Hot again today and the clouds are building - it would be dramatic to watch some heavy rain - the scent from hot pavements would be amazing! The pathways are compacted pink quartz!
More training today - first a meeting with the Ministry of Education in their offices very close to VSO office. It is good to be able to walk to these local places and a chance to see colonies of ants excavating and building domes of brown bobbles as their homes (I have remembered not to poke my fingers down the entrance though).
An interesting half an hour session where the Government education structure was explained including how government office is de-centralising to the regions and the structure is then replicated. There is a handbook for Principals (the same book for primary and secondary schools) including a section on how to keep your filing and files in order. The other important initiative is that schools have been given a set of performance measures that includes the basics of clean buildings / provision of desks etc. Schools are expected to conduct self-evaluation and inspectors do work with schools. There is minimal development training for Headteachers.
I feel I have more background information for in order to prepare for working in the schools.
The second training session was about National and Personal Security which included information about previous wars with bordering countries, insurgence and political / historical information. The country is very safe and peaceful now but was the last African country to reach independence in 1990. Independence Day is 21st March so we will be here to celebrate that event.
Now about the yellow bird .. it may have been a yellow canary - very common all over Namibia but I was sure there were black markings on the bird I saw - about the size of a large sparrow. Other possibilities are the southern masked weaver (now my firm favourite) or the lesser masked weaver. Less likely is the golden bishop.
I hope you will all be looking up these birds too!
