MATEMWE SCHOOL COMPUTER CENTRE

Minutes of the Meeting on 15 September 2010

Present: Mkali Pili, Juma Mcha, Tim Boswell, Haji Mossi, Phoebe Boswell

FINANCIAL:

 Account balance unchanged: no outstanding debts other than a small electricity bill which Treasurer will settle

COMPUTERS:

 6 computers remain in working order: 1 reconditioned desktop donated by Capt Damien Mullane has been recently installed

DONATIONS:

 USD20 received from  Betty Kamia (who is standing as a candidate in the next Ugandan Presidential election ): GBP 100 received from Melissa Llewelyn Davies

CERTIFICATES:

 A template is ready and approved for printing

INTERNET:

 The Zanzinet connection has stopped working. Chairman to pursue Zanzinet. Mwalimu Juma proposed changing to a Pay-As-You-Go system and will investigate again to see whether Zantel or Zain or another company can offer us connectivity under such a scheme.

Chairman explained the advantages of using Skype or similar for communications

FUTURE PLANS:

 Chairman displayed a new ASUS laptop, purchased for USD400, at the Meeting. He asked the Committee to evaluate the pros and cons of this computer, particularly its durability. He suggested that the Centre should consider acquiring 10 of these computers which could be stored securely in a charging dock cum safe and used for computer classes under their battery power. This particular laptop will remain at Utupoa, ufn. 

CONCLUSION: 

The Chairman attempted to draw the Committee’s attention to the MSCC’s future. He explained that funding the Centre is problematic, with insufficient donations coming in, and he emphasised that we should plan to make it a self-sustaining entity within a 2 year deadline. Members then discussed how to make the Centre stronger. Mwalimu Juma suggested a local campaign to raise funds and will draft a letter aimed at the village and the local hotels. Mwalimu Mkali said Mwalimu Khamis could conduct 3 of the computer classes each week, thereby reducing the exspense of paying for an external teacher. Further discussion focused on a long-term plan to find another location for the Centre, thereby returning the library to its original purpose as a book storage and reading room. The teachers finally made another appeal for a Photocopier to be installed in the Centre.

MATEMWE SCHOOL COMPUTER CENTRE

Annual General Meeting

Monday 23^rd March 2009

Members present:

Tim Boswell (Chairman)

Vuai Juma Makame (Deputy Chairman)

Hamad Khamis Haji (Head teacher)

Mkali Pili Haji (Treasurer)

Khamis Shehe Khamis (Deputy Treasurer)

Freddie Boswell (Minutes)

Pili Sheha Hamza (Student Representative)

Ali Mohammed Peku (Student Representative)

Juma Mcha Ussi

Adam Moh'd Khamis

Kundi Choum Haji

Haji Moshi Haji

Bakari Mussa Vuai

Foum Hamdu Makame

Khamis M. Ali

Ali Mohammed Bakari

Sheha Hija Haji

Ali Silima Silima

Ibrahim Khatib Miekwa

Haji Ali Mati

Ali Makame Ali

Kheir Hussein Makame

Asha Abdalla Ahmed

Mtumwa Abdulla Moh'd

Asha Sheha Haji

Silima Pandu Mshamba

Pili Juma Faki

Nyange Haji Faki

Nyange Haji Issa

Ame Pandu Meha

Sheha of Matemwe

·         Chairman welcomed everyone to the first AGM of Matemwe School Computer Centre. Explained that we have now received our registration number 701, and can now operate as an NGO on Zanzibar.

·         All offices for Chairman, Treasurer, Secretary and their deputies were accepted and confirmed. Two student representatives from Form One were nominated and elected.

·         Constitution was introduced and adopted after confirmation from all members.

·         Status of account shows that $150 remains, and Chairman will add to that for running costs in the next few months. As signatories, Deputy Chairman, Treasurer and Secretary will open a new bank account this week specifically for the MSCC.

·         ONE LAPTOP PER CHILD: The Jamii OLPC group are 2 Canadian and 1 British university students who will come to Matemwe School in June with 100 special XO laptops to develop a library with the MSCC for the use of 7 - 12 year olds in the school.

·         Electricity will be a challenge for this project to work sustainably. The teachers explained that only a quarter of them have electricity at home and so the students would also find it difficult to keep the laptops charged. The ideal plan would be to get solar and wind generators and therefore be self-sufficient without worrying about electricity bills. Chairman to discuss this with Jamii OLPC group and explore other funding opportunities.

·         Matemwe School will know whether the partnership has been approved on the 10^th April.

·         Three teachers need to be chosen to assist the Jamii OLPC group - a technical lead, an educational lead, and a teacher to join them in Kigali, Rwanda before their deployment to Zanzibar. These names will be confirmed soon. It was suggested that they be teachers who live close to the school.

·         Letters from Headmaster, Sheha and Ministry of Education will be written and sent to Jamii OLPC group this week, as requested.

·         Sam Burton, the project coordinator for Jamii OLPC would like to stay on until December for further research and to help fill the advertised MSCC vacancy. The Headmaster and teachers agreed and welcome her to Matemwe.

·         All teachers would like more training before the Jamii OLPC group arrive in June so that they will be able to assist them further. Chair and Secretary to discuss this option with Mwalimu Machano.

·         Machano's computer lessons for 14 students have gone well. They have learned Word, Internet and are now on Excel.

·         There is a need for a bigger room for the computers, and especially the XO laptop library. Agreed to complete rewiring for a classroom and move there as a special computer centre - only for computer lessons and storage.

·         The Sheha of Matemwe gave the MSCC encouragement to continue to develop.

·         The school's other immediate needs for possible donors are science lab apparatus, a photocopier, funds to build another classroom and a bigger office for the Headmaster, and classroom furniture.