The Kawaza Primary School is situated in the Luanga Valley, in the local area of Chief Nsefu.
The Kawaza primary school under the leadership of its dedicated headmaster is a success story. It teaches some
494 enthusiastic children who are keen to learn and very much appreciate all that the school is able to give them.
20 % of the children are orphans. However the school was built in 1932 and many of the older building were in a deplorable state.
The plan was to refurbish some of the buildings and to build new classrooms, which Romilly's Foundation agreed to pay for. This phase of work, has now been completed successfully. This cost Romilly's Foundation in the UK and her Association in France, between them 22,000 pounds sterling. The work was ably supervised by Jo Pope of Robin Pope Safaris, who have supported Kawaza Primary School since 1988.
See www.robinpopesafaris.net
I met David, the Headmaster, who was grateful for the footballs and pumps donated by Tim and Lizzie and my pens and t-shirts. He is eternally grateful to Romilly for contributing the lion's share of the rebuilding and refurbishment programme. He said he is so proud of the “new” school and his pupils are too. He says, ‘Thanks to Romilly this is now one of the best rural schools in the whole of Zambia '. He is a lovely chap, who, I observed has a very caring approach towards his pupils. He was a bit anxious as all the senior pupils were about to sit their Nyanja exam on the morning I arrived.
The school currently has 551 pupils (all primary). Two thirds are boys. There are 17 teachers, of whom 9 are funded by the Government and 8 by Robin Pope Safaris. Locally and throughout Zambia there is a shortage of primary school places. They could fill the school three times over from local demand. All primary education is now free however there are hidden costs such as uniforms, books, exams etc., which still means it is difficult for many locals, who exist on $1 per day! The other key issue is the very severe shortage of secondary school places coupled with the fact that most secondary schools are boarding schools beyond the means of most rural families.
I met a many of the pupils including some of the senior ones in white (some not so white) shirts and ties. I saw one of the handwriting tests where George had scored 17 out of 20 with lovely handwriting. All the children seemed very happy and well mannered.
Whilst the third block is being refurbished David has as moved his office into the Romilly block. He will move back to his former office when it is completed. On the outer wall of the Romilly block it acknowledges the assistance given by Romilly. The building is fully operational.
The new classroom block replaced the previous leaking and decaying building. There are now large airy classrooms with higher roofs, which makes them much cooler than the ones they replaced. Desks were laid out in rows and numbered in preparation for the exams. The third block has had a new roof and is currently being re-plastered and touched up. David has plans to create a new library in this building. When I saw his office before there were huge cracks in the walls and was very dark. Now there are solid walls and it is much lighter.
Some of the children walk 2-3 hours each way to school, leaving home in the dark and walking through the bush where there are frequent sightings of elephant. I saw elephant footprints in the next village. They have to walk home often in temperatures of 35° and many of them have had no lunch!
It was a very up-lifting experience. David says he is so proud to be the head of a school, which can now give a much better teaching and caring environment for the pupils.