Student Sponsorship
At the beginning of 2023, we introduced a six-month bridging course between primary and secondary school focusing on French literacy to help the students adequately prepare for secondary school. We also engaged the parents of our sponsored students more strategically through regular meetings with a focus on the academic and economic value of French literacy. These meetings help us reinforce the value of education to parents and members of our communities, most of whom did not have an opportunity of receiving formal education.
After recording a 60% retention rate for our first cohort of sponsored students from Nosy Ankao, we introduced a six-month bridging course between primary and secondary school with a focus on French literacy to better equip primary school graduates for the demands of high-quality secondary schools. Our first bridging course cohort included five primary school graduates who upon entry to the course scored an average of 45% on their French exams. By the end of the course, the collective average jumped to 74%, and all five students qualified for sponsorship to Sainte Therese and Notre Dame private high schools, and they enrolled in these schools in October 2023. Many factors contributed to the success of the pilot bridging course programme including our collaboration with Alliance Française, the students’ committed teachers, engaging a full-time mentor, and the continuous support from the students’ parents in the form of regular visits to offer encouragement.