DRUMMOND'S KENYA TRIP – DISAPPOINTMENT AND THE WAY FORWARD

For the July issue of the Spurtle, we had hoped to have lots of exciting photographs and information about Drummond CHS’s visit to their partner schools Muthambi Boys and Girls in Kenya, writes Annie Scanlon (Librarian/ Co-ordinator Drummond Muthambi Educational Partnership).

Unfortunately, two weeks before departure, permission to travel was withdrawn.

Drummond – along with Currie and Portobello High Schools – had been planning to make visits in June.

But in a letter to parents, Andy Gray (Edinburgh Council’s Head of Schools and Community Services) said: ‘I regret to inform you that the proposed school trip to Kenya is no longer able to go ahead given the significant risks posed to pupils and staff with regard to the recent disruption in Kenya.’

Drummond and Muthambi have a strong link which has developed over the past eight years with regular exchange visits. These are one of the most important parts of the 5-point agreement between the schools. Despite our modern technology, face-to-face interaction between staff and students leads to a better understanding of culture and environment, exchange of ideas and planning for joint projects.

It is also a huge challenge to students: fundraising, researching and planning the visits, with the added benefit of being a confidence-builder as they approach adulthood.

S6 student Yasmine Lefkaier hit the nail on the head when she said ‘But what about the 1,000 Kenyan students who are waiting to meet us?’ She was correct – although we are all disappointed, the Kenyan students in particular had  been looking forward to our visit at this difficult time when they need every bit of support we can give.

With this in mind, we have now put together a new programme to enhance our partnership. Ten tutor classes have ‘adopted’ a Kenya boy (we hope to add girls later) and are writing to them. We hope they will share the letters with their classes and exchange information on school, sport, interests and ideas.

In National 4 Environmental Science, we are planning a Trees project looking at the trees in our local environment, their uses and impact. We will then swap that information with our partner schools who take part in a Kenyan national scheme to make schools self-sufficient in wood for cooking.

The senior Kenya Group will continue to work on a Wednesday afternoon. They will attend a Global Schools Conference organised by the Vine Trust. This is an annual event with a different theme each year. It brings together students from all over Scotland to discuss major global issues. This year it will highlight Malaria and TB. Students will work with our partners at Muthambi to create an educational programme for both schools, pressuring governments into taking action and fundraising for charities working to combat these diseases.

We hope that these activities will sustain the partnership and that we will be able to resume our exchange visits in the future.

At Drummond CHS we are unique in the support we receive for our partnership from the local community and the Spurtle. On behalf of the staff and students of Muthambi Boys and Girls Schools and Drummond we would like to say a huge thank you to you all.

For more details about the partnership or if you would like to get involved, please email: admin@drummond.edin.sch.uk or Tel. 0131 556 2651.