Category: Africa;
bbc.co.uk;
CΒι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ
Date: 20.05.2005
Printable version
Wells Central Junior School is taking
part in a new pan-Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ initiative, called Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ World Class,
because it is twinned with a school in Africa - and will be featured
in a special edition of CΒι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Xchange's Class Wars in
July.
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The Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ World Class initiative is encouraging schools
across the UK to twin with African schools, beginning on 25 May - the
UN's Africa Day.
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The scheme has its own website - bbc.co.uk/worldclass
- which offers schools information about getting started with twinning
and outlines the reasons for getting involved.
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It also provides a chatroom for teachers to share their
experiences and swap advice and tips, to make the experience as rewarding
as possible.
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Wells Central Junior School twinned with Karujubu Primary
School in Uganda in 2002 and teacher Steve Turner, who co-ordinates
the link, says: "We believe that international twinning can be an incredibly
enriching experience, not just for the children but for our parents
and teachers too.
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"We've been involved with our twin school in Uganda
for three years and in that time we've built up some really strong friendships.
Hopefully over the next few weeks many more schools across the West
Country will see how beneficial a link like this can be."
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Annette Williams, Executive Producer of Xchange, says:
"Xchange is supporting the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ's ambition to recruit 1,000 schools across
the UK as part of Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ World Class, and the staff and children at Wells
Central Junior School have been brilliant in helping us get the initiative
off the ground in the West Country.
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"World Class will allow children to experience
school life through different eyes. Finding out how much they've got
in common with each other is just as important as celebrating their
cultural differences.
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"Communication between the
two groups shouldn't be prohibited, simply because they are a few thousand
miles apart!"
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Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ World Class is just one part of Africa Lives
on the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ - a collaboration across the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ family of TV, radio and
online services and culminating in a full week of programmes on Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ
ONE devoted to African life - from Monday 4 July to Friday 8 July.
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The G8 Conference, the Commission for Africa and the
twentieth anniversary of Live Aid are the backdrop to Africa Lives on
the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ making 2005 the year when the continent will dominate the headlines
like never before.
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Partners in the initiative include the British Council,
Link Community Development, UK One World Linking Association, Voluntary
Service Overseas, Dolen Cymru, Youth Sport Trust, Plan International
and Africa Bookcase.
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Notes to Editors:
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CΒι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ's Xchange is doing its bit to help the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ World
Class initiative succeed in an attempt to twin 1,000 schools from the
UK with 1,000 schools in Africa.
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During their special week of African-themed programming,
they will have all the regular Xchange strands, but with an African
twist.
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Instead of Class Wars the strand will be re-titled Class
Roars, and children from Karujubu Primary School in Uganda will take
on the children at Wells Central Junior School in a range of challenges.
The winning school will be crowned at the end of the week.
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Xchange will also be filming at a school in Ghana and
at a another school in Uganda that is looking to be twinned with a school
in the UK.
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Throughout Africa Lives on the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ, the programme will
explore African culture as well as how twinning works and the benefits
for the schools involved.
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Xchange: Monday to Friday 7.30am, 1.30pm, 4.30pm on
the CΒι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Channel.
