The Principles Of Building Schools In Africa Slums

By Stephen Snyder


The building of learning institutions has been a way of improving the education level of the people around. In developing countries, schools are scarce especially in the poor and rural areas. This has deteriorated the literacy standards in particular areas. In slums, to be precise, there is a serious problem with classrooms for students to learn. Building schools in Africa slums is now an everyday activity that has been embraced in the recent days.

Parents, non-governmental and governmental organizations have contributed to provide enough cash that will sustain the project for building schools. A paramount factor to consider is ensuring that the environment provided is suitable for the students to learn. When the rooms are built in areas that have a lot of noise and crowded, the pupils will become demoralized and not able to learn. For this reason, the contractors are required to put in mind how the classrooms should be designed. The following are some points that should be considered when constructing the rooms.

Many children are living in slums. These kids require education. Therefore, when constructing a school, it is important to ensure that the space is enough. The class should be spacious to accommodate a large number of students. There should also be a private room or office where the teacher can stay or store other materials. These classrooms should be designed in a good way to ensure that they can accommodate any number of pupils who will be in need.

A building project can cost a lot of money. Hence, the firms that are providing the funds for the construction are supposed to find ways to which they can reduce the costs. Cutting down the costs will provide enough cash to increase the number of the classrooms. Nonetheless, quality is a significant factor to prioritize. The individuals who are providing money should put in mind that enough cash should be set aside for maintenance services.

Many slums do not have access to electricity and in other cases, using power can be expensive thus adding up to the cost of having the structures. This is why the schools in poor areas rely on natural light from the sun. Therefore, during the construction, it is important to provide enough lighting for the classrooms. Using glass windows can be somehow risky for the children in case a piece of glass breaks. The builders can, therefore, consider using wood to build the windows.

The construction materials are also necessary to put into consideration. Their availability will impact the cost of the project. It is good to use materials that are readily available in the area. Organizations must make sure that they have gathered enough materials that will cover the whole project.

There should also be the availability of social amenities like consistent water supply. Having enough water in small institutions and enough sanitation services is essential. The institutes ought to have enough toilets for the children and teachers. If having tap water is a challenge, a borehole can be drilled to ensure that the supply is consistent.

Maintenance of the schools is essential. The administration or the directory body should come up with a plan on how they are going to maintain the school in good condition. Keeping the schools safe and comfortable for the pupils is essential in encouraging them to learn more. A schedule is also necessary for rectifying the defects.




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