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KOKOBIRIKO SCHOOL LINK
In 2006 Holmewood made a link with Kokobiriko District Assembly School near Kumasi in Ghana. Kokobiriko District Assembly school is in Ghana on the West coast of Africa. The time zone is the same as England. It is a mixed school, with the same age range as Holmewood. Like us, they have 3 terms each year. As with most of the rest of the district, the predominant livelihood is farming, and family members provide the main source of labour.
The majority make their living from growing crops such as plantain, cassava, maize and various fruit and vegetables, some of which they sell. Income is often seasonal and some families struggle to make ends meet at certain times of year.
- The main classroom has no walls
- There is no water supply
- There are mixed age groups in the same class
- The children don’t always have shoes to wear to school
- There is one text book per child
- Books are kept at the head teacher’s house for safety
The teachers confirm that many pupils struggle to provide exercise books and pens, whilst others come to school barefoot. They feel that these issues have a negative impact in the classroom, and prevent the pupils from reaching their full potential.
The school serves the two neighbouring rural villages of Kokobiriko and Behenase with a combined population of approximately 3,000 people.
We have received essays, photographs and postcards from the school and letters from the Headmaster. Our aim is to raise money to help the school but also to learn about the pupils and their way of life and use the contact to enrich and enliven the curriculum in both schools.
The school most need a library, textbooks, furniture, teaching materials and staff quarters.
Update 2008 - 2009
Mr Corbett and Miss Mather visited Kokobiriko in 2008, and a reciprocal visit was subsequently arranged. In June 2008 the Headmaster of Kokobiriko, his Deputy and 5 of the children arrived to spend a week at Holmewood.
During their time at the school they attended lessons and sporting fixtures with their appropriate year groups, and slept in the boarding house. They had a day out in London, and a day at the beach at Camber – none of the children had ever seen the sea before. Our children were particularly impressed by their footballing skills and skipping rope games. The week flashed by, and they had a wonderful time.
We had decided to try and raise money for the school through a ‘Concert for Kokobiriko’ , and the visiting party from Kokobiriko arrived just two days before the concert. Preparations had been in hand since just after Christmas when the Headmaster had asked the Holmewood staff for their support. The response had been overwhelming, and the resulting concert which included acts featuring staff, children, parents and special guests, was a huge success.
The library built with money from fundraising has now been completed, donations of toys and books have been shipped and received, and the building of staff accommodation is under way. Mr Corbett and Mr Morgan-Jones are visiting the school again in October 2009.
