This is a crucial – and exciting – year for Tumaini Open School as we embark on the first steps of our ambitious development plan.
Visitors to the school can already see the foundations and building work for 3 new classrooms. Once completed, they will allow us to double the school to 100 pupils.
We are very grateful to the Swedish branch of Engineers Without Borders who have put together the infrastructure development plan. Eventually that will take us to more than 400 regular female pupils, of which around two-thirds will be free-of-charge teenage mothers and one-third fee-paying pupils.
Extra classrooms will not significantly increase our running costs. The buildings will allow us to be better organised with the various classes held in different rooms. For this first stage we plan to provide the extra capacity by an increase in class size, rather than increasing the number of teachers.
New dormitory
The main impact of these new classrooms and increase in pupil numbers will be a need for extra dormitory accommodation.
We have 2 plans drawn up. One for 80 beds and a back-up plan for 48 beds if we are unable to raise the necessary funding in full.
Finance is very nearly in place to cover the school’s running costs for this year. But we will need help to continue to achieve our founder’s vision of a school that is affordable for everyone and free for the most disadvantaged.
Here are the figures:
- Operating cost for the year – £40,300
- Complete construction and equip 3 new classrooms – £11,540
- Construction of 80 person dormitory – £24,000
- Back-up plan for 48 person dormitory – £18,700
