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jambo
3300 Posts |
 Posted - 04 Dec 2007 : 20:52:26
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as some of you know i have in the past sponsored children in schools. my plan was and will always be a helping hand.
news has reached me on one child i helped and i would like advice, it has made me both angry and sad.
i helped the child get into st theresa Westfield part private funding,part government funding a good school well sought after long waiting list and good results. I paid for one year grade 7, for the full uniform, fees, books etc. everything was paid in advance. The next year the fees were 67 dls  . at the interview i made it clear that i would sponsor for one year and that the family should and could afford the next two year upto grade nine school fees.
On my last visit may 2007, i found out that the school fees of 640 yes that is six hundred and forty dls for one school year, had not been paid, and i have heard recently that there is a balance of 1760 school feeds to be paid, that is for grade 8 and 9.
I refused to pay the school fees for grade 8, because they should have been paid, but I left the eldest son a bag of clothes that he sell and use the money for school fees, It has not been done. I know they have the money, but this is a strict school and make no exceptions, they will not release his grade 9 school report plus exam results unless all money has been paid.
I plan to visit in january and i know the teachers will ask me what is to become of the child, he is very bright in the top three for each set of exams and they want him to go to Armitage, St Augustines or St Francis, they have high expectations of him. he finished one english exam within 25mins, the test was 1 hours 30mins.
SO HERE IS THE BIG QUESTIONS, should i pay the school fees or not. why does this keep happening, you offer them help and they use it in the wrong way. surely a family can see that education is a helpful tool.
I am angry because the family have had enough help from me to pay these school fees but the money is always spent elsewhere, but i am not in Gambia and should not have to hold there hands each time.
I am sad because they do not value his education, if he does not go on to higher education, you will have another very bright children sitting in the compound who in 3-5 years time will look to europe for help. I know other people have sent money and it is not used for the purpose it is intenede for. WHAT IS THE SOLUTION.
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gambiabev
United Kingdom
3091 Posts |
Posted - 04 Dec 2007 : 21:08:56
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Pay it directly to the school. I have a trusted guide who I send the money to and he acts as guardian in my absence. For secondary school I send £10 a month. This is to cover food, uniform, books, travel, school fees etc..etc....Approx half goes direct to school and the rest my guide gives out as required.
For primary aged children I give approx half that. This goes direct to family in 2 payments. It is their choice what to spend it on as long as the child remains in school.
One child from a very poor family knew I was paying but wasnt seeing the money spent on herself. She told my guide, so now he is handling her fees etc..so the family cant take the money away from her.
I am not funding any further education in Gambia or abroad. I cant afford it as I have my own daughter going to university next year.
If you fund people I think you have to accept that creates a dependency. I wouldnt pay for anything they asked for, but I think they will presume once you have paid the education bill once you will pick it up again.
It is a very serious committment and it does get more expensive through the years.
In Kiang Kolior only a third of the pupils go through all the school grades. It is very poor indeed. My advice would be dont start offering to pay if you cant see it through. That is false promise.
If you are unsure it may be better to go through a registered charity such as Action Aid. |
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Lily
United Kingdom
422 Posts |
Posted - 04 Dec 2007 : 22:56:59
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It's hard Jambo - but I think Bev is right. If you take on the commitment to pay for the child - then do it and pay the school direct. The family won't be willfully keeping the money away from school fees - it's just not their priority and I don't think it's right to tell them what to do with the little money they have.
You are doing a brilliant thing in supporting the child through school. Of course it makes sense to educate the child (in the long run) but in the short term other priotities get in the way.
My advice? Do it - help that child; watch him grow; help him achieve something with his life.
Good luck...... |
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jambo
3300 Posts |
Posted - 05 Dec 2007 : 09:23:44
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thank you for those words, i just felt down, because I never promised to support the child and made it clear from the start, if I have known it woudl be like this i would not have supported that child and family. it just means that the money i spend on him is less on another child. My budget is not huge it has to be managed carefully.
i also think it gives out the wrong message, becuause, they knew from the start if was for one year, that was the terms of the scholarship, and secondly the family have had the money but chose to spend it on other things. AH GAMBIA, a life lesson that is never learnt. next year i have earmarked three students who i will see through to finish of grade 12 and after that no more. i have always paid the school direct this ensured that the fees were paid for that year.
if I every pay for schools fees it will be in college were they know it is for one year, if they get that far they deserve the extra help. |
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gambiabev
United Kingdom
3091 Posts |
Posted - 05 Dec 2007 : 21:13:51
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Paying for college for one year is a waste of money. Most courses are 3 or 4 years. Unless you can see it through it is better not to start it.
It is better to support one or two families with a childs education from start to finish than spread yourself too thin.
I suport 5 children and I am doing that till they finish school. I have made no commitment to further education because it is expensive.
One of the girls I am a guardian to and I am considering bringing her to uk once she is older. |
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jambo
3300 Posts |
Posted - 06 Dec 2007 : 09:35:06
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after being away for one year and my last visit i agree, i will stay with two children and see it through as far as I can. But i never make any promises because I could die tomorrow and the family would be depending on me for education.
but taking all things into consideration I have to re think and make forward planning.
the college courses i had in mind were more vocational/techincal like a basic computer course/ hotel reception course. It would be a start something, but a rethin is in order. i have kept my eyes open on the education system in gambia and would hate to pay for college fees and it is not worth it.
Life goes on.
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