I arrived in Moshi Tuesday night, and surprisingly, my baggage made it with only one item broken: the looseleaf notebook containing all my laminated handouts got its rings bent and no longer works. In the scheme of things, that's nothing.
I had a meeting with Abihudi Lukumay, the headmaster of Tumona. Today we will meet again, and we will begin getting the school organized for the installation of the equipment and the teacher workshop next week. The students return January 8, and I will stick around to observe and troubleshoot.
We had some good news at Tumona: Silvia, one of the form 4 students who got a sponsorship through Drew School, passed all subjects on her O-level exam, earning a Division 2 (which as far as I can tell is the equivalent of all B's). She plans to continue studying science in A-level.
For those of you who aren't familiar with the Tanzanian education system, primary school runs from grades 1-7 ("standards 1-7"). Secondary School is Forms 1 - 4, the equivalent of grades 9-11. At the end of Form 4, students take a national exam and those who fail cannot go on with their education. Those who pass with a low mark are able to take various types of vaocational training (including teaching, which I find disturbing). Those who pass with high marks can go on to High School, Forms 5 and 6. In high school, students specialize in an area such as sciences or liberal arts.
However, not all communities have high schools, and the government assigns students to high schools where their subject specialty is available. We're hoping Silvia doesn't get sent too far away; but the costs of her education will be too high for her unless she receives sponsorship. It's one of the biggest barriers poor children face in getting an education.
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