Linking Gambia

G.I.F.T.S

Fintry School has formed GIFTS: Gambian Institute for Teacher Training in Scotland in conjunction with Stirling Council Children's Department and the approval of the Department of State for Education in the Gambia.

This was lunched by Master Musa Darboe and his son who came to Scotland in June 2006 for two weeks. Master attended management training at Fintry Primary School. In August 2006 two of the teachers from Sambel Kunda attended Fintry School for advanced training of 3 weeks. All staff at the school received certificates for Foundation Teacher Training carried out in Sambel Kunda by Fintry staff in April 2006. A member of Fintry Staff returned to Sambel Kunda in September 2006 to run further training with all staff.

Master Goes To Scotland

Musa and Kaunding at Stirling Castle

Musa with the Provost of Stirling

The Master of Sambel Kunda School, Mr Musa Darboe and his 12 year old son, Kaunding, visited Fintry School in June 2006. This was unbelievably exciting for them and for Fintry and the many friends of Sambel Kunda in Scotland.

Musa's job was to complete a Management Training Course with David Smith of Fintry School and to open up relationships with Stirling Council. Musa met the provost of Stirling and the Director of Children's Services. He was welcomed into many houses in Fintry, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Dumfries.

Kaunding stayed with many Fintry School families and they were so upset when it was time for him to go home. For Kaunding it was a trip of a lifetime as he climbed his first hills, drove a motorboat, had a ride on a tractor and played football for Fintry School. They also experienced the London Underground and took photographs of Buckingham Palace.

Kaunding & Football team -- Kaunding with some Fintry friends

Teachers Trained in Scotland

Seedy and Salifu in traditional Scottish Kilts!

Salifu and Seedy in traditional Gambian Dress.

In August, two Sambel Kunda teachers, Mr Salifu Bah and Mr Seedy Njie came to Fintry School for three weeks teacher training. They completed their course with merit!

The children of Fintry became very fond of these great ambassadors for Gambia. They have worked in all classes and continued their training at night. They also visited Balfron Primary and High School as well as the University of Strathclyde.

They managed to meet many old friends from Glasgow University who have worked in Sambel Kunda. They photographed everything from Tesco's shelves in Stirling to the Head of the International Team of the Scottish Executive who came to see the impact of their work.

Salifu and Seedy returned with classroom resources and great ideas to improve the learning in their classrooms.

They will also become the RSPB link in tracking the Osprey in their flight from Scotland to Gambia.

 

Solar Power and Teachers

 

Anna, Musa and Mike in Fintry, June 2006.

Strathclyde solar power team, Sambel Kunda, Sept 2006.

Anna McCallum, class teacher in Fintry School accompanied Salifu and Seedy Back to Sambel Kunda for one week to assist in their class work and report on progress in the school. She recorded evidence on film of the great commitment of Mr Musa Darboe and his staff to always seek to improve the quality of life and learning for their children.

A team of 8 University of Strathclyde Electronic and Electrical Engineering Department staff and students also travelled at the same time to Sambel Kunda. Their aim was to install solar power and light one classroom, install a computer, a fridge for medicine and a pump for a well. It may be, if the fates allow - that Sambel Kunda school will have an email link to Scotland very soon.

The team was led by Bob Currie and Mike Dolan who helped raise £10,000 with Dr Graham Ault and others to enable this great project.

GIFTS September visit to Sambel Kunda

Master Musa Darboe and Mr Bob Currie in Master's newly lit room with laptop computer bought by the University of Strathclyde.

Primary 5 and 6 children of Sambel Kunda Primary Singing a farewell song to their Scotish friends. September 2006.

The trip to Sambel in September was a great success. The two teachers who had been in Scotland for training proved that they had learned valuable skills during their three weeks in Fintry. Anna observed greatly improved teaching within their classrooms.

The team brought many valuable classroom resources from Scotland. These will greatly improve their teaching and the children's learning. The resources include individual chalk boards for the pupils, balls of many different sizes, textbooks and story books for the younger children. The teachers introduced these within the classrooms and straight away the children were extremely enthusiastic.

Master Darboe was overjoyed when the University of Strathclyde team connected the solar power within the school. This provided lighting in two classrooms and a plug socket in Master's office. Now for the first time, it is possible for the people of Sambel Kunda to use their school in the evening.