Kwala Secondary School Library and Textbook Project

When Kwala Secondary School teacher and NTC Tanzania advisor Athuman Msangi was asked in 2007 what was Kwala’s greatest need, the answer was immediate – “Textbooks!” Kwala had no textbooks for its 350+ students. Students were forced to learn both subject matter and English (the mandated language of instruction) simultaneously without seeing either in printed form. Most of each and every class session is taken up with teachers writing out materials on the board, to be recopied by the students. There were simply no books to read.

In 2007, Newton’s students and citizens raised $4,000.00 to provide textbooks for Kwala Secondary School. The initiative inspired Plan USA (an international NGO) to donate an additional $6,000.00 to Kwala for more books, and as importantly, to construct a secure library for storing the books. Plan USA went on to replicate their generous donation at four other secondary schools in other Tanzania villages.

Students now have the advantage of borrowing books from the NTC library at Kwala Secondary School, studying in the evening or weekends, and returning them to the school for other students to use. Because teachers generally teach to the mandated national curriculum, the textbooks are of great assistance to students as they prepare for national examinations. While more work needs to be done to reach NTC and Kwala’s goal to have a textbook in each subject for every student, having some textbooks for each subject is a huge step in the right direction.

Thanks to everyone who offered support for the NTC library project at Kwala Secondary School!

Mahundi Primary School Library and Textbook Project

The NTC Kwala Committee has also finished the construction of a library at Mahundi Primary School, with help from several different partners in the United States. In March, 2009, the Brooklyn Free School community visited Kwala and helped convert a classroom at Mahundi Primary School into a library. Judy Citron visited Kwala later that year and raised money to purchase Mahundi Primary School’s first textbooks. Finally, visitors from NTC’s 2nd annual group trip in August, 2010, finished the job by painting the classroom.