The Bethel Synod Girls School

13 May 2010

Ato Tefere- Administration of the Bethel Synod Mekane Yesus Girls School gave us a tour of the school and campus.  There are 1,159 students in K-12.  There are 6 departments and 50 staff.  Some teachers are part-time who come from other schools to teach particular subjects.

The students pay to come to this school and they are required to attend chapel each day for 30 minutes but the school is open to anyone.  Chapel is led on a volunteer basis by faculty and staff.

Ato Tefere has been principal here for 12 years.  He has a degree in political science but was called by God to serve in this way.  He has two children preparing for college and he worries about them.  He would like to study in US for three years to get a masters.  He is trusting God to lead him and open the way.

There is a new three story building which was built over the old church building.  The chapel is on the ground floor.  The second floor will be the Betsy Muldrow Library.  The lights and electrical outlets are in but the rest is unfinished.  Windows are to be installed tomorrow.  Nice large, light room and will provide library and study space for the school.  The school needs library resources.  They need books and computers.

The third floor has two large apartments which will house volunteer English teachers.  The apartments will be spacious and beautiful when finished.  Tiled floors, verandas, nice kitchen, two bedrooms, bath and a storage room.

Current library is dark and crowded.  Eighth graders were taking an exam in there.  Old dormitory building is now used for classrooms on second floor.  Third floor houses some employees left over from the time of the Derg.  They are trying to reclaim the space from the government.

At the end of 12^th grade the girls are given an exam to qualify for university.  They have a 100% completion rate.  They also have 100% passing the 8^th grade and 10^th grade exams.  There is a waiting list to get into the school.

There is a new cement block wall all the way around the campus.  This provides safety and security for the students.  Because they are all girls there had been instances of people throwing stones at them through the old fence.

We had coffee in the staff lounge and received permission to attend chapel tomorrow with the students.  We received word that a young woman who graduated two years ago was in a TV competition between two universities.  She won the contest answering questions about the upcoming elections and political processes of the country.  She won 4,000 birr.

May 14 we attended the chapel service for third through 7^th grades.  I was asked to bring greetings.  When I told them they each had received gifts from God that would enable them to change the world they cheered!