Education via the Total Gas Station
Last night, I stopped by the Total gas station at the end of my road to buy some chips. I got out of the Landrover and started looking around at all the boys sitting on curbs reading and writing in notebooks. Strange, I thought... why so many boys sitting around with notebooks in a gas station parking lot?
I went in, bought the chips and we headed off down the pitch black main highway before it finally hit me what they were doing: There is no electricity in Guinea without a generator. My house has one and the gas stations do to... but most people live by candlelight after dark (if they can afford the candles).
These students were saving candles by going to study and do their homework at the one place nearby with free light after sunset: the gas station parking lot.
And the other question left to ask is: Where are the girls? The parking lot is probably unsafe for them to study... so do they get to study at all after dark? Or are they even enrolled in school?
Maybe these are things that only an educational development specialist finds interesting... still... hopefully it will make you stop and think...
I went in, bought the chips and we headed off down the pitch black main highway before it finally hit me what they were doing: There is no electricity in Guinea without a generator. My house has one and the gas stations do to... but most people live by candlelight after dark (if they can afford the candles).
These students were saving candles by going to study and do their homework at the one place nearby with free light after sunset: the gas station parking lot.
And the other question left to ask is: Where are the girls? The parking lot is probably unsafe for them to study... so do they get to study at all after dark? Or are they even enrolled in school?
Maybe these are things that only an educational development specialist finds interesting... still... hopefully it will make you stop and think...
posted by Jennifer at
9:31 AM
4 Comments:
Hi Jennifer
About the education...I think it's a very big problem, and China too.
Now, I'm so hating to study, to write the thesis..but after read your story..I feel so shame...
wudi
Hey Jennifer!
It's Missi "B" Tolosa
I got in touch with Suzie on Face Book and she gave me your blog info. So good to hear how you are doing. We are back in Olive Branch, Mississippi (just a few minutes south of Memphis) and I am a Children's Minisry Director and TJ is a full time student working towards a counseling degree. Jacelyn just turned 6 and is reading to us and Joshua is 3 1/2 and obsessed with Star Wars! TJ and I celebrated out 7th anniversary on the 11th. YOur education comment cause this Mommy to take an attitude adjustment about our 4 nights a week homework and AR Reading every night....IN KINDERGARTEN! You might as well have said...Missi B quit whining and be grateful!!! THANKS!!!!!!!!!!!
Hi Jennifer,
I've loved following your stories on the blog. Thanks keeping me in the loop about where you are and what you're doing!
I think one of the stunning problems between the U.S. and many other countries in the world is their desire to learn. In fact Oprah caught some flack for opening a school in South Africa for young girls instead of here in the U.S., and she said something to the effect of the fact that when you ask kids in the inner city U.S. what they want, it's iPods and sneakers, and when you ask kids in Africa, it's an education...
you should check out the airport. there are some girls there at night, a lot of boys studying. but there are girls.
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