Filling the gap years

In 2017 Tanzania’s population was estimated at 51.5 million, of which almost two thirds (63.8%) were below the age of 25, (mean age 17.6 years.)

This year nearly 22 million pupils will be enrolled in school - the numbers I have found seem to vary according to the source. One reason is that an unidentified number of children are never registered with the authorities; hence the current introduction of a national identity card without which no SIM card can be obtained.

In 2016 the average number of students per teacher was 135. During the last 4 years the number has dropped a little: many teachers have been trained which is why the surge in demand has not made the figures worse. But there is still a huge gap so any child that falls behind or drops out is abandoned. Hence Kyosei and its new school.

The new school is half an hour outside Arusha in a development area on a plot measuring 90m by 80m. I know because I measured it: believe it or neither seller nor purchaser bothered to do so before!

The road next to the school should be built in 2020, and electricity and water connected around then. In order to start teaching as soon as possible there is a roof fed tank to collect rainwater, and I have spent some time specifying and getting quotes for a small solar power installation, (which is more than they have funds for.)

I liked the view of Mt Meru.Read more