Loldia Primary School Trust : Board of Trustees meeting:  June 22^nd 2015

Present: Kennedy Kariuki (HT: chair) , Joan Dickie ( TAS secretary), Maria Muriu ( Rubi Ranch), Grace Mongina ( Bilashaka), Caroline Andisi ( Loldia), Diana Low ( Maradju Farm) , Hellen Macharia (Mara Farming), Samuel Gitaka (parent), James Ndinguri (senior teacher)

Minutes

Future Action

1

Apologies. Simon Losokon (Rocco), Emily Vulimu (parent)

2

The minutes of the last meeting were read and approved

Matters arising: several issues in the last minutes have their own slot on today’s agenda. 25 classroom display boards (private funding) have been fitted. KK/JN say they already being well used

Older boards (stored at Loldia) can these be re-used by cutting down? KK  ask BoM

3

Update on school:. KK reported that:

·         School numbers are currently stable at @ 2000 but 190 pupils will leave at the end of 2015 and there are @ 400 pupils at feeder nursery schools looking for Standard 1 places= potential 2200 pupils in 2016.

·         A Board of Management is now in place, following government guidelines. 4 trustees are also on BoM: Kennedy, James, Grace and Samuel: Note from all trustees : this is excellent news and will help TAS trustees to work alongside BoM

·         3 extra classrooms are available for next year.

·         The government knows the school numbers : a school this size should have at least 40 teachers

With increased numbers ( + 200 pupils?) in 2016  there will yet again be increased need for desks

4

Reporting back from TAS meeting in London

JD gave a short report from the TAS Board meeting. All trustees will have a copy of the new TAS leaflet; the school will have copies to give to visitors; DL will take copies to Loldia House. JD will take leaflets to GRVL.

 JD will bring remaining leaflets to Kenya in September

5

Update on current projects:

A: Desks:

Delivery on June 2^nd of first part of order

47 single desks @ sh. 5,000   = sh. 235,000

9 double desks @ sh. 11,000  = sh. 99,000

26     hairs @ sh2,000               = sh. 52,000

·         KK explained the outstanding urgent need for desks is for one standard 6 class who are still using bench desks: this is a shortfall of 76 locker desks and 50 chairs : this would give ‘ parity ’in St 6,7,8.

·         BIlashaka Fairtrade will fund 100 bench desks for lower school pupils. These are from a different manufacturer and all in wood (the metal on bench desks can damage concrete floors) : costing 2500 each : much cheaper than Comboni BUT the trustees felt Comboni is still best manufacturer of lockers.

5A:Desks

Note: an admin error has meant a fundraised £2000 for desks (by QEH Bristol) has remained in TAS UK account. JD not realised needed  separate proposal form 

JD will write a proposal for more desks for Sept TAS meeting

B: Teachers' salaries:

·         No problems here

·         JD suggested the school and community must think hard about how these salaries can be paid in future years.

·         KK agreed this should be discussed by BoM

5B:Teachers’ salaries:

KK to discuss the future of 2016 salaries with BoM

C: Boys’ toilet renovations:

·         Completed in May. Slightly under budget: 147,745

·         DL/KK/JN not please with finished quality: it is adequate but not good: basins are too a question of supervision? Not use Philip Kamau again?

·         No padlocks yet to share with classes

·         Current challenge with no water to taps: too low pressure as depends on source from lake.

·         Good news: World Bank is working on water project in Kasarani and has given school another drinking water point with bore hole water & charcoal filter bore hole water

·         Soap at pupils taps: an issue? In past pupils brought their own: if provided: disappears. What do other schools do?

5C: Toilets

KK/JN to get padlocks for toilets

KK/JN to liaise with World Bank project plumbers to find  way to get water pressure improved

JD to find out what other TAS schools do about soap

D:Fence:

·         Animals grazing on the field has become a very serious issue in last few months. Note these are not just stray animals but are often with a herdsman who is outside the fence on village road

·         All agreed that the fencing materials should be very strong , tall treated posts , possibly concreted plus really strong wire

·         JD has 185,00 KES from TAS and a possible extra sum from LSF to make a long lasting fence project

·         JN suggested the chief should be informed about the fence construction and that villagers could be ‘prosecuted’ for trying to get animals back onto the field. All agreed

5D: Fence:
JD will ask Josephat Mbugua to requote for  stronger and more durable fence that cannot be cut or where animals cannot burrow underneath.

This quote to arrive by end of June 2015

E:Existing Girls’ toilet renovations

·         JD apologised that this had become ‘ lost’ inside the older girls toilet project proposal

·         A separate proposal will be written for the September TAS meeting

5E:Girls’ toilets

JD to rewrite this proposal with 2-3 quotes

F:General discussion

·         Trustees felt it was better to spend more to get quality workmanship and durable results: Low quote can equal low quality

·         Also projects should have named trustees to oversee quality etc.

5F: For all future projects: expected quality should be clearly specified plus named person(s) to oversee

6

Toilets for older girls 

JD explained that TAS has not approved this project as:

·         It needs better thinking through re sizes and numbers of cubicles,  costing, materials used etc

·         JD is being advised by members of TAS board LSF ( ring fenced funds) is aware of the delay

·         DL enquired about incinerator. The government has given lots of sanitary towels to the school but currently there is no way to dispose of them.

·         JD asked about cost of Rentokil as used on other farms? Might farms cover costs of Rentokil also visiting the schools? What happens in other schools?

Older girls’ toilets

Lots more investigations to do before proceeding with this project.

JD will continue to liaise with  sanitation professionals through TAS

7

Rainwater harvesting project

·         KK and JN said there’s been no further communication from GIZ

·         There is now a drinking tap ( World Bank) on older pupils’ side but it is still a big issue for the lower school.

·         Agreed to re-open investigation into rainwater harvesting from roof of lower school linked to GIZ funding

Rainwater Harvesting

JD to contact James Njeru ( GIZ) and see how can proceed

8

Potential new projects for TAS funding: 2016

JD encouraged trustees to think about new projects for 2016

Ideas discussed briefly were:

·         More desks!

·         A library?

·         Will the community be able to support all teacher salaries or not?

KK to discuss this with BoM

9

AOB :

·         GM reported the generous Fairtrade funding from Bilashaka for 100 bench  desks

·         KK and JN reported great school successes in sports ( 5 pupils going to nationals for ball games) and drama and music

·         JD had been approached about a fund raiser for sports equipment. JN suggested football boots as these were worn out : there are boys and girls football teams  meaning 22-24 pairs of boots. Trustees thought these should be long lasting eg Adidas: costing @ 3000 KES each pair

·         Kennedy asked trustees’ opinions about how to motivate pupils to improve exam scores. Small prizes.?  Medals?

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Date of next meeting: Tuesday Sept 22^nd : 15.00h