Schools

This issue of The Soul Beat focuses on information from our network on communication for social change in and for schools and education in Africa. It includes experiences, publications and thinking about education access, training, curricula, and technologies, among other issues relevant to an academic setting.

EXPERIENCES

1. Hygiene and Recycling Communication Materials Development - South Africa

Directed at schools in the Umkhanyakude District in northern KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, this programme aims to explore issues of sustainable health and environmental development through empowering youth, using the process of action media. Youth club members are trained to make and disseminate messages that promote hygiene and waste disposal.

Contact Mkhonzeni Gumede gumedem3@nu.ac.za

2. SchoolNet - Mozambique

A nationwide network of professional educators and schools working to make the Mozambique educational system competitive by preparing in-school youth for Internet connectivity and technology. The network aims to enhance learning opportunities for students, teachers, and the surrounding community via the Internet. SchoolNet is also seen as a way to prepare Mozambican students for work in the Global Information Society.

Contact Kauxique Maganlal kauxique@mined.gov.mz

3. HIV/AIDS School Education Action Days - Tanzania

This is a two-day programme targeting government primary schools in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, that aims to raise awareness and give better information about HIV/AIDS, to pupils in different age groups. The project is aiming to reach 184 primary schools within Dar es Salaam. Each school is visited twice for one day by a team of 20 HIV field educators, 3 logistic personnel and 20 professional animators who bring theatre, songs, steel band music and other types of animation.

Contact Jeske G Decock communication@ccbrt.or.tz

4. Global Twins - South Africa

A cultural exchange project that involves the twinning of South African schools with schools in other countries via a website. Some twinning projects concentrate on the students city, town, environment, and countries. Others focus on a specific world heritage site project where schools that are situated in or near such sites. The schools create and develop artwork and written material to share with each other.

Contact Dr Thomas Van der Walt vdwaltb@unisa.ac.za

5. Educating on Peace and Reconciliation After a Decade of War - Sierra Leone

The aim of the project is for students to interact, and share ideas and explore their talents in various forms on the theme of peace and reconciliation. The project aims to reduce the rate of conflict within schools through: connecting youths in online education; bridging the digital divide in Sierra Leone; linking Sierra Leone Schools with others around the world to share in online educational projects; running peace building campaigns and human rights on-line.

Contact Andrew Benson Greene andrewgreene_c21st@iearnsierraleone.org

6. Students Without Borders (SWB) - Nigeria

Supported by Teachers Without Borders, Nigeria, the programme encourages students to bring about positive changes in their communities, connect them to each other to share and exchange resource information, and educate other young people, using their achievements at the local level as a showcase. Activities include: the Student Leaders Information Technology Conference; AIDS 2004 Youth; and the Save Port Harcourt Zoo Campaign.

Contact Dabesaki Mac-Ikemenjima dabesaki@yahoo.com

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Do you have information about a programme our publication that you would like to share with our evergrowing network of communicators across Africa and the world? Please contact Anja Venth aventh@comminit.com

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STRATEGIC THINKING

7. TeenWeb Nairobi: Results of a Web-based Project to Survey and Educate Students About Health

This report summarises the results of TeenWeb Kenya study, which used the Internet as a research and educational tool in low-resource settings. The study aims to galvanize further action among those who support policies and interventions to improve adolescents' access to reproductive-health information and services.

8. The Sound of Silence: Difficulties in Communicating on HIV/AIDS in Schools

by Tania Boler

"The research indicates that in both Kenya and India teachers and schools play a pivotal role in teaching young people about HIV and AIDS. On the whole, parents appear to support schools in this endeavour, partly as it relieves their own responsibilities for discussing HIV/AIDS. However, perceptions of risk of HIV appear not to be ‘personalised’ with an underlying attitude that HIV only happens to 'them' and not 'us'. Unfortunately, attempts to deliver HIV/AIDS education in schools are severely constrained by a wider crisis in education, and more specifically by social and cultural restraints in discussing HIV/AIDS, sexual relations and power inequalities."

9. Teacher Training: Essential for School-Based Reproductive Health & HIV/AIDS Education Focus on Sub-Saharan Africa

Edited by William Finger & Claudia Daileader Ruland

This paper identifies that teachers are a link in providing valuable information about reproductive health and HIV/AIDS to youth. But to do so effectively, they need to understand the subject, acquire good teaching techniques, and understand what is developmentally and culturally appropriate.

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AIFO Looking for a Socially Conscious Theater/Music/Dance Group from Africa for Shows in Italy

AIFO is planning to organise a tour of a small group of 4-5 persons from Africa involved in theater/music/dance shows. Groups linked with NGOs involved in health care and human rights issues in Africa, groups with disabled persons and groups with women will be given preference. AIFO will cover all expenses for air-travel and stay of the group in Italy for this period. An additional contribution for the activities of the NGO is also possible.

Interested organisations please send a brief write up about the group to Dr Sunil Deepak sunil.deepak@aifo.it before September 5 2004. Information about AIFO can be found at AIFO website.

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MATERIALS

10. Kauna's Birthday Wish

by Lucy Y.

SteinitzAdvocacy information is provided through an instructional storybook to help orphans and other vulnerable children receive free primary education in Namibia. Exemptions from the school development fees are possible via the Ministry of Basic Education, Sport, and Culture - but this information is not widely known or practiced. This book offers information about these exemptions. The book will be distributed in three languages, English, Afrikaans, and Oshiwambo, to school-based and community libraries in Namibia.

11. Education and HIV/AIDS: A Window for Hope

This paper lays out a strategic direction for the World Bank in responding to the impact of HIV/AIDS on education systems, and in helping develop an effective preventative response. Topics include: Uganda HIV/AIDS Control Project; skills-based health education; protecting Nigeria’s education systems; a youth-to-youth school health program for HIV/AIDS-affected countries in Sub-Saharan Africa; school-age orphans in Africa.

12. Rutanang: Peer Education as a Rigorous Technology

by Charles Deutsch & Sharlene Swartz

Rutanang's basic manual describes a set of ten multi-level standards, ranging from what programmes must have, to what they should and could have as they engage in self-reflection and growth planning. These standards are arranged in easy-to-use checklists customised in implementation guides for each of three settings: schools, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and higher education.

LINKS

13. Beyond the Classroom

- a television magasine programme for teachers

14. Youth Enterprise Society

- a school based, club movement in South Africa developing entrepreneurial competencies.

15. SchoolNet Uganda

- a national network of educators and schools preparing youth for internet connectivity and technology

RESOURCE MOBILISATION

16. Teacher as Researcher Grant

The Grant is intended to support teachers in their research about literacy and instruction. Studies may be carried out using any research method or approach so long as the focus is on reading/writing or literacy.

Deadline: January 15 2005

17. Small Grants Programme (SGP): International Deaf Children's Society (IDCS)

The programme provides grants to organisations of up to £10,000 for projects that offer measurable and sustainable improvements to the individual lives of deaf children and their families. Activities may include community based rehabilitation programmes, home based programmes, teacher training, deaf units, and family and parent training.

Deadline: Nov 30 2004

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The Soul Beat seeks to cover the full range of communication for development activities. Inclusion of an item does not imply endorsement or support by The Partners.

Please send material for The Soul Beat to the Editor - Anja Venth aventh@comminit.com