Direct Support:

We provide direct support to school pupils to ensure that they have what the need to gain access to education and be able to learn. Support in this area includes identifying and addressing any form of barriers to education which includes culture, conflict, food and nutrition, finance, learning materials, gender and other harmful traditional practices that keep pupils out of school.

RECENT PROJECT Recently EDI, as part of its Schools Outreach project in Sierra Leone, EDI planned and delivered two separate focus group discussions (FGDs) in two deprived senior secondary schools in Freetown; namely United Muslim Association Secondary School (UMASS) and Government Model Senior Secondary School (GMSS). Each focus group discussion comprised students, teachers, communities and other relevant stakeholders. Through productive and meaningful discussions, students also had time to reflect deeply and separately ,and thus were able to highlight some of the pressing issues affecting their efforts in attaining their education goals; teachers on the other hand openly and frankly discussed the key challenges they face as educators as well.

Collectively, the following issues were captured during the focus group discussions and relevant exercises:

 

The Community

• The Community should work close with the CTA to maintain sanity and bring development in the school.

• The Community should serve as security for the school properties.

• The Community should take the school like their personal property.

• The Community should organize fundraising activities and use the proceeds to develop the school.

• The Community should monitor the progress of the school in public examinations and make suggestions on how to improve on poor performance of the pupils.

 

The Teachers

• Teachers should provide good examples for the pupils by coming to school on time and regularly.

• Teachers should serve as good role models by maintaining credibility and commitment to work at all times.

• Teachers should make sure that the prescribed syllabus is completed and revision is done before the examinations.

• Teachers should stop asking the pupils for money for every little assignment and class test.

• Teachers should make sure they understand their subjects before going into the class to teach the pupils.

• Teachers should encourage pupils to concentrate on their studies.

• Teachers should report any bad conduct of their pupils to both the principal and the parents.

• Teachers should always dress properly and stop dressing like casual workers.

• Teachers should stop giving free marks to pupils who attend their Saturday classes, pupils should merit grades not only by attendance.

 

The Parents

• Parents should avoid using abusive languages or acting irresponsibly in the presence of their children.

• Parents should stop encouraging their children to bribe teachers to be promoted.

• Parents should stop giving too much domestic work to their children at home; they should give their children adequate to study.

• Parents should always buy the prescribed textbooks and enough exercise books for their children.

• Parents should provide enough food for their children at home and in school.

• Parents should come to the school regularly to monitor the progress and conduct of their children in school.

• Parents should encourage other older people to correct the bad conduct of their children in the street.

• Parents should discourage men who talk about marrying their girl child when they are still of school going age and they should therefore discourage early marriage.

• Parents should work towards the development of the school.

• Parents should not give money to their children to bribe teachers.

 

The Government/Local Authorities

• Government should approve all trained and qualified teachers who have not been approved.

• Teachers should be paid on time.

• Teachers’ lesson notes should be monitored regularly by school supervisors.

• Enough funds and learning materials should be provided to the school.

• Government should not encourage overcrowding in class.

• Authorities should abolish SSS4 and two shift systems.

• Authorities should not encourage untrained teachers to teach the pupils.

• Authorities should ban private ‘lessons’.

• Authorities should not encourage pregnant girls to be part of the school system.

• Government should provide enough school running cost regularly.

• Government should continue to pay public examinations fees (WASSCE, BECE and NPSE).

• Government should stop owing teachers’ salaries for long periods of time.

• Government should emphasis on the operation of school boards.

 

Skills Training and Capacity for Teachers

Secondly, we focus on equipping teachers and school management bodies with the skills and resources that the need to plan and deliver effective and effective educational and learning activities in and outside the classroom.

Community Outreach

We organize events and activities with, and for communities and make sure that they are sufficiently aware of the importance to work with teachers and together support the schools and, also the educational needs of children. Community meetings, dialogues and other key stakeholder engagement processes ensure that the community and schools provide the enabling environment for education to thrive.

 

Public Sensitization

EDI-SL embarks on public sensitization on policies laws relating to education. The public is informed as needed on key issues relating to the educational sector. Position are developed and published on key educational concerns or demands. Radio discussions are also organized to communicate educational issues to the general public. Activities will include;

• Radio Discussions

• Development and airing of jingles relating to education.

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    6. Under the Student Life, share some general information about the lives of the students or demographic population that EDI is targeting to help - and where possible, choose a unique case-study of one students - preferably from a poor background but who has made it all the way with the help of EDI (If possible).

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This might be a bit ambitious at this point, considering the life span of EDI itself; nevertheless, your raised an excellent point worth following up. I am working of a story of change at the moment for one Isatu Bangura. I will send it over asap.

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   7. Under the Giving page, we encourage people to get involved either by donating, volunteering, or by suggesting ideas. They will be required to fill out a form, and that form goes to one of you for instant response.

For now, can put the following texts as an intro? What do you think?

 

SUPPORT OUR WORK

The say charity begins at home. Funds for EDI activities are mainly drawn from individual contributions by key members. While we continue to do this, we believe that the challenge for education is something we cannot do alone. We would appreciate any form of support in the form of funds, books, used clothing, food and other materials to make sure that we achieve our mission.

 

Donate Online

The fastest, easiest, and secured way to support our work.

 

Donate By Phone

Call (781)354 7251 or (646) 271 2730

 

Become a Faculty Member

Donate used clothing, learning and instructional materials to help children in poor and excluded communities in Sierra Leone. Contact Kathleen Morrison Saidu at morrisonsaidu@gmail.com

 

Donate a used computer, Vehicle, furniture

• DONATE

The say charity begins at home. Funds for EDI activities are mainly drawn from individual contributions by key members. While we continue to do this we believe that the challenge for education is something we cannot do alone. We would appreciate any form of support in the form of funds, books, used clothing, food and other materials to make sure that we achieve our mission.

 

Mail your contribution to:

8021 Georgia Avenue Unit 323

Silver Spring, MD, USA