Angola: a new school raises a thousand smiles
By José Luís Mendonça In the heart of the poorest Angolan communities, where up to 65% of children are excluded from education due to the prolonged civil conflict, newly rehabilitated schools under the Schools for Africa (SFA) initiative are raising the happiness of thousands of children. Albino José, 13 years old, is attending the one classroom school in Dengue. He was among the 45 happy children singing in Kimbundu, the local language, a song which said “Tuende mu xicola, tu dilonga” (We go to school to learn ). That one classroom school has just one teacher, Santos Miguel, who teaches the three levels of primary classes, but the small school is enough to raise a thousand daily smiles among the students and their parents. “With the peace process, many previously isolated areas of Angola have become more accessible. Over the past two years, UNICEF has provided support to both Government and communities to establish low-cost community-based programmes for the development of basic education,” Mario Ferrari, UNICEF Angola Representative outlined. “The Schools for Africa initiative is the refreshment needed to keep up and expand initial efforts and live up to the hopes of families.” The ongoing Schools for Africa initiative, supported by UNICEF, by which 1,500 schools throughout Angola will be constructed or rehabilitated in the coming two years, is a unique opportunity to enhance schools as centres for development and recovery. School as central community centre In Malange province, UNICEF and the Provincial Government already planned 35 interventions in three municipalities: Malange, Kalandula and Cacuso, following an exhaustive process of assessment, data collection, identification and prioritization of schools, carried out during the first quarter of the year. In October this year, the first 9 rehabilitations started and two more began in November. Partnerships with local communities and organizations have been made to ensure community participation. Dengue school construction was carried out in partnership with the Danish Council for Refugees. Albino´s family is confident about the future of their remote village. During the long nights of civil war they were just like automatons moved from one place to another, by the impositions of the war. Today, Albino´s father expresses his hope: “I could not go to school in the colonial time, but now I see my son going every day to get prepared for a different life, and I believe one day when I become old, he will support me and his mother.” Under SFA, communities are required to play an increasingly active role in the management of the school. Domingos and Marta, Albino´s parents played that role helping in the construction and are now participating in the parent’s council meetings with the teacher to keep the school as a centre for change in Dengue community. UNICEF is working closely with the Ministry of Education and other partners to increase access to education for Angolan children. As part of this strategy, the quality of schools is being strengthened therefore allowing them to function as central community centres. In addition to basic learning, additional information and orientation will be provided to children in other areas, such as health and hygiene education, HIV/AIDS and mine awareness, to increase the life skills of children as well as their caregivers.
Improving the quality of education The 2001 UNICEF Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) showed that only 56% of children of primary school age attend the first level of basic education (Grades 1-4). The quality of education is generally poor, as a result of poorly trained teachers, a chronic lack of school teaching materials and inadequate school infrastructure. Late entry into school and high repetition rates also contribute to the over-burdening of existing facilities. In this regard, efforts to improve the quality of education delivered have been pursued in order to prevent pupils from dropping out or repeating years. A contribution through the UNICEF Germany National Committee made possible the training of 18,500 teachers in selected municipalities all over the country, as part of the broader plan of UNICEF support to the Government of Angola in the area of education. Since May, the rehabilitation and construction of a total of 125 schools has been completed in ten provinces, while the process of engaging more construction organizations is ongoing all over the country. Albino is only in third grade, at the age of13. But now he is studying very hard. He is actually the first in his class, and he says he wants to be an oil engineer, like the President of the Republic. “I want to contribute to the good of my country,” he says. “Can you imagine this path were the vehicles bounce, and full of holes during the rainy season, totally asphalted and the boarder houses of the village transformed into nice buildings with shining lights at night?” asks Albino. This is Albino´s dream. It can become real within the years ahead. SFA is an important step forward towards that day. ******* For further information please contact:
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