Maridi: Education is the key to the future
Education is a key priority for our link diocese of Maridi. Many will be aware of the success of Haddow Primary School, which has been hailed as the best performing primary school in Maridi County for two consecutive years. In 2008, the Diocese of Maridi requested CMS Ireland to support them in the building of a Secondary School for the Diocese.
CMS Ireland has been supporting the Diocese of Maridi, Western Equatoria, Sudan since January 1999. Haddow Primary School (named after a CMS missionary) was one of the first projects in Maridi which CMS Ireland supported.
Talking about Haddow Primary School , CMS Ireland's Partnership Coordinator David Gough recalls how numbers of pupils have risen:
"In 2007, when I first visited Maridi, the school had 567 pupils in 8 classrooms. This had increased to 856 pupils in the same 8 classrooms on my recent visit in January 2010."
In 2007, the only Secondary School in Maridi was government run, with insufficient teaching staff and lacking a good reputation or performance record. Providing a next step in quality education, following on from Haddow Primary School was essential to the future generations of the diocese.
In 2009, construction began on Haddow Secondary School, thanks to a generous legacy to CMS Ireland some of which is to be used specifically in Maridi Diocese. While the first two classrooms were being built at the new Secondary School, Maridi Diocese used two classrooms in Chaima Bible School as temporary accommodation for the students. The establishment of this secondary school was in such demand that by the time the school building, with two classrooms, had been completed there were already over 120 students enrolled!
This year CMS Ireland is supporting the extension of Haddow Secondary School by adding another building, including an additional classroom as well as rooms for administration and teaching staff and storage. The building work is progressing well. The roof has now been fitted and work is commencing on the internal fittings work.
Please pray for the future completion of Haddow Secondary School and that the school will help give students the hope of a better future in Maridi, Southern Sudan.
For more information about Haddow Primary School and Maridi Diocese, please visit the CMS Ireland website.