ACTION

1

The meeting was opened with a word of prayer by Hussein Duba

2

Matters arising from the Minutes of the meeting of 20t^h May 2010.

a) CDF funding of renovation of classrooms and nursery.  Poor quality contracting.  JAD said it was impossible to control the quality of the CDF contractors.   Trustees say not worth challenging the CDF – because of fear of backlash i.e. no future money will come our way if we do.  GMA in favour of Trustees send a letter to CDF/MP setting out the problems with the investment of CDF money.  Short report on shortcomings to CDF monitoring committee and parliament.  AFG agreed to write letter saying while TAS is supporting matching funds from government is inadequately provided and contractual work incompetently managed.  Ksh 1,400,000.

b) Water:  JAD reported that Catholic Relief Services (CRS) is doing excellent job with pump. 

GMA suggested that requests for any items or action for KWS are sent in writing to Mark  Cheruyit and Jonathan Karui

Request to KWS:  Please Redo the tank in their compound in anticipation of the French borehole being renovated which will be plumbed into the existing KWS line of supply to the school and the community. JAD asked by AFG to ask KWS to provide new water tank for i) school, ii) community and iii) KWS

Other items outstanding from KWS:

MC committed to follow up with German Agro Action re line pumps etc.

MC said KWS would provide vehicle for teachers to draw salaries

MC  - was going to find funds for Meals stationery and other expenses  for lodge in Meru and said he would make contact with local NGO to sensitization of girl students against early marriage. 

‘Action against Hunger’?

GMA - Bursaries:  TAS says it cannot sustain the level of bursaries across all the schools.  Decdided to give secondary schools a lumpsum to fund bursaries from particular schools that TAS supports.  So bursaries for Asako will be managed from Madogo for the 4 students part-bursaries.  MbalaMbala school will be paid to Asako. 

GMA asked the board where Asako students would go to secondary school if they pass KCPE.  HT said majority would go to Madogo. 

SK/MC to organise KWS engineer to visit school to provide short report of shortcomings in CDF contract

AFG/KH to draft letter to CDF local committee and the minister and monitoring committee

AFG/KH letter to KWS

GMA will write letter to MC

3

Report from the planning workshop held on 13 September

KH explained how a ‘school improvement high level plan’ had been developed

AFG asked GMA what sort of investments TAS would be interested in supporting to

guide the  board as to which funding proposals to work on.

GMA explained that TAS now has 11 schools and is testing to see whether the school

trusts are viable and can continue beyond the existing lifetime of TAS.  DO they have a life

of their own. 

Schools should not consider TAS as main funder.  E.g. Eburru school in Naivasha has had

 input from TAS for 4 years and now stepping back and the board is looking for other

funders. 

Pattern is that the local trust must aim towards self-sufficiency using methods and

proceses established by TAS so far.

GMA said it wasn’t as simple as saying that TAS would fund infrastructure projects or

academic performance.  Look at things case by case.

Safaricom may be interested in providing signal/booster mask which might result in

possible library/computer lab.

Also funded bandas at Muvukoni school for students to work/eat in (Ksh 150k for 10

bandas).  Locally constructed and built and low cost.   E.g. in Asako could use palm

instead of makuti.  

GMA wants to see innovative ideas for using limited resources really well.  Mukukoni – the children were also involved in designing the bandas. 

JAD said price of palms no less than concrete/bricks.

Need more proposals that directly benefit children and help ASP head towards its mission of 100% pass rate of KCPE.

4

Funding proposals                                                                                                                                                                            

a)             Examination materials – Ksh 88,065 for 3 terms materials (in addition to

            Ksh 30k agreed at last meeting)  - agreed.

b)             Nursery school teacher from school over the river.  Nursery school – 2 classrooms

 over river – has closed because of no teachers.  Feeder school to Asako.   Ksh72,000

per year.  Agreed.

c)              Music trip to Garissa – approved at last board but no followup. – Ksh 20,000. 

           Resubmit to TASUK.

d)             Computer, photocopier - postponed

e)             Teacher training – Bachelor Education for Mr Mohamed Gure (Class 5) and Mr

Stephen Komu (class 6/7)  Ksh 400,000 over 3 years.  GMA – TAS is keen to support

in-service training but not so keen on long term courses, but GMA will put it

forwards to board think it is not so good for TAS to invest in individuals for long

periods not an investment in the school as they are likely to leave very soon Not

accepted by the board.  Give ideas for visitors to the school for lectures to teachers

f)              Additional costs of accommodation in Nairobi for the Planning meeting 13

September.   Ksh 12,000.  GMA suggested looking into excess from earlier budgets to

cover this cost.

g)             Sanitary pads – 3 terms Ksh 45,000 for 50 girls.  Board approves for pilot basis

 with a view to getting government funding in future. 

h)             Boosting salaries of nursery teachers from Ksh6000 to 9000 per month. 

Not clear whether this is because nursery teachers are not sufficiently good or not

sufficiently paid?  Need to discuss at School Management Committee. POSTPONED

SK to give contacts to the school in sept

EO to ask Education office/teachers training college in garissa what can be offered for teachers of asako

HT to go to training college and find out

5

Gender– public sensitization against early marriage – see earlier action point for MC and letter to KWS

MC

6

AOB -

Bursary – humanitarian plea for sister of boy trust helped as per last meeting in May – please can we effect the bursary…  Don’t need a funding proposal as the cost was to be absorbed by savings on reduced bursaries for original 3 students down to Ksh15,000 from Ksh xx,0000.

Board meetings – can we not have so many meetings in Nairobi – price for trustees is high – 3 days+ out of school.  GMA explained the need for non-Asako trustees to travel to Asako by plane which makes those meeting more costly.  KH asked why 3 nights needed in Nairobi instead of 2.   Try to fix the meeting for earlier in the day next time to enable return to Garissa on the same day.

KH to check the figures

7

Date of next meeting will be held on 20 January 2011 in Asako.

KH