SHAH SECONDARY PUBLIC SCHOOL PROJECT BACKGROUND AND UPDATES

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Javed Sultan, executive director of SARID, recently visited the Shah School to meet with the administrator, see the classrooms, talk to the teachers about their needs and discuss possible solutions.

Nursery & Kindergarten teachers lamented the dirth of educational toys in their classrooms. The playground was a small, dusty square and the "computer Lab" had no computers. SARID has since bought toys for the pre-school classes, equipped the playground with swings and see-saws and installed two Pentium©4 computers in the Lab.

By working with the school, SARID has identified several key areas that are most in need of improvement.

• Physical facilities - while SARID has funded the recent upgrading of the school's physical plant, there is much that needs to be provided for and maintained:
- better classrooms
- adequate library
- teaching aids
- recreation facilities

• Curriculum development & teacher training - SARID would like to implement a more comprehensive & useful curriculum than the one currently in use at the school in order to raise the standard of the education received by these impoverished students to that enjoyed by financially better off children.

• Vocational Training/Adult Literacy program, Shah Vocational Centre - while SARID's emphasis is on women and specifically on teaching quilting it is not limited to these spheres. The students also learn embroidery and dress making, disciplines involving accurate measurement, focus and time management. The needlework endeavour has spun off a literacy program for those girls who cannot read or write. Recently, SARID initiated a "Learn English" program to enable students to follow manuals etc., which are predominantly in English, as well as to develop basic conversational skills. 20 women, ages ranging from 18 to 50 years, have enrolled to date.

By staying with the program and continuing their education these students will become competent, capable women with a better chance of being the entrepreneurs of tomorrow.

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