Students get involved in building primary school

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Bedford College is sponsoring the development of a new primary school in Brikama, Gambia, one of the poorest parts of Africa.

It has given £8,000 towards the land and school buildings, but will also be lending expertise from lecturers and students as the project unfolds.

The idea came about when Principal Ian Pryce met with Gambian teacher, Musa Sanneh, who is working in the UK. Ian paid a private visit to see for himself what a sponsored school could achieve. He recognised the benefits for his 16,000 students and the 400 potential pupils in Brikama.

Principal Pryce said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for our students to broaden their horizons and see how the skills they are developing here in Further Education in the UK can help others who are themselves desperate to learn.”

The Governors and Management Team of Bedford College hope the partnership will engage Bedford students as much as their younger friends in the Gambia.

Pryce continued: “Many of our students enjoy overseas travel opportunities as part of their course work – obviously those on Travel & Tourism but also those in hospitality and sports. Now Engineering and Building and Skills for Energy students will be able to get involved with an international project – and in doing so help the rest of us back at the college campus have a greater understanding of our place in the world.

“Bedford College shares the only Centre of Vocational Excellence (CoVE) in Skills for Energy in the UK – and as part of this, students learn about sustainable energy, which will be very helpful for the school in the Gambia where energy supplies are limited.”

Keisha Nelson