Another good week at the office (Sheila's)

I feel privileged to have been part of the ECD team this week, busy with parental education packages, using observation to support children's learning, planning for more sharing between health and education practitioners, revising basic training for Early Years facilitators…

After planning, policy, strategy, on Thursday I went out visiting centres and Early Years classes to see some of what is really happening in our part of the valley, well in an easily accessible part. Arrived at District Educ.Office to find it still padlocked, as it has been for weeks now, due to agitation by private school teachers. Joined my colleagues by using back door and stairs, sat and listened whilst they talked about possible all Nepal bandhs (strikes, closures) planned for next week and Nepal politics in general. (As you might expect I could only follow a few words and the body language.)

Then out with a colleague to see ECD classes, all in government schools. Firstly a class of 14 children in a room in a big secondary school. Great to see, that following training and my last visit, children all busy playing with the few materials they have. One chalking on a blackboard, several devising their own games with some cards, some rolling, carrying brightly coloured plastic balls and some stacking 15-18 Duplo type bricks.



I have never seen those before in government provision in Nepal. Here was good individual learning by motivated children. Whilst I watched, played and made notes my colleague gave further support and advice to this committed facilitator, who is still only paid 1,000 rps the equivalent of £8 per month

Then winding through the Newari streets to a dark old wooden building that would make a good historical film set but not a primary school in 2007. Through a low door only just wide enough for me and my bag, up a few steps, through the middle of a very dark room with desks and about 20 children who told me they were grade 4, out on to a narrow walkway? ledge? with a very strong smell of urine and up a steep wooden staircase to a room that was the staff room. Another staircase led up further. We did not go up to see the ECD class which apparently is at the top of this scary building as the facilitator had not turned up that day. For 1000 rupees, I am not surprised! but I am unclear what had happens to the children, whether they were with another class, gone home or not on role at all.

Then to another secondary school which has 2 classes for ECD These are both reasonable sized rooms, recently painted with some carpet and attractive low tables, a high blackboard, and tatty narrow lined notebooks and a pencil are the children's only materials and a teacher was holding one three year old's hand and very firmly establishing that he would copy from the board! Back to the staff room, with tea, ugh, of course, where my colleague reminded staff that last year one of them had attended training. I showed the new curriculum for ECD and talked about young children's learning. I agreed to leave my copy (Nepali script ) and when staff agreed to read it, that I will go back!

Next to another big school with one very large room possibly built as a hall. At one end in a curve facing a blackboard, on high old benches with empty desks sat 24 children. 3 asleep, heads on desks. The teacher was sitting talking to another adult who did not seem to have anything to do with the children. We asked some children their age etc but although some would say their names, few could give their age and certainly not link age to nos of fingers. Off to another long session in the staff room!! This time with lots of interest and questions re my photographs of children learning and locally found low cost materials and of course more tea and also for me some slightly strange coloured but thankfully recently boiled water!

Then a school where training and support, nagging?, had led to a separate room being given to the smallest children. Previously they had sat on the floor next and just watching the grade 1 class. Now they have a room to themselves with mats, 3 shelf units, a few toys. Some good wooden bricks and a metal trunk full of equipment are waiting in the staff room for their use.

Next time one of us goes there, will the equipment be with the children or still in the wrapping?

Then after quick meeting in another school, back to KTM. I made the wrong decision in choosing to sit in the front next to the driver. This seat was not fixed to the base, so made for part of an interesting journey. Luckily this driver was not a boy racer and we rarely went out of 2nd gear. When we got to ring road, all buses stopped. A protest, following an incident earlier in the day. So had to get off, leave my interesting seat and walk a bit before finding that this time the blockade was small and I could get a very full tuk tuk back in to centre.

Friday, back to office, the unlocked one, where I am so spoilt with working computer, clean new desk etc, and very occasional views of Himal,. Here to finish some work from earlier in the week and write up notes from Thursday etc and sort some of my photos. With captions added in Nepali, hopefully thanks to the lovely team in the office, I can then use them for visits like the ones this week and other training. I might be able to manage bartering for shopping in pigeon Nepali but talking children's learning is a no no!

Another great week

I love Nepal,

What will I find to do next summer?

See lots of you in July

Love Sheila