Education project- Consultation Paper 5

This paper highlights other areas needing further consultation and commitment.

As shown in the comment section of the consultation paper 4, and taking into consideration the advice received, 3 jobs and 3 volunteers are needed on the ground:

1. Planning and quality monitoring manager:

Job (a): To run seminars on the importance of education to the enrolled kids and parents on a regular basis (clear time table designed and agreed to by parents, kids, head teacher, pastor, other helpers).

Practically, he/she will:
- Print survey questions (pre-prepared by us and agreed to by the head teacher, pastor and other helpers);
- Compute answers to these questions at his/her purse; and send answers or post the answers unto the blog (internet paid from his/her purse).

Job (b) To run surveys on progress: i.e. Do the parents, kids, and church feel the project is going in the right direction, and gather opinions etc... and make suggestions on how to make adjustments.

Practically, he/she will:
- Print off survey questions (pre-prepared by us and agreed to by the head teacher, pastor and other helpers);
- Pass them unto each stakeholder on a clearly designed time table;
- Compute and analysze survey answers and make suggestions on how to make changes/adjustments on the overall project.

2. Rice field manager

The job for this manager will be to run the rice field(s).

Practically, he/she will:
- Plan the time table for rice field jobs;
- Work with the parents (and church) to identify the required jobs and the time table to do them (i.e. what and when jobs are due);
- Make sure jobs due are done at the right time with the right number of hands (more hands make light work);
- Liaise with the church for store room (for the storage of the harvested rice);
- Conduct surveys to assess the level of commitment (i.e. are parents ' motivation low or up and what can be done to keep it up) of parents on clearly desinged time table; print the survey question (from his/her purse) and compute answers.

3. School meal manager

This manager will essentially run the school meal scheme.

Practically, he/she will:
- Liaise with the church to ensure there are at least 2 or more people to cook for the kids Monday to Friday for entire term time: To achieve this, whe is advised to operate at least one week advance booking sheet wherein the available people give in their names (he is encouraged to have always one or two reserve hands should an unforseen absence take place)
- Making sure the kids deemed to eat have actually eaten each day/week: collecting signitures daily or weekly;
- Organize shopping (rice and sauce foodstuffs etc...)
- Liaise with the church for garden plot, and with the headteacher for its running (what to plant; is there a teacher helping kids to grow vegetables on line etc...?).

In addition to these 3 kind men and women, the church will need to give guaranties on the use of kitchen and crockery; availing churchgoers to run the kitchen daily (Monday to Friday) for each entire term, and provide a plot of land for a vegetable garden.

The head teacher will also be requested to acccept the project and avail a teacher to help kids run the garden effectively and productively.

Conclusion: It is a shame that we cannot regiously follow the steps highlighted in the Project Management Cycle . So, as things stand, 12 kids will be chosen as indicated in the consultation paper 4, then the above managers will work on them such that:
- They truly eventually own this initiative;
- They keep the enthousiasm to do the bulk of the jobs required (rice fields);
_ They see the education of their kids as a better solutions to their problems than minute cash handouts (or insignificant food handouts).

NB: All the consultation papers have so far targeted the school meal policy but there are other initiatives under consideration: Link

Since it is self evident [1] that producing consultation papers in English pose a serious risk of misunderstandings, all these documents will be published on a sister blog written in Kinyarwanda/French.

[1] One of the helpers said:

There are still a number of unprecised things that should be clarified in order to make a rational analysis of the cost, including:
"hari un certain nombre des choses zitari précis kugira ngo umuntu akore analyses des coût et notamment":

1. Will the children have school meal all year long or only during term time?
"Abana bazarya ku ishuri toute l'année ou seulement iminsi y'ishuri?"

2. Will they eat rice and vegetables only?
"Ils ne mangeront seulement que umuceri n'imboga"?

3. Will the parents accept to work just for the sake of their kids' daily portion?
"Ababyeyi accepteront-ils kujya guhinga pour que abana barya"?

4. Will the rice field plot(s) be purchased or leased?
"Imirima izaba yakodeshejwe ou yaguzwe?"

5. How many meals will the kids have each day?
"Les enfants mangeront combien de fois par jour?"

Looking forward to your answers.
"Ntegereje ibisubizo byanyu."

Thanks for your readership!
God bless you!