Lay Windigi Primary School (LWPS) is located in the rural subsistence farming village of Lema, about 158 kilometers southwest of Bahir Dar, in the Ayehu Guagusa Woreda of the Awi Zone. The school began operations 17 years ago as a satellite school, offering grades 1 to 3 in three mud classrooms built by parents. Over time, parents built more mud classrooms and upgraded the school to offer Pre-primary to Grade 8.  In 2023 enrollment was 1,218 children coming from Lema as well as from several nearby villages where the schools only go up to grade 4 or 6.

Despite the community’s commendable efforts, all existing classrooms at LWPS are dark, mud-walled, and falling apart, making teaching and learning extremely difficult. The school lacks critical facilities such as latrines, water, a playground, a library, and science and ICT laboratories, as well as a menstrual hygiene management room for female students. The poor classroom conditions and the absence of basic facilities have resulted in a declining student population, high student absenteeism, a high dropout rate (125 students dropped out of school in 2022/23), delayed enrollment (55.6% of first graders enrolled in 2022/23 were over age), and loss of learning hours due to students having to leave classrooms to plaster fresh cow dung on the floor to keep the dust down.

 Observation of the instructional practices at LWPS revealed that teachers predominantly have been using the ineffective lecture method, as opposed to student-centered approaches. They focus on textbook coverage rather than supporting children in mastering learning targets, and some teachers lack subject matter knowledge.

This project aims to address all of these challenges, with oversight and support continuing over five years.

Despite high inflation, the community has contributed 60% of the cost of the project. Construction bids were opened on February 5, 2024, in the presence of children, teachers and principals, villagers from the Lema and nearby kebeles, as well as district education officials. Construction work is progressing on schedule, and students will start the new academic year in September 2024 in the new facilities.