Clearwater C of E Primary Academy teacher Judith Manns and headteacher Kate Moss have visited two primary schools in our link Diocese of Western Tanganyika in Tanzania. Judith shared her impressions of the thoughtful response of the Clearwater pupils:
“We visited two contrasting schools: St Andrew’s Academy, a private church school and Kasulu Primary School, a government-funded state school.
“St Andrew’s Academy offered a calm and focused learning environment. We received a very warm welcome from both staff and pupils. The school caters to classes of approximately 25 to 30 students, all of whom are taught in English. It was evident that the school benefits from a relatively favourable teacher-to-student ratio and access to slightly better facilities, as a result of its status as a private institution. The pupils were confident, respectful, and clearly eager to learn.
“Our visit to Kasulu Primary School highlighted the challenges faced by many state schools in the region. Despite being taught in extremely large classes – we observed one class with 142 children – the pupils were enthusiastic, joyful, and keen to engage in their learning. Teaching is delivered in Swahili, the national language, and resources are extremely limited. Nonetheless, the dedication and commitment of the teaching staff was inspiring. Their determination to provide quality education despite the odds was deeply moving and humbling.
“On our return to Clearwater C of E Primary Academy, Kate shared our experiences with the pupils. The children were fascinated to hear about school life in Tanzania and reflected thoughtfully on the similarities and differences compared to their own learning environment. They were particularly struck by the size of the classes at Kasulu and the limited access to resources. Inspired by this, a fundraising initiative was organised, and by the end of the summer term, the children had raised an impressive £475. These funds have been sent to the two schools to assist them in buying a computer.
“This visit has not only strengthened the link between our dioceses but also enriched the global awareness and empathy of the children at Clearwater. It was a powerful reminder of the value of cross-cultural exchange and the importance of supporting one another in the shared mission of education.”
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