ICT PROJECT BETWEEN JANGWANI SECONDARY SCHOOL IN TANZANIA AND HAUKIPUDAS SECONDARY SCHOOL IN FINLAND

Jangwani Secondary School 1925-2011

1.0                       INTRODUCTION

The project started as a product of good relationship built between UNESCO National Commission of the United Republic of Tanzania; ASP-net Coordination unit on one hand and the English Teachers’ Association of Finland on the other.  Madam Modester Mwinula, the ASP-net National Coordinator’s visit to Madam Anne Ontero the President of English Teachers’ Association in Oulu Finland in 2007, laid the foundation of the friendship between the two schools. The schools are currently working together closely.  The Twinning project between Jangwani Secondary school from Dar es Salaam Tanzania and Haukipudas Secondary School from Oulu Finland therefore, is a result of this relationship. Both schools coordinate the project under the umbrella of UNESCO ASP net.

The UNESCO National Commission of Tanzania has been working together with other government organizations in order to improve education sector in the country at all levels; from primary to secondary education levels. Under this same spirit, UNESCO National Commission of Tanzania office, paired Jangwani Secondary school with Haukipudas Secondary School of Oulu Finland to implement the Twinning project centered on ICT as a key project of the friendship. Haukipudas Secondary school intends to provide internet connection to Jangwani Secondary school so as to make education communication easier between them.

Mr. Kullervo Leinonen the then Principal of Haukipudas Secondary School, agreed to run a friendship project with a school from Tanzania.  Madam Anja Moilanen, the English teacher and ASPnet school coordinator at Haukipudas became the coordinator of the twinning project in Finland and Mr. John Bosco from Jangwani Dar es salaam, Tanzania work together  in guiding students to implement the between the two schools. These two teachers have always been looking for the easiest way of communicating in order to make the friendship grow fast, thus they found it very difficult as Jangwani secondary school was not connected to the internet hence they came up with an idea of having the ICT project based on Internet connection for Jangwani secondary school.

2.0                       A LINK BETWEEN THE TWO SCHOOLS

The two schools had been facing a very hard time as Haukipudas was working very hard in collecting funds for facilitating the project at Jangwani and Jangwani was facing two problems; first, the students were not introduced to ICT Studies so they were very poor in communicating with Haukipudas through emails. Mr. John Bosco therefore has been taking the burden of communicating with Anja Moilanen all the time on his own to make sure that their uppermost effort brings the intended fruits in the near future.

3.0                       A GROWING SPIRIT FOR THE NEW HOPE

It was real a growing spirit for the new hope that cropped up between Jangwani Secondary school and Haukipudas Secondary school when Jangwani managed to get some 20 pieces of computers from Tanzania Education Authority (TEA). This was a very good start for ICT studies at school. Students enjoyed the computer studies at and showed great interest in learning computers though the computers were not connected to the internet services as the school had no money for connection.

Haukipudas Secondary School was surprised getting that news on the absence of computer, because to them every student has an access to computer, so they promised to provide financial support to make sure that Jangwani gets connected to the internet and have more computers.

Previously, Jangwani Secondary School received 20 pieces of computers from Agumba Company but the computers had no hard Disks thus Haukipudas School donated Euro 800 to Jangwani for buying 20 pieces of hard disks for those computers. Getting that aid from our friends was very much appreciated by the whole school, a situstion that made those computers work as soon as possible.

Apart from financial support for computer hard discs, Haukipudas School also gave Jangwani Secondary School Euro 450 for supporting a disabled student “Fatuma Msechu” who is an orphan.  This was even more appreciated and encouraging for getting such an aid which made Fatuma Msechu get a new hope for her studies and improve her efforts to make sure that she does very good in her studies in order not to discourage her sponsors from Haukipudas.

4.0                       THE WAY TO SUCCESS

Jangwani Secondary School on her way to success, managed to get some more 10 pieces of computers from British Council of Tanzania. There after the school managed to raise funds and connected itself to the Internet services through Tanzania Telephone Company Limited “TTCL”. Few days later, the school failed to run the internet services due to lack of funds as the internet was not commercial but lather a free service for the academic purpose intended for the students and staff members only. Thus Haukipudas School heard the loud cry for internet from Jangwani, and contributed Euro 1200 for running internet services for the whole of 2011. Jangwani received the money in September 2011 and managed to revive the internet services so as to enjoy the communication with their friends from Haukipudas which is a great bridge built between Dar es Salaam, Tanzania and Oulu, Finland.

Apart from the Internet connection Haukipudas Secondary school managed to send Euro 500 for Fatuma Msechu who is now completing her form four in the year 2011. Fatuma Msechu is doing very fine among the disabled students who are studying at Jangwani Secondary school.

5.0                       FACE TO FACE CONTACT

Jangwani secondary school is thirstily waiting to meet their friends from Haukipudas School early June, 2012 in Dar es Salaam. The students will met at Jangwani Secondary School where the two schools will cherish and enjoy the good time together making funny and doing so many activities in common so as to know each other very well.

It is well known that Haukipudas is coming to visit Jangwani Secondary School this year, students and staff members from Jangwani are preparing some activities to be done together with their friends making the days of their stay here at our school memorable, enjoyable and unforgettable to both of us we mean Jangwani and Haukipudas.

Also the school is preparing the school web site which can be inaugurated when our friends will be here at school so as to make the school being found easily by their friends and all people who intend to support the school by any means. We are sure that UNESCO National Commission of Tanzania through the ASP net will give us a hand of support as their custom to make sure that the school is running the web site all the time without failure.

Apart from that the school is running the Environmental project around the school by planting grasses to protect the environment and make it attractive to the people who are staying at school and those who are visiting the school. This project is being coordinate by British Council of Tanzania.

Also the school is running a fishpond project; this is being used for academic purposes especially for leaning Biology subject as a meaningful teaching aid for teachers. In the pond there are different kinds of fish as required by learners to be used for different scientific experiment being conducted during their lessons depending on the topic and class as our school is having both Ordinary and Advanced Level classes. We managed to get the fund for making the fish pond by using our own resources without getting donation from any body.

Prepared by

J. Bosco,

Jangwani Secondary School

Pictures of Jangwani Secondary School in Dar es Salaam

School motto

Needlework room

Muslim students

Headmistress

Garden

Form four 2011

Fish pond

Computer lab

Assembly ground

ASSISTING JANGWANI GIRL SCHOOL CONTINUES

In two previous years our students worked to get finances to assist our partner school in Dar es Salaam. Through UNESCO we have already donated money for hard disks. This spring we made a deposit for them to get an Internet connection at their school. Hopefully they are able to use the money soon and the students at Jangwani will have easy access to the web when they start the next term.

There is still some of the money left. Therefore we were able to help the school some more. We purchased the school a digital camera, as they requested. Our friend Elikana Ngogo will take it to them this June as he travels to Tanzania. Next on their list is a video camera. Perhaps we can take it to them by ourselves when we travel with our group of Haukipudas students to Tanzania in 2012!

The students and staff of Haukipudas also kept on assisting student Fatuma Msechu at Jangwani. We hope she is now able to pay her school fees and will prosper. We wish you well, Fatuma!

by AMO

LEARNING ABOUT TANZANIA

This school year our group of students planning to travel to Tanzania in 2012 has kept up the theme of Africa and UNESCO. These 23 students have made informative morning announcements not only in our school but also in our neighbouring school, Haukiputaan yläkoulu (a junior high school). They prepared posters that still hang on the walls giving other students a glimpse of Africa and Tanzania. Some students gave oral presentations in their other courses and here are summaries of them in English:

Tanzania

Tanzania’s capital is Dodoma and it’s located in East-Africa. Tanzania’s area is 947 300 km2. Population is 40 213 162 and climate is tropic and there are plenty of animals.

Tanzania’s two biggest national parks are Kilimanjaro and Serengeti. Kilimanjaro National Park is located around Africa's highest mountain. There live many mammals which are endangered. Serengeti national park, which is Tanzania’s largest park, is known for mammal packs wandering. It is the most notable nature conservation area.

There are a lot of forests in Tanzania. About 43 %, forest is felled yearly for fields and pasture area. Near lakes and coast climate is tropic and middle plain is dry and hot. Highlands and mountain is a little bit cool.

- by Eveliina Satomaa

Tanzania

Tanzania is located in southern Africa. Surface – area of Tanzania is 947 300 km ², and population about 40 million. Tanzania also has a total of 21 protected areas including 14 national parks. There are also seven UNESCO World Heritage sites. Dodoma is the capital of Republic of Tanzania, and official languages are English and Swahili.

National Parks

One of the most famous Tanzanian National Parks is Serengeti, which is a large highland area while it is also the oldest national park in the area. Serengeti’s surface area is about 30 000 km ², and most of the area is savannah, but there is also a forest. Serengeti’s fauna is quite wide: there live more than 2 million herbivores, like gazelles and zebras, but as well as thousands of predators. There is organized for example hot-air balloon safaris, and basic safaris on foot. There are also a lot of other national parks in Tanzania, for example Arusha, Ngorongoro, Gombe, Katavi, Tarangire and Ruaha.

Agriculture

The majority of Tanzania's population is employed by agriculture. Most of the Tanzanian agriculture is located in northern Tanzania and Tanzania's western coast. The most common agricultural products are bananas, cassava, rice and corn. Coffee is also produced quite a lot. Especially Mount Meru’s fertile area is excellent for farming of coffee.

Zanzibar and Pemba Island’s climate is humid and warm, and that kind of climate is excellent for farming coconuts and aromatic plants. In Tanzania women form the majority of the workforce in agriculture. Tanzanians produce for export mostly coffee, tea, cashew nuts, cigarettes, cotton, sisal and a wide range of different spices.

Farms in Tanzania are usually relatively small (about 1-3 hectares). People there normally use hoes, but sometimes also tractors and oxen.

Erosion

Erosion is a result of landslides. Erosion is visible mostly in mountain areas, for example Mount Kilimanjaro’s one high is very worn and leveled. Rainfall and landslides are contributing of erosion.

Deforestation

About 43 % of Tanzania's surface is a forest, and that’s about 39 million hectares. Forests in Tanzania are destroyed annually, approximately 90 000 hectares. Forests disappear because of deforestation and cutting firewood. However there are also protected areas in Tanzania, like national parks, where harvesting is not allowed.

-by Eeva Savilaakso

Christianity in Africa

Africa is an important part of Christianity, because about 20 percent of Christians live in Africa. African Christianity is developing fastest compared to other Christian parts of the world. There is tens of thousands of churches in Africa, which have their own interpretation of the Bible. They also have their own attitude to Christian values. Christian teachings have widely mixed with local beliefs, and also the local customs and culture give a nuance to African Christianity.

Christianity arrived in Africa already in the first century. Nowadays almost half of Africans are Christians, so Christianity is widespread in Africa. In the early days Christianity focused on North Africa, but as a result of the rapid spread of Islam Christians became a minority. After that spreading, Christianity focused on southern Africa. Southern Africa became a spreading area of different Christian churches.

African worship can be very lively and free-form and the local music and art can be strongly present. Some African churches have maintained local customs and have invented religious meanings for them. African biblical interpretation is much different from western biblical interpretation.

Christianity is spreading strongly in Africa and the African role in the Christian world is growing all the time. However, missionaries have still much to do in this big continent.

- by Eetu Väänänen

Education in Tanzania

In 1970 Tanzania had free education for all students. Being a young state meant troubles in the economy, and school fees were enabled from 1984 until 2001. After the school fees were dropped in 2001, primary school enrolment has increased rapidly as well as pre-primary and secondary education has also expanded steadily in the last few years. The increasing number of students resulted to more needs in space, teachers and studying equipment.

Even though Tanzania has shown positive growth in education, there are still difficulties in achieving universal primary education. Such things as education quality and the passing rate for primary school students who reach the final level bring challenges. Disability, orphanage and child labor are also additional worries.

As the number of school-aged children grows, the quality of teaching fails to do so. The number of children enrolled does not match the supply of qualified teachers or educational materials. Many of the schools in Tanzania are not healthy or safe environments especially for young girls.

The number of girls and boys in primary school is almost the same. Unfortunately girls make up only 35 per cent of the children who make it through secondary school. By the age of 14 approximately half of Tanzania´s children have left school. Only one third of the children go on to attending secondary school and less than 1 per cent go on to enrolling in institutions of higher education.

Dar es Salam University is the oldest and biggest university in the country. It was founded in 1970 and the number of students enrolled in the years 2007-2008 was about 5800. Women made up about one third of the students.

Sources:

http://fi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tansania#Koulutus

http://www.unicef.org/about/execboard/files/TANZANIA_CCPD_2011-2015_final.pdf

- by Jenni Posio

Health in Tanzania

The under-five mortality rate in Tanzania in 2006 was 118 out of 1,000. Life expectancy at birth in 2006 was 50 years. The 15–60 year old adult mortality rate in 2006 was 518 out of 1,000 males and 493 out of 1,000 females. The leading cause of death in children is malaria. For adults, it is HIV/AIDS. The treatment coverage for people with advanced HIV infection in 2006 was 14 percent. Other leading causes of death in under 5-year-olds is pneumococcal disease (pneumonia) and rotavirus diarrhea). Health care in Tanzania is poor. 118 in 1000 children die before the age of five.

HIV/AIDS in Tanzania

Among the 1.4 million people living with HIV/AIDS in Tanzania, 70.5 percent are 25 to 49 years old, and 15 percent are 15-24 years. In ages 15-24, women have a higher prevalence rate than men in the same age group. The greatest challenge facing the health sector is to deliver quality health services to the Tanzanian population. Since the 1990s, structural adjustment policies and HIV/AIDS have greatly reduced the health-sector workforce. A second challenge is poverty, important because the cost of drugs and health services is a financial barrier.

- by Marko Moilanen

Piloting for the "Global Citizen in Finland" Project

Guest lecturers Ms Kristina Ragan, Mr. Raymond Boniface and English teacher Tiina Mustakangas

Haukipudas High School is one of the 16 high schools in Finland which work for the ”Global Citizen in Finland” project funded by the Finnish Board of Education.The aim of Haukipudas High School is to bring international university students to foreign language, psychology, history and philosophy lessons to talk about global issues, such as identity, multiculturalism, cultural differences, racism, voluntary work, human rights, distribution of wealth, UN Millennium development goals, nature, sustainable development, and peace and conflict prevention.

In February 2011, we had the pleasure of having Ms Kristina Ragan from the USA and Mr. Raymond Boniface from Tanzania in four of our English lessons. In those lessons we learned a lot about the African and American culture as well as the cultural differences between Tanzania, the USA and Finland. Our guest lecturers Kristina and Raymond didn’t have to go home empty handed either, as our students introduced them to our Finnish culture and made excellent presentations about Finnish peculiarities, attractions, nature, climate, food and sauna.

In April and May 2011, Kristina came back for two other visits. This time she gave a lecture about the distribution of wealth and the UN Millennium Development Goals. These topics touched all of us, and made us think how lucky and privileged we are compared to many other nations in the world. Since the target year of 2015 for the UN Millennium Goals is getting closer, our students gave reports on seven of the goals. Enclosed the very thorough reports on where we stand with the goals right now, as well as pictures of our hardworking and beautiful students.

The UN Millennium Goals 1 and 2 Reports

Goal 1: Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger -
Where do we stand now?

The report was presented by Julius Pyrhönen, Eva Saranpää, Milla Kotisaari, Annukka Tallgren, Veera Karjalainen, Anu Ylisaukko-oja and Kaisa Ojala.
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Goal 2: To ensure primary schooling for all children - Where do we stand now?
The report was presented by Sami Aspelund, Toni Heikkinen, Miika Moilanen and Ola Länsman

To achieve the second goal by the deadline set by UN, all children at official entry age for primary schooling would have had to be attending classes by 2009. Instead of this, the enrolment rate for primary school is only 89% for the developing countries. This means that there are still 69 million children not going to school in 2008. About half of these children are in sub-Saharan Africa.

However, progress has been made since 2000, when the enrolment rate was still 83%. How did we get this far?

School fees were abolished in many countries e.g. Ghana and Ethiopia. This increased the enrolment rate hugely. Also investing in teaching infrastructure and hiring and educating more teachers has helped to achieve the millennium goal.

The biggest problems in achieving 100% enrolment rate are children dropping out from school before reaching the final grade and lack of teachers. In sub-Saharan Africa, more than 30 percent of primary school students drop out before reaching a final grade. The lack of teachers and infrastructure is also most notable in sub-Saharan Africa.

The UN Millennium Goal 4 Report

The Report was presented by Elina Puranen,
Henna Ståhle and Teemu Peteri