There are currently about 1,000 primary students at The School of St Jude.
Monday June 20th was the first day back at school after the mid-term break. It was a pupil free day at the primary (Moshono campus) and the teachers had a planning day.
This year the primary school has implemented the Cambridge University (UK) IPC (International Primary Curriculum) . This has quite a different approach to teaching compared to the Tanzanian curriculum.
Amongst the volunteers I met straight away were two primary teacher mentors (Barb and Liz) who conduct demonstration lessons and run PD for the teachers. There is also a primary school ESL support teacher (Laura) PE teachers (Cindy & Cameron) and a teacher librarian (Sarah ) - all Aussies!
Currently there is also a Kiwi, Cheryl, who is here during a vacation from her regular teaching job in Thailand to help choose, and locally source, classroom resources related to the upcoming themes in the curriculum. There is a good library here, but the school lacks other classroom equipment and teaching aids we would take for granted.
A few days ahead of me Andrew had arrived. He is on leave from the Victorian police and is here working on emergency procedures.
These volunteers all live on the Moshono school campus where I will usually stay from Friday night to Monday afternoon.
Lower primary children are transported by bus everyday to and from home.Upper primary students board Sunday to Thursday in a separate complex about 15 minutes walk away.
School lunches are served each day for staff and students. It appears the meal is always a variation on the theme of beans, rice and some vegetables.
Whilst the food is good, the water is not so. There is an urn with a water filter outside the shared kitchen or you can buy water at the supermarket, or boil it.
I have to remember when I clean my teeth to keep a glass of bottled water in one hand and my toothbrush in the other so that I don't accidentally drink water from the tap!
There are a lot of administration staff living at Moshono as well. Amongst them there are Aussies, Canadians, New Zealanders, English and Americans. About 30 -35 I am told in all. There are also usually one or two visitors who have chosen to stay at the school as part of their African holiday as well as day trippers.
It is a busy place especially when you add in the local fundees (maintenance people) and ascari (security staff) who work on a seven day roster. I am sure it's never going to be boring here!
Below is the view of the campus from outside my room at Moshono. (The little building is the laundry. There is one washing machine for all of us and the cleaners!)
The shared volunteer kitchen/common room in Red Block
Turn off to the Moshono school from "main road"
Outside the school gate at Moshono
Barb, one of the bus drivers, an ascari, me and Laura
