Minutes:
MEETING AT
JARAJARA PRIMARY SCHOOL ON 23 JANUARY 2021
Present:
Abdirahman Sheikh Abdullah Headteacher, Ismail Dubie teacher, Stephen Kameti, Gill Marshall-Andrews
Apologies: Zahra Aden Frederic, Hussein Senior Chief, Stephen
Kameti, Gill Marshall-Andrews
School update:
There were locusts in the compound yesterday but they
didn’t stay for long. They have attacked
the NYS rice project nearby though.
Roll: 406
students on roll of which 44 have not returned since the closure. They are being followed up by the chief. It is expected that all will return in the
coming weeks.
Teachers:
There are currently 3 TSC teachers – the HT, and two
others, one of whom will go on maternity leave next month. This leaves 2 teachers for over 400 children!
The TSC allocation is 9 teachers but when I phoned up
about this from the HT’s office I was told that the staff ‘run away’ when they
are posted to this area.
(Post meeting note:
Stephen and I visited the offices in Garissa and spoke to the local head
of the TSC about this lamentable situation.
He promised to do something about it).
There are 3 PTA teachers and 5 young National Youth
Service men who supplement the staffing.
The Board of Management needs to be
re-constituted. Currently there is no-one
responsible for the running of the school and its finances except the HT who is
now doing so virtuallyl alone. He badly
needs a Deputy and other qualified teachers to support him as well as a
properly constituted BOM.
There is a severe lack of suitable latrines especially
for the girls. 6 in all, 2 for the
staff, 2 for 212 boys and 2 for 190
girls.
The dining hall funded by the Ministry is not in use
because there is no food!
There is confusion about whether the government tablets
provided to all schools 3 years ago are
in use. There was no evidence
that they were being used by students but the laptops for teachers do seem to
be being used.
Projects:
The library is in use and the recently purchased chairs
and TV are evident. It is clear that
better use of the TV could be made by flashdisks etc.
The school will develop proposals for a new gate – the
old one is insecure - and 2 new toilets for girls.
