SOS Schools in Niger

SOS Nursery School

The SOS Children Village Niamey has an SOS Nursery School with six classrooms run by six permanent female teachers.  At the end of 2008, there were 150 pupils – including 108 eating in the canteen – of which 79 are girls and 71 boys. Twelve (3 girls and 9 boys) are from the SOS Children's Village.  The end of the year saw the resignation of a female teacher.

Achievements:

Health

The school was visited by a team of the Ministry of Health

Education

In 2008, 5 trainings were provided to female educators in:

• 1 refresher English course
• 1 training in action research
• 1 training on the new approach in action plan preparation
• 1 training in performance contract
• 1 training in support to disabled people
  

As for unit heads, they were provided with three trainings:

• one on the new planning approach
• the other on the performance contract
• and the last one on the new approach in AP preparation
  

Charitable contributions

Thanks to unit heads in Niamey who made charitable contributions at the local level, the VESOS received several gifts, namely an amount of FCFA 500.000 in cash, petrol coupons valued at F 100.000, a set of used medical equipment (1 bed, mattresses, pyjamas, 2 coffee tables, 2 wheelchairs) and 5 boxes of 30 bars of Marseilles soap.

Missions:

Two missions were conducted by the Deputy of JESOS in Tahoua area:

• The first one consisted in a three-day training for the staff newly recruited for the VESOS of Tahoua.
• The other one which also lasted 3 days was organised in the same region by the unit heads in order to participate in the opening of Tahoua VESOS.
  

Health

The pupils were vaccinated twice against polio.  Those pupils whose parents authorised it, received and took 1 pill of albendazole (400 mg) to de-worm them and treat them against typhoid fever.

 

SOS Primary School Niamey

The SOS Primary School opened in 1996. There are about 440 pupils in 12 classes.  The SOS Primary School has twelve classrooms run by 12 permanent teachers, one substitute and the headmaster.  As of the end of 2008, the total number of pupils was 436 including 95 children from the SOS Children's Village.  Last July, the success rate at the CFEPD was 100%.

Main activities or achievements:

• Trainings:

-    An introduction to research on Internet for the teachers was organised by the American Cultural Centre.

-    The introduction courses to English and computer science given to pupils are still going on.

-    An awareness-raising day on dental hygiene was organised in schools by a team of 4 French students assisted by 2 local dental surgeons.

-    The SOS Primary School organised two training sessions for SOS mothers and aunts with a view to improving children educational monitoring.

-    From 8 to 12 September 2008, the Deptuy of the SOS Primary School took part in a training session, held in the CFR of Calavi, on the following topics: new educational policy of SOS Children, youth guidance policy, children’s rights advocacy, educational project.

-    The Deputy then reported back on the training to the teachers.

-    The school as well as other schools from the same area participated in four meetings on educational activities.

•  English and computer sciences courses intended for pupils and teachers went on.

• Three teachers were promoted: the Deputy at the SOS Primary School Tahoua, a Youth Teacher and the Human Resources Manager.

• The SOS Primary School Niamey was selected for the Concours International de dessins et œuvres d’enfants [International Children Drawings and Works Contest] on the rights of the child.
  

• A pupil of the SOS Primary School Niamey represented Niger in the final of the Concours international de dictée (International Dictation Competition) which took place in Canada.

 

SOS Nursery School Tahoua

The SOS Nursery School Tahoua opened on October 6th, 2008, with 3 classrooms and a total number of 74 children. But now, there are 75 children including 44 boys and 31 girls. 41 of them come from the SOS Children's Village Tahoua including 14 girls and 27 boys.  Three teachers and a female Director supervise those children.

Let’s note that a basic training of the educators has been organised. It helps them master the work guidelines of our organisation and be empowered on the basic educational principles which are underlying the children education within the SOS Nursery Schools.

In order to facilitate a better educational integration of our activities and our educational approach which is child centred, we have initiated in collaboration with the other public nursery schools some meetings on educational animation based on our various methods and approaches sharing and on the teaching programme. Some key lessons models have been prepared and presented by the host nursery schools.

The SOS Nursery School still constitutes an important place for the children of the village in such way that it allows them to share their life experiences and to settle friendships with the surro\unding communities’ children. Due to the nursery school, some SOS children are no more living a lone. Some external games have been introduced in order to help children distract themselves more and more.
Some classroom visits have been initiated in order to better follow-up the female educators’ activities in the nursery school.

Some periodic meetings have been organised between the SOS mothers and the external children’s parents in order to share with them the various difficulties encountered in the children’s education. Some solutions have been found together.

The SOS Nursery School has actively participated to the inauguration of the SOS Children’s Village Tahoua. Our children, under the supervision of the educators have prepared and presented a welcome song and a sketch. 

 

SOS Primary School Tahoua

The SOS Primary School Tahoua opened on October 6th, 2008. This school has 6 classrooms and a total number of 133 pupils under the supervision of 6 teachers and a headmaster. 69 of them are boys and 64 are girls. Amongst the 133 pupils, 92 are from the SOS Children’s Village Tahoua (48 boys and 44 girls). The pupils have been admitted to the primary school after a test of their school levels which has been organised under the supervision of six teachers and the school director.

 

Some qualified teachers have been recruited with the objective of empowering the image of our primary school. They received a basic training on our organisation’s general information, its basic working principles and on the child right. Some classroom visits and some supervision activities are periodically organised in order to be sure that the teachers respect the norms and guidelines of our organisation. A system of pedagogical support has been set on place in order to help the SOS children who are facing some learning difficulties. A staff evaluation has been conducted on December 2008 and allows drawing the strengths and weaknesses of the various employees and make a better plan for their capacity building.

 

In order to improve a better harmonisation of our educational activities, we initiated in collaboration with the other local schools some educational days on which some experience sharing on the teaching methods, approaches and strategies took place through some debates, lessons’ forms preparation and key model lessons preparation.

 

A committee of the pupils’ parents has been set on place and a lot of meetings of the members have occurred. Some SOS mothers are active members of the leading team of that committee and they fully participate to its various activities.

 

The primary school is an important place of integration and development for the children. It is a place where the children can easily get some new classmates. The SOS children were able to settle friendships with the other surrounding communities’ children through some sport activities organised on the sport ground of the SOS Children’s Village.

 

On another hand, a school canteen is functional since November 1st, 2008 with 200 beneficiaries (Primary School and Nursery School children).  The school canteen is another way of social integration of the SOS children and it alleviates some difficulties that the pupils’ parents are supposed to face when they will have to drop and pick their children from school and nursery school several times daily. Now, when they drop them at school, they will only come to pick them at the end of the day.

 

The SOS Primary School has actively participated to the inauguration of the SOS Children’s Village Tahoua. Our pupils under the supervision of the teachers has prepared and presented a song.