Case Studies
Ireland and Ghana: Seamount College, Kinvara, Galway and Notre Dame Girls' Senior High School, Fiapre, Sunyani
Background
In Seamount College, Kinvara, development education has been a part of the school curriculum for over three years, both as a subject in its own right in Transition Year and through cross-curricular links in Geography, Religion, CSPE and Art. The school also has long-standing ties with NGOs 80:20 and Aidlink, and it was through these connections that a link was made with Notre Dame Girls’ Senior High School in Sunyani in Ghana in 2007.
Focus
The linking project began with the aims of increasing awareness of students and teachers in both schools of their partners, as well as of development issues in general. There has been a particular focus on the MDGs and also on the role of women.
Progress
Each school began with a group of students studying the environment of the others’ country, and started to share their knowledge and gain more information through letter writing. This was followed up by students examining the MDGs and sharing their opinions on which goal interested them the most.
One of the highlights of the development education programme in Seamount College took place in October 2008 with a week-long workshop with Zambian artist Stary Mwabe and human rights educator Bert Borg of 80:20, culminating in the production of a mural based on the issue of equality. A similar event is scheduled for early 2011, so watch this space for feedback!
The teacher visit from Notre Dame to Seamount in spring 2010 created further momentum and enthusiasm for the partnership, with visiting teachers Ms. Naomi Gordor and Mr. Augustine Akwowuki interacting with both staff and students in Seamount each day, as well as getting to know the local area of Kinvara. The visit also created the opportunity for them to meet with the partnership coordinating team in Seamount and put together the partnership agreement between both schools.
The Future
At this stage the partnership has been built up, in spite of challenges regarding regular communication, and all students and staff in both schools accept the project as a valued asset to the curriculum. Read the reflections on the project to date from Augustine Akwowuki, project coordinator in Notre Dame here. In the long-term the plan is to work on more joint projects and a greater sharing of outcomes. A teacher visit from Sunyani to Kinvara this year should greatly help to facilitate this and to create more ideas to sustain the link. Read more about Seamount teacher Margo MacDonnell's reflections on development education here
Good practice elements
- Development Education programme in Seamount
- Mural created during week-long dev ed workshop with Stary Mwabe
- Project certificates issued to all participants on completion of the TY development education programme
- Partnership Agreement
