Textbooks are needed for four classes of 30 students each for the new course starting in October. Two classes are pre-intermediate, one class intermediate and one class upper-intermediate. Students are mainly between 18 and 40 years old, with a few older ones. They are students, employees or jobless.
It is important to have a good curriculum that enables the teachers to guide the students in their learning process. New Headway Plus series is produced by Oxford University Press in their English Language Teaching Section. They were created especially for the Middle Eastern context as they leave out culturally inappropriate topics, like dating, alcohol and partying. In class, the student book is well used as it has grammar and vocabulary sections and uses everyday English. It has reading, speaking, listening and writing parts in each unit. The teachers assign homework to the students to review the lessons learnt. The homework book provides the answers for the exercises so students are encouraged to check their own work. In class the teachers try to use the time as much as possible for speaking in pairs, groups or in class, as well as reading and listening.
The books will be sourced in Yemen and shipped to Djibouti in time for the academic year that starts in October 2020. A similar order was made in 2013. The books are good quality and the students like them. EELC staff have contacts in Yemen and Djibouti to organize the transport. The books in the last order arrived in good condition even though there was a delay in getting them out of the port.
| Items | No of Items | Cost / Item US$ | Totals US$ | Totals UK£ | |
| Materials | School books Homework books | 280 280 | 10 5 | 2800 1400 | 2270.30 1135.15 |
| Transport | 840 | 681.09 | |||
| Bank fees | 200 | 162.16 | |||
| Customs charges | 60 | 48.65 | |||
| Shipping documents | 100 | 81.08 | |||
| Total Project Budget | 5400 | 4378.43 |
This year there is an opportunity to make changes in the course as a team of experienced teachers will be available who will not need any preparatory language study. The courses will become shorter but more intense. They will last 4 months instead of 8 months and students will attend classes four times, instead of twice, each week. The school fees will be raised as students attend more often, so the school will make more money and hopefully will be able to cover all the costs, including setting aside enough money to buy new school books for next year.
Contributions to fund the £4378.43 cost will be appreciated and will enable the MMR team to continue to serve the local community by equipping students with the necessary tools to enable them to develop the language skills that will enhance their employment prospects.
Task completed!
Kerith Trust 