Among those who can afford to go to school, some do not even have a blackboard and must use instead a loose sheet of paper. None of them have working books. Only the teachers have them (but not always!). The pupils then have to work from their exercices / lesson books, full of spelling and grammar errors and often not corrected by the teatchers who cannot manage 100 pupils at the same time.
We quickly understood how the discipline was maintained in these overcrowded classes: the fear of the body punishment. The teacher always has in his hand a tree branch or a stick to threaten and whip the troublemakers. The Principal generates the most fear. We saw some pupils returning from his office crying. Knowing the Principal ourselves, we know what awaits the boisterous children!!
Besides these important issues, tehre is at school a very good 'ambiance'.
The children are very merry and always seem happy. In class, the majority are very voluntary and always put themselves forward to give an answer, go to the board or tell a lesson.
In the courtyard, they have nothing to play with. The children remain in groups to chatt, or wander around the women selling food and sweets. Lollipops, bread, toh, ice, fruits etc…. During our stay, lots of children keep us company, holding our hands us and laughing around. 'Toubabous' (white people) are always a source of fascination there, and even more when they are teachers!!
The Principal marked us so much that we decided to dedicate a portrait and an interview. See the following Section 'Meetings'...
At the public school of our village Kalabambougou village, it is the industry.
There are on average 100 pupils per class. Not enough room, not enough teachers, not enough of money for less occupancy. The children sit by three or four per bench, and sometimes by five! When they write on their slate board or book, they have to fight with their elbows.
At the beginning with Delphine we struggle to believe the situation. Later on, we will get used to it. Rule no 1 in Africa, everything is possible, even when it is not. All is done with wathever is available! A chewing gum can repair a car, a sotrama (local collective taxi) can accomodate 20 people instead of 10, a dustbin bag gets transformed into a kite, and at the school, a tree branch is used as a whip for boisterous pupils…
With an average of 7 children per woman, we understand immediately why there are many children within the Malian population, and thus a very important need for education. Unfortunately, due to a lack of means, many children do not go to school and thus does not receive education. They do not speak French, can neither read nor write and are doomed to manual work for the future. These children do not go to school because they cannot pay school fees and materials, or because their mothers need them at home or in the fields to work.
We will cross many children working in their homes or outside during class hours. In our class, several would arrive late with the same excuse: I had to cook breakfast for my family and clean. On our way back from school also, we see many rushing back to start their duties.
Regarding the teachers, they are in under capacity. Consequently, the directors have to organize the classes using the double vacations: each class works only in the morning or afternoon, so that each teatcher can have two classes. As a result, the classes makes it to only half of the program and loose chances to pass their final exams at the end of the year.
Our friend Néné who is also a teatcher once told us that for 6 months she did not get paid. A political question that could open further debates. Let's skip this one.
