the fumes and flies are sickening, and the conditions extremely unhealthy, but somehow they cope with it day to day. We also noticed that apart from the chalk and blackboard, they had very few other resources - a few books and little else. Some of the children had exercise books and pencils, but many more did not. There was also no provision for those with special needs. I promised the maths teacher I spoke to that next time we visit, we will bring him some exercise books, pencils and solar powered calculators. They are the best solution I can think of to try to improve the conditions in the school.

Anyone working in a school in the UK will find it hard to understand the huge gulf that separates their school from those in the poorest countries of the world, where even coloured chalk or a new exercise book are luxuries. We have a long way to go.