Visit to Cambridge College and Manyangwa Modern School - Uganda

REPORT ON THE VISIT BY THE PROPOSALS COMMITTEE TO GAYAZA CAMBRIDGE COLLEGE OF ST. MBAAGA AND MANYANGWA MODERN PRIMARY SCHOol
Purpose of visit: To Audit the implemented projects at the institutions

Manyangwa Modern Primary School

At 10:15 am, on the 16th October 2009, two of the current three proposals committee members arrived at Manyangwa Modern Primary School. They were greeted by the Deputy Headmaster.

We were taken to three classrooms that received the 20 pupil’s desks that were provided to the school this year. Each of the desks seats 3 pupils, however, some of them seat four or five because the situation is still wanting.
Distribution of the 20 desks

- The Primary 6 classroom received 10. The class has a total number if 38 pupils.

- The Primary 5 classroom received 6. The class has 32 pupils currently

- Primary 4 received 4 and has 28 pupils

The school also acquired 5 tables and 10 chairs for teachers using this year’s funds received through Project Hope – Uganda.
Two desks and three tables and all the ten chairs were not at the school at the time of the visit. The school had hired them at a fee to a company that needed to use them for a workshop.We had a chat with the pupils in their classrooms and they were so happy to see us.
At midday, we set off for Cambridge College.
Cambridge College
We arrived at the College, where we were joined by another member of the committee at 12:35 pm. At the College, we were greeted by the Headmaster. After a chat in his office, we were led to the school library. The Headmaster shared that initially, the school had a small book bank in the Deputy Headmaster’s office, but when Project Hope enabled them to stock more books, they decided to move on and dedicate a room for the library, where students and teachers could be able to sit and read if they wished.

In the Library

We talked to the librarian about the library by the teachers and students, the security of the books, and the stock. The librarian told us that the library has greatly helped the teachers and the students, especially that the books stocked with the annual grant received through Project Hope – Uganda since 2008 have been of great help. She said that both teachers and students borrow books, and students particularly use the library to read. She emphasized the problem of very few or one copy of the same titles, saying that usually, some students or teachers who borrow such titles don’t want to return them because they fear someone else might pick them off the shelves. This means that the person who returned such a book may not be able to use it again, or might only use it again after so long. We thought there is a “war” over the limited reading resources.

We were shown records of the library borrowers. We found evidence of books that were borrowed and have not been returned on schedule.
We also saw on the shelves a number of books that are almost not being used. The readers we found in at the time and the librarian said that users preferred books from Project Hope as they were of great value. Many of these books, however, appeared to be worn out, some with covers slightly wearing off, while others damaged as a result of over usage.

The school was able to collect money from outgoing students and bought some readers. Candidates who came to pick their pass slips were asked to pay 5,000 shillings. It is hoped that these readers will help in building a reading culture. The school also received 200 copies of readers from the Uganda Private Schools Teachers’ Association. We were also told that there were incidents of theft but the exact books were recovered or the culprits were made to purchase replacements.

Chat with students

We talked to a group of about 20 students representing a cross section of the students’ community in both “O” and “A” Levels. They were very thankful for the support that has been extended to the school through Project Hope. They expressed their problem with few copies of the same title. The rain threatened our discussion and we asked the students to write down their thoughts, some appear below:

“Thank you for the wonderful work you are doing to equip out library with books. Though many books have been bought, we still need more”. Bbaka Michael.
“I don’t have much to say, but I am just thanking you for the good work you have done for us as a school. The books are really helpful and we are very grateful”.
“There is a big need to get more books. Students also need to be helped to know the value of the library and reading, mostly those in lower classes to up-build their future. Students are given limited time for library use”.
“I appreciate the work you do. I request you get us more books so we can have wider knowledge and novels are not enough. Our library lacks novels and the ones we have are too old”.
Chat with Teachers

We met about 6 teachers in the staffroom. They were so grateful for the support extended to the school, but also expressed their concern with the few copies of the same title and titles that are not available but are very helpful. We asked them to make arrangements to go to Kabubbu Community Library and see how the situation can be helped.
Recommendations

- We suggested that the librarian starts taking records of all those that get into the library, whether students or teachers; noting the names, time, class, the book(s) they read etc. We hope this might help inform the school administration in taking decisions concerning library stock, setting and also in helping everybody to use it. At the time of the visit, the library had only a register used for borrowing.

- We advised that the school gets more pages of each book stamped with the school stamp to help quell possible thefts. When one or very few pages are stamped, it becomes easy for some to tear out those pages and have the book appear like it is theirs.

- We advised that a bucket and water be put by the library door for the users to wash their hands as a way of keeping the books clean.

- We also suggested that the librarian insists on the “Leave Your Bag” by the door and checking users as they go out as a way of ensuring that the naughty ones don’t take out any unregistered library material. And that the library guidelines for use are published within the library and other public places at the school.

- We encouraged the school to send the librarian, the helping teachers and students, and any such persons who might conduct the work of a library at the school in the future to Kabubbu Community Library to share ideas with the librarians there. This would help the school library be better managed and also has potential to help improve KCL especially in as far as dealing with student users is concerned.

- We also reminded the school of Kabubbu Community Library’s Book Box Loaning Scheme which might help ease the problem of limited resources in the meantime.

- We asked the librarian to make arrangements with class teachers and student leaders within classes to display the books that are not so frequently used. We hope that when students see these books in their classes, they might pick interest in them. This way, a reading culture will be boosted.