Irob Wereda School Projects Proposal:

Contact person:              Rufael Shifare, Chairman of IWSIPC
                                            Irob Wereda Administration
                                            Dawhan, Irob (Tigray), Ethiopia
                                            Tel.: 0981110978 Or 0981110979

Contents

1. Introduction

1.1. Local and Geographical context

2. policy Environment

3. Project Justification

4. Project activities by major components

5. Project estimated cost and financial analysis

6. Project Objectives

7. expected outputs and benefits

8. Strategies

9. Project sustainability

10. Project time frame work

11. Project monitoring and evaluation

12. Schedule Activities

1. Introduction

1.1. Local and Geographical Context

Irob Werwda is located in the North Eastern tip of Tigray Regional state. It has diverse topography and mountainous Zones. It comprises a land area of about 85,000 hectares with an estimated population of 31,000. The Wereda has only 2,000 of hectares arable land. The bulk majority of the people are poor farmers, who usually live on insignificant income and seasonal migration to nearby countries and the hinterland of Ethiopia by serving as cheap labor hands.

The economic, social service and infrastructure of the Wereda is very low. The people travel a long distance to get education, health, water, telephone service etc… on foot from the center of their residence.

Cognizant of these compelling facts, Irob Wereda Education Office, Irob Wereda Administration, different community groups and individuals established a committee. in order to organize the people and lead the school improvement program (SIP). Irob Wereda School Improvement program Committee (IWSIPC) a committee established in Irob Wereda in 2007 E.C. with the missions and objectives to alleviate basic problems of quality of education and to improve educational material by mobilizing key stakeholders, partners and communities in localities.

IWSIC is planning to launch comparatively a bigger project on school improvement program

School Constructions
Provision of Library books
Plasma Television
Computers
Internet material
Laboratory material
Chemical
Equipments
Biological Models
Related educational material

To materialize this project, IWSIPC is seeking potential partners to finance these major activities so as to improve access to quality of education and gender equity.

2. Policy Environment

Education, as a very important factor to human development, is of a high priority in the overall development endeavor of the government. One of the aims of education is to strengthen the individuals and society’s problem solving capacity, ability and culture starting from basic education to all levels aiming universal primary education by 2015.

Due attention is also given to provision and appropriate usage of educational facility, technology materials, environment, organization and management so as to strengthen the teaching-learning process and expansion of education. Inadequate facilities, insufficient training of teachers, overcrowded classes, shortage of books and other teaching materials, are all problems of the primary and secondary school education which are indicators of the low quality of education.

Thus, it requires the concentrated effort of all parties government, non-governmental organizations and communities in supporting increased access to equitable and quality of education.

3. Project Justification

As elaborated in the introduction, farming and cattle breeding are the mainstay of livelihood hard for the majority of the population of Irob Wereda. However crop production lasts in feeding the majority of the population only up to two months. On top of the degradation of this arable farming, agriculture also thoroughly depends on rain periodical droughts often results in production shortfalls and consequential food insecurity. An increase of population has also been aggravating the situation and this results in shortage of arable land, Hence the population has been subjected to frequent forced migration in search of work and relief assistance and handouts by in large conditions of poverty is extremely high in the Wereda.

So to alleviate and solve these problem the only and main options is by strengthening quality of education and producing academically competent and ethically disciplined citizens

Irob Wereda also lacks the necessary infrastructure facilities, which included rural roads, potable water, health service, and educational establishment.

Since the schools are far away from residence of the students, the school age children either forced to travel a long distance 16-30 km of serious mountainous topography back and forth or give up opportunities of schooling.

In these circumstances the most disadvantageous children are the school aged-girls. Parents do not allow their daughters to walk 16-30 km for education because of the fear of abduction. This is seriously affecting girls enrollment rate and worsening dropout of girl student. Girls access to quality education is not only for gender equality sake, but also very vital for development. Women have a triple role as productive communities, shoulders the future responsibilities and communities’ management.

In addition to conditions mentioned above another serious problem which forced us to establish and organize IWSIC committee is the situation of Derwhan high school. The grade level of Dewhan high school is 9-10 which is found at distance. about 40 kilometers from borders of Werda. Students travel about 30-40 Kilometers to arrive the school. They also go back to their parents at the weekend to collect educational material and weekly ration. After they have finished grade 10, they are also forced to travel another 50 kilometers from the capital of Wereda to enroll / register in grade 11 & 12 (preparatory) of a long distance 50-80 Km from their residence by carrying all educational facilities on their shoulder.

Even though they try to go and register by traveling a long distance, they have been faced with the following problems

Some of them drop out immediately after they have finished grade 10 in the Wereda because of unabling to afford cost of educational material, transport, rent, ration which amounts monthly minimum of 500 Birr
Some of them drop out after they have registered and started learning due to the same reasons.
Especially, girl students are forced to have sex with businessmen and others in order to get daily support, due to this they become pregnant and faced with different problems which collapses their bright future.
Some of them also become drinkers, gamblers since they start to live alone at a distance from their parent i.e their parents can not to control, advice and help their children.
They miss a lot of periods /classes/ since they go back and forth to collect weekly and monthly expense from their parents
They are forced to rent houses without electric, water, telephone, toilet etc…because they can’t afford to rent facilitated houses.

While, if there is preparatory /grade 11 and 12/ in the center of the Wereda, it is very advantageous due to many reasons

They can live with their parents
They can learn with reasonable expense by saving over 80% of total cost they used to before.
The expense (rent, wood etc…) in Dewhan /capital of the Wereda/ is cheap.
The girl students are less susceptible /Vulnerable/ to be faced with different problems
They can attend their classes regularly
The parents will have a better chance to control advise and help their children
The fruit of cactus (fig) is unique source of food in our Wereda. It uses as a means of lunch, dinner and breakfast from June up to December (even in same Tabia /villages/ it extends up to February). Then they can be benefited from this great chance.

Number of drop outs due to un abling affording educational expense after they have been completing grade 10, at Adigrat and other places

Number of drop outs

M

F

Total

30

25

55

Educational Coverage and equipment of the schools

No

Name of the school

Substandard Building

Lacking pedagogical center

Fenceless

Lacking science kits

with out Toilet

With no type writer

With no library

With no laboratory

No potable water

1

Dawhan
(1-8)

P

P

P

P

P

P

2

Alitena (1-8)

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

3

Endaligeda (1-8)

P

P

P

P

P

P

4

Endamosa (1-8)

P

P

P

P

5

Haraze (1-8)

P

P

P

P

P

P

6

Gerebino (1-8)

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

7

Galelo (1-8)

P

P

P

P

P

8

Weratle (5-8)

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

9

Aiga (5-8)

P

P

P

P

P

P

10

Maichea
(1-8)

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

11

Ingal (1-8)

P

P

P

P

P

P

12

Daro (1-6)

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

13

Awda (1-6)

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

14

Meketa (1-4)

P

P

P

P

P

P

15

Haidle (1-3)

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

16

Kafna (1-4)

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

17

Aiga (1-4)

P

P

P

P

P

P

18

Argulo (1-4)

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

19

Maguma
(1-6)

P

P

P

P

P

P

20

Adaga (1-6)

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

21

Awo (1-6)

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

22

Halalasa
(1-4)

P

P

P

P

P

P

23

Siralo (1-4)

P

P

P

P

P

P

24

Asefat (1-4)

P

P

P

P

P

P

25

Werwer (1-4)

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

26

Weratle (1-4)

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

27

Lideta high (7-10)

P

P

P

28

Dawhan high (9-10)

P

P

P

P

Key: tick (P) indicates the poor conditions or lack of required equipment and facilities. It also needs to be mentioned that even those remarked as “having” one or the other of the facilities tabulated above are in dilapidated condition, either in needing of repairing, or even be yond repair

4. project activities by major components

The proposed project considers addressing very immediate needs among others, which are even so difficult to prioritize. The following activities are selected very carefully, as major components of the project for this package.

Up grading of Dewhan high school to preparatory level (from 9-10 to 9-12 )

5.Project estimated cost and financial analysis

In order to start grade 11 in 2007 in Dawhan high school the following materials are required

i. different facilities /educational materials/

No.

Item

Quantity

estimated cost

Unit price

Total price (in Birr)

1

Computers

/with 5 printers/

30

10,000

300,000

2

Internet material

All required material

50,000

3

Reference Books

200

50

10,000

4

Laboratory material

- chemical

- equipment

-Biological Models

Different types

“

“

30,000

30,000

10,000

30,000

30,000

10,000

5

Tables and desk

40

500

20,000

Sub total

450,000.00

ii. Construction of additional classes

Library G+1 estimated cost 700,000
Classrooms 1 block (4 class rooms) estimated cost 250,000 Total 950.000

Sub Total Estimated Cost 1,400,000.00

iv. Overhead Costs

Salary

Supervisor salary for eight months at 1500 Birr                                                            12,000.00

Staff travel   and pardiem                                                                                             9,500.00

Advertisement cost                                                                                                     9,000.00

Audit fee                                                                                                                    5,000.00

Contingency (5%)                                                                                                     70,000.00

Total overhead costs 105,500.00

iii. Community and other partners contribution will be 10% of total cost 144,409.00

Total Project Cost 1,444,090.00

6. Project Objectives

General Objectives

Promote quality of education by improving the standards of the educational facilities.
Mobilization of communities to promote educational participation.

Specific objectives

Develop awareness of the communities to actively participate in solving the problems of their localities
Upgrading of Dawhan high school to preparatory level (from 9-10 to 9-12 in 2007G.C).

7. Expected Outputs and Benefits

The benefit to be derived out of fostering educational by additional class room constrictions, providing student desks, purchasing library books and laboratory equipments, computers and related reference materials including equipment in the localities of wereda is incalculable and the beneficiaries cannot be a confined target group. As a public wealth the whole society at large will benefit universally and enormously.

Hence, just to mention only the immediate visible or transient benefit include:

School will be opened near communities.
Distance from home to school and vice versa that threatens girls security will be safe:
The increased number of schools near the community will improve gender equity
Enrollment rate will increase in the wereda
Dropout rate will be reduced
Literacy rate will improve yielding its won return in the creation of a more conscious and responsible and gainfully employable citizens.
Many children will have access to printed knowledge, new skills, and technologies that could improve.

If your are interested in supporting this worthy project of improving education system in the Irob Wereda, you can send your tax-deductible contribution via Irob Relief and Rehabilitation Operations Brotherhood (IRROB), Inc. by clicking on the above button and following the instruction on the form inside. Please designate your donation on the donation form to the Irob Wereda School Projects.

To send by check, make your check payable to IRROB earmarked to Irob Wereda School Projects and mail to IRROB, P.O. Box 4448, Washington, DC 20017. Thank you!