The Agogos....

Another full day today - started in Kitwe  after breakfast and visited Kwacha congregation to see a community school (although it wasn't open so I was just meeting the teachers).  I met the Head teacher and some of the teachers.  It is quite a sorry situation.  The school is held in the church building and in the manse (the ministers house).  In one small room the Early Childhood class is held with 70 children....the teacher had a blackboard so  I can only assume she does rote learning with the children.  Other classes are held in the church building (which leaks during rainy season).  There is no division between classes so it must be a noisy place when all classes are there.  The toilets are few and the place is not conducive for a school.  But...its all there is in this location and there are 600 pupils at the school!  Made me quite sad, but my role is to help the Early Childhood teacher.  I will make a plan to go back when school is in session.

Then I visited another congregation where we have a school to see the situation there.  The Early Childhood is meeting in the church but they have plans to build an Early Childhood Centre so it is more promising.  At this congregation, the ministers mother stays with the family - she is the lady on the left in the photo and the lady on the right used to be the Coordinator for the Women's Guild in our church in Zambia.  Lovely old ladies - a privilege to spend a few minutes with them!

After this we set off to Luanshya to another congregation where they hope to start Early Childhood...another great place as there are lots of children and not much in terms of Early childhood all around them!

Then we went back to Ndola to the home of the minister who was my tour guide and had a lovely lunch (around 4pm)!!  Next stop was the airport and I flew back to Lusaka, picked up my vehicle and drove home!  An early night as I was exhausted...but a profitable visit!

Also as I arrived I heard that the Ministry of Education have announced schools will not open until 12 February as the cholera situation is still bad!