Our Learning Development Centre at Sifoe Senior Secondary School ends this year on two high points.

World Wide Web
Our Centre, headed by jole rider Gambia Director Mr Saidu Gbla, is now connected to the Internet.
jole rider's Gambian and UK partner schools will use this connection to work together on joint curriculum projects.
They will also use it to exchange stories, photos, ideas and much more in the year ahead. 

Institute of Physics Partnership
In December jole rider and the UK's Institute of Physics conducted a series of training workshops for Gambian science teachers.
The Teacher Development workshops were hosted at our Learning Development Centre and Sifoe Senior Secondary School.
The training comprised the first phase of the IOP's Physics for Development programme in The Gambia.
This programme dovetails with the Gambian Education Ministry's objectives to place a much needed focus on science teaching.

The workshops, delivered to more than 30 science teachers from more than 15 schools, were led by:
Laurie Mansfield, IOP International Coordinator 
Steve Atyeo and Saidu Gbla of jole rider and
Jide Johnson, Head of Science at Sifoe Senior Secondary School

The training was reported in the Gambian media
We will have more news on this story in the New Year.

 

The LDP [in short] is about injecting valuable learning resources into African schools, linking teachers to share pathways to learning and, not least, hitting curriculum targets through real-life studies - in and outside the classroom - with students and teachers on two very different continents.  The Learning Development Project is hugely exciting in its brief, its concept and especially its function - to be a massive boost for education. 

Saidu Gbla heads the Learning Development Centre [LDC], the base for the Project, in Sifoe, The Gambia, West Africa.  Leading the Project at the African end, Saidu works with the many schools in The Gambia involved with the Project.

Recently the UK based team was strengthened.  Steve Atyeo, being an ex-head of Department secondary school teacher, joined the team bringing with him a wealth of experience, together with a passion for teaching and learning development both in the UK and in Africa.  Steve acts as Saidu’s counterpart in the UK and will be working with schools - primary, secondary and special – to coordinate their involvement with the Project and their work with partner schools in Africa.

Also on board are Cristina Bennett and Laurie Mansfield. Cristina is also an experienced secondary school teacher, and acts as global education consultant to the team, whilst Laurie, another ex-head of department teacher, heads an Institute of Physics programme to be delivered at Sifoe in partnership with jole rider.  Laurie will be working closely with Steve, Saidu and Jide Johnson – head of Science at Sifoe Senior Secondary School - developing science teaching in Gambian schools.

Pictured: from rear - Steve, Saidu, Cristina, Jide and Laurie at the LDC in Sifoe