With 3,011 students attending Kabusunzu, it is the largest of the schools we are working with.  There are only 38 teachers for all these students requiring them to teach one class in the morning and a new group of students in the afternoon, making it possible that a teacher could teach up to 160 students each day! 

The school’s facilities vary in quality.  The majority of the classrooms are small and dark with crumbling concrete floors.  There is only one window for the whole room that typically has broken glass and falling off shutters.  The metal roof sheets are peeling back in some places and are speckled with countless holes that allow both dappled sunlight, but also rain to come right through.  There are wooden benches and desks in the classrooms, but with up to 80 students per class, some children are forced to sit on the floor.  

The better/newer classrooms do have enough benches but it is necessary for the students to sit four or even five to a bench made for two, which makes writing in their exercise books nearly impossible.  The smelly and filthy pit latrines that serve as the school’s toilets are few in number and largely overused. 

Despite the conditions, there is an atmosphere of hope that you can feel the minute you step onto the campus.  A new Principal has come on board and he is working hard to bring about change at the school. New trees and gardens have been planted outside the classrooms, they have painted brightly colored maps and collages on the sides of buildings, and even added little touches to decorate with cloths draped on tables and the occasional plastic flowers to add a touch of brightness. 

When Wellspring staff arrived at the school, they were so smothered by the students that the teachers had to bring out sticks in order to get the children to move!  There were also examples of students being smacked across the head or swatted with a stick to be disciplined.  While behaviour management will need to be worked on, the teachers are keen to begin the Whole School Development Program training.