Following the advent of COVID-19, all schools in Kenya were closed and students sent home. Students at JAMS traveled home between March 15 and 21 and all reached home safely.

In a context in which very few people have computers or internet and in which internet connections are slow and unreliable, the JAMS staff is doing excellent work to salvage some precious learning time for our students.

JAMS teachers have worked together to find ways to connect with our students through parents’, guardians’, or local administrators’ phones. So far, they have reached over 90% of the students. The students are doing well so far. Teachers continue to follow up. JAMS is providing funds for airtime for teachers’ phones, so teachers can continue working with students. The school also has been able to keep paying full salaries so our teachers can stay engaged.

School founder, Dr. Teresa Wasonga, received this information from the principal in mid-May: “Some good work has been done with Form 4s (the 2020 senior class) via WhatsApp platform. We have daily timetable shared with students, so they are given topical notes, questions, and subject interactions every day. Students ask questions and teachers respond accordingly.” The Kenyan Ministry of Education is still holding out hope that the Form 4s will be able to take their graduation exams in November or December.

The teachers are working on creating the same platform for the other classes (Forms 1 through 3). They have also reached out to families that may have problems purchasing airtime for the phones and JAMS is helping provide airtime for families’ phones.

All of us at Friends of JAMS send good wishes to you and yours for health and safety and sincere thanks for your support of the girls and teachers at JAMS.