Visit of Mr John Owino and his wife, District Director of Education in Meru South district in Kenya

It was a great joy this week to welcome Mr John Owino and his wife, District Director of Education in Meru South district in Kenya to Edinburgh. I had met John when I went out to Kenya in June with the Director of Children and Families Roy Jobson, and a group from Drummond High School.We were greatly moved by our experiences there. Roy and I visited 11 schools in 4 days as well as several meetings with officials. We witnessed huge determination by both staff and pupils to take every chance they could to make the best of the educational opportunities they had but with up to 50 pupils per class, few resources and the classes with earth floors and and no windows, it was tough going for them. We heard stories of pupils walking several miles to be at school. School dinners were made from what the school could grow in the fields and if the school wants to grow, the parents physically built the classrooms themselves. Johns visit is the next stage of the setting up of a trust to work in partnership with Meru South authority. We have much to learn and much to give which will bring benefit to everyone. As one of the Drummond pupils put it, this trip has changed my life.