3rd Academic Year
Much has happened at Got Matar since
November. The school’s third academic year began in January,
with the new Form 1 pupils joining in early February, when
the paint was just dry on the new buildings. The Community
had managed to complete construction of the 3rd classroom
block within just 3 months. Like the others, it consists of
3 classrooms and a fourth room for other purposes – in this
case to serve as an interim general sciences laboratory
until more permanent facilities can be constructed with
government funds. Total enrolment has risen to 450 pupils,
of which 175 are recipients of bursaries.
Thanks to the continuing generosity of donors
as well as the high level of competence displayed by the
community, the development of the school’s essential
facilities is, therefore, keeping pace with the original
plan, set in motion in October 2006. |
VIP Visitors
The most recent meeting of the Board of
Governors was attended by Dr. Oburu, the MP for the area,
who is a strong supporter of the school. He presented books
to the library and confirmed that priority would be given to
connecting the school with the mains electricity supply.
In March, John Curtin, who has been running
acting tours in the UK for Maasai Warriors over the past few
years, visited Got Matar. He has reached agreement with the
Community for a fund-raising tour, to be conducted for 3
months from February 2010. The 8 person troupe impressed
John enormously by their acting and musical abilities, and
so he has begun to set up a programme for them for a series
of performances in schools, church groups and theatres
across East Anglia. A visit to the
school was also made by Harriet Stone from the Australian
NGO, Bricks and Cartwheels, through which Australian
architects are working voluntarily to help school building
in Africa. She has expressed preliminary interest in
supporting the construction of a girls’ dormitory at Got
Matar, but is awaiting a proposal from the Community. |