Ulamba Primary School

 Today we are visiting Ulamba Primary School, which is a new school for us. Robert, Shabani and Frank pick us up at 9am. The school is about 6 Km from town. As always Pete takes a few photos on the way.

When we arrive we are met by the Head Teacher. She explains that she is waiting for some community members to arrive and offers to show us around while we wait. This is a smaller school than most that we support with 624 children and 5 teachers plus the Head Teacher. They only have 6 classrooms so Pre Primary and Standard 1 share, with Pre Primary doing 9 - 11am and then Standard 1 doing 11am to 3pm. When we look into their class, Pre Primary are learning some basic phonics. They are very keen to show us what they know.

Standard 5 and 6 also share a room with Standard 5 on the left and Standard 6 on the right.

The other classes all have their own classroom.

In many of the classrooms you can see there are not enough desks for everyone. Those sat on the floor were the last to arrive.

We also have a quick look in the room that will be used as a computer room which looks fine.

We then go to the Head Teacher’s Office to go through the paperwork. We have actually met this lady before. She was at Jamhuri Primary School when we visited there last February but was moved to Ulamba in April. We were happy to see her again as we thought she was a good Head Teacher and someone who was keen on ICT. 

In the office we are joined by the Village Chairman and some other teachers. We explain that they will be receiving 3 desktop computers and a printer, and then go through the contract. Everyone is very happy. The Village Chairman then has to leave to go to another meeting but wants to be involved in the photos showing the handing over of the equipment, so we do that next. We are also joined by members of the School Committee and the Village Committee as well as 2 students Salma and Amos.

Everyone then wants to help set up the computers including the Head Teacher and the students. Amos and Salma have never used a computer but are very excited and keen to learn. There is very happy atmosphere in the room with everyone talking and wanting photos with the new computers.

Once they are all set up we give Salma and Amos their first computer lesson.

The teachers are also keen to show us that they have the parts needed to install extra electric sockets in the room. They are just waiting for a workman to come.

Once the computers are set up we then return to the Head Teacher’s office for some refreshments and to talk to the teachers about sending the reports every 3 months and what they need to include.

After this it is now time to leave. It has been a lovely school to visit, full of hope and enthusiasm and very grateful for the support they have been given.

We go to Nazareth Canteen again for lunch, it really is the best place we have found in Tabora. We then go to Frank’s office and  say Hi to his wife and baby girl Nyla.

We the return to our hotel as we need to sort ourselves out as we are leaving for Dodoma tomorrow morning. Tonight we have dinner at the hotel where Robert is staying. We order beef cooked in foil which was actually pretty good. I usually steer clear of beef when here as it can be quite tough but this wasn’t bad and it made a nice change from fish and chicken.