What Makes a Good School?

This depiction of What Makes a Good School was created in rural Zimbabwe. As part of the UNICEFSocial Awareness Campaign for Primary Schools project, ASAP Africa is proud to be included in a consortium of over 20 local organizations working together to answer this question.

Some of the aspirations of pupils for their dream schools were that:
•Schools should be such that it does not encourage pupils to abscond from lessons
•Schools should be a safe place with a good learning environment
•Pupils, parents and teachers should not be thieves. School should have a tight security system
•Schools should be smoke free environments
•Punishments should not be administered while other pupils are attending lessons
•Schools should provide leisure time.
•Schools should have projects that generate extra school funds
•Schools should accommodate visitors
•Should have parents who care for the education of their pupils.

Some of the aspirations of teachers for their ideal learning schools were that
•Schools should have accommodation which is electrified and has piped water
•Schools should be serviced by a good road network
•There should be a reliable public transport system servicing the school
•A resource center should be near the school
•School administrators should be sensitive to teacher requirements

Community members - School Development Committees , parents and village heads:
• Schools should be such that teachers are deployed early
• Schools should have well qualified teachers who stay at a school for reasonable periods of time
•Schools should have a variety of sports and adequate sports equipment
•Schools should have responsible teachers

Perception vary yet all agree with Francis Keppel:
"Education is too important to be left solely to educators."
To read more about ASAP's work with education click here.