A SCHOOL in Tanzania where the average class size is 75, books are shared between eight pupils, the only water tap often does not work and the children are caned for being late or not bringing their own plates, is to benefit by forging a link with Nailsea School.

The driving force behind the partnership is media studies and English teacher Julie Baldwin who raised more than �4,000 for the Livingstone Tanzania Trust (LTT), the charity which supports the school, by climbing Kilimanjaro last October.

The money was used to build a well at The Frederick Sumaye Secondary School, just outside Babati.

Of the link she said: “This is a wonderful opportunity for students and staff from both schools to work together on educational projects that will benefit all involved.”

Parents and the wider school community are being urged to get involved in the partnership and a meeting, including a presentation by Julian Page from LTT, is being held at the Mizzymead Road site tomorrow (Thurs) at 3.30pm.

The African school has 600 students, taught by 16 teachers in 10 classrooms.

Pupils have to walk for about an hour to get there for 7.30am when they then have to clean the building and grounds.

Porridge for breakfast and a lunch of mostly beans are prepared in a kitchen made of wood, which offers little protection against the elements and there is no dining hall so pupils sit on the classroom steps to eat in all weathers.

Before the well was built, whenever the water tap failed pupils had to miss lessons to walk 1.5km to the next one.