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Planning Assessment

Good Shepherd Primary School

13/3/2012

Okoloke

We initiated a meeting between HELP Dr. Tom Conner, Coach Emmanuel Solako,

Raye Elerson, Scott Beebe, and David; Headmaster of Good Shepherd Primary

(GSP) School. The purpose of the meeting was to assess current progress of GSP

School, future plans of progress, and to identify opportunities for partnership in the

future based on the vision of GSP School within the Educational Domain for HELP.

The meeting was held out under the tree between the Okoloke Guest House and the

GSP School campus. We began the meeting explaining our purpose as stated

above, with an open mind from our host.

As of this meeting, the GSP School enrolls 57 students (Fulani, Hausa, Cambari and

no Yoruba yet) and 2 teachers. Of the 57 students, only 22 have reportedly paid

appropriate school fees. Headmaster David said that he is currently rewriting

policies, procedures and suggested fees for the School.

Culturally, due to the tribal diversity of the local population, as well as a general

apathy and undisciplined approach to education, David suggested that it is futile to

compare the desire of education in Okoloke with the desire of education within Egbe.This divide exists, he posits, due to the reality of exposing these relatively isolated

people to an entirely new way of life; namely, an educated life. Simply stated, the

Fulani wish to follow cows during the dry season and by doing so maintain their

generational heritage. This reality is necessitating that westerners practice caution,

local understanding and self-awareness when introducing outside influence. This

internal desire for cultural preservation presents both an opportunity for global

engagement and disciple-making via their culture, and also forces us to have a

serious discussion about the future of educational delivery to this deep culture.

The curriculum of the GSP School is not religiously-based, and instead focuses

solely on the arts and sciences; currently offering English, Mathematics, Social

Studies, Health/Education, Science and Agriculture. In the future, Headmaster

David hopes to

Recruit seasoned retired teachers from around Nigeria to come and teach

providing both rich experience, a mission school training background and

potentially low-cost resources

Introduce both an Islamic and Christian teacher that will thoughtfully teach

these two religions that make up 98% of Nigeria Settle on a 1:25 student/teacher ratio

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