Developing Physical Education

A most exciting project!

School inspection reports have identified a need for the senior school to provide better physical education - a key part of the School Development Plan. There is no currently adequate playing field or football pitch in the school, or its surrounds.

Football training coming to Sohm soon, thanks to Football Gambia

We are working closely with a UK charity, Football Gambia (FootballGambia.org), to address this. They will bring a team of football coaches and a supply of donated football kit to Sohm next January and kit-out students and provide training for them.

The village is very excited! They are preparing a pitch for event and we will pay for the materials for pupils to construct goal posts etc. for the event.

The result? All the success factors of overseas aid will be achieved. There is a local ownership for the initiative, there will be a skills transference and the basis for legacy will be laid.

Providing Teacher Training Support

One of Sandra's teacher daughters and a work colleague of hers will spend a week in the Gambia in February 2013.In a structured way with an agreed plan, they will provide support and training to the school staff in lesson planning and preparation in English and Science subject areas.

Help needed to improve skills of under-trained teachers

This will enhance the skills of 20 teachers at the Senior Secondary School and the eighteen at the Lower Basic School, which in turn, will improve the education received by the 700 or so students attending the two schools.

Bringing Electricity to the School

Mains electricity is gradually being supplied to even the most remote areas of The Gambia, by the nationalised utility company. Sohm village was connected to the grid a couple of years ago. But because the school is about half a mile off the beaten track, cabling was not extended to the school.

So, it is dependent on generators, for electricity to fire up the wood and metal workshops, as well as the science laboratories and the developing computer classes. This is unsatisfactory, costly and unreliable.

We are working with the principal and Regional Director of Education to put pressure on the electricity company to extend the reach of their supply, to include the school.

Electricity needed to power up the woodwork workshop

Improving Science Education

The senior school was give classroom space for its first science laboratories in September 2011.However it still lacks basic laboratory equipment and trained science teachers.  So, we are working with the principal and others, to:

• lobby the ministry of education for more and well qualified science staff to be appointed, from September 2013
• seeking donation of scientific equipment for the school.  All offers of donation, gratefully received!

Not enough science equipment for learning-hungry students

• Improving science education
• More sponsorhip
• Electricity in the schools
• Classroom repair and maintenance
• Laptop donations
• Topping up funds
• Improving teacher training support

Lower Basic School

We are delighted to have arranged the twinning of the Lower Basic school with Derwentwater Primary school, in Acton, London. This has lead to an exchange of letters between the pupils of the two schools and the sharing of whole class diaries, together with projects about each other's countries and life styles.

In addition, Derwentwater has raised over £1,000 for the Sohm school, via two school fairs.  The funds have been spent of stationery, books, visual aids, basic equipment and teacher support, for the Lower Basic school. Two of Derwentwater's teachers  visited Sohm in February 2013 to cement the relationship and provided training support to the Lower Basic teachers.

Lower Basic school teachers displaying certificates, after training from Natalie and Nicola senior teachers from Derwentwater Primary school, Acton.

Through the generosity of one of our supporters, we have been able to provide horizon-expanding school trips for the older pupils at the Lower Basic school.

Further support and sponsorship of some of the village's poorest pupils is high on our list of priorities, for the future.

The fabric of the school's buildings, classrooms and others, together with the staff accommodation, needs restoring, to acceptable levels.

There is no electricity in the school and the water supply is some distance from its main buildings. We are looking to develop a small solar energy project that would pump water from a local standpipe into the school, and provide power for the small number of computers and teaching aids for it.

Water supply, 100 meters from Lower Basic school buildings

• Schools Report - who goes
• Secondary School - challenges
• Lower Basic School - progress and opportunities