In Kumbo, there are not many
white people who drive. And, there are also very few women who drive. So, me
driving a car is a strange phenomenon for many people here. So strange that
people start shouting when they see me drive a car. If I pass a motorbike, the
driver and his passenger(s) start pointing and shouting.
For me, driving in Cameroon is
also quite an experience. Within Kumbo it is ok. The roads are not great, but
most of them are doable. The road to the main city close by is very fine.
Driving to Yaoundé is no problem as long as someone else drives in the main
cities.
But, going to rural
communities, that is quite an adventure! This week we trained teachers in two
very rural communities. The first one was still ok, but reaching the second
school was not so easy. The problem in the rainy season is that you don’t see
how deep the potholes are as they are filled with water. So often you just hope
you can really pass and will not get stuck in the mud.
Even more scary, very narrow
paths, with very slippery clay, just enough space for your wheels and a pothole
of a meter deep between your wheels. There is not much risk for heavy accidents
in these roads, but I am scared to get stuck somewhere in the middle of
nowhere! Fortunately, it all went well so far!
After the driving, the next
adventure is to train the teachers. I knew not all teachers are very well
trained. But still I am shocked. Teachers who think you write best with an a.
Teachers who are really surprised when you tell them they should not beat a
child with a book. Teachers who only ask questions to the entire class, being
totally unaware of slow learners and individual differences. (If you want a
child to answer ‘church’ you can ask Mary where she goes on Sunday morning, but
Ibrahim will tell you he goes to the market!).
Like in Nigeria, the favourite
teaching method is to have the entire class repeating the teacher; say after
me; verbs! Again; verbs! Again; verbs! People don’t realise that in that way a
child doesn’t learn what a verb is. I have seen that a lot in Nigeria. Classes
full of children who can repeat the alphabet, but don’t ask them to come
forward and point to p, they don’t know!
In the next few years,
Knowledge for Children will focus more and more on training of teachers. Hopefully,
at least some of them will get some ideas how to deal with their classes and
teach effectively. And hopefully in that way, the children in the rural areas
of Cameroon will get better education, will be able to read and write very well
and will get many more opportunities in their lives!
