The Royal Forest of Dean College (RFDC) has forged links with the Matero Boys and Girls Schools in Zambia and to inaugurate the new partnership, old boys from the Matero Boys School, Mike Tembo and Chris Mumba visited the college on Friday 22 September, during their UK visit from Zambia.

The ITSA Computers for African Schools programme is ultimately about cross-cultural learning and communication between the UK and Africa,

The links between RFDC and Matero have been forged by the ITSA Computers for African Schools Programme which sends recycled computers to schools in Africa to promote education and cross-cultural communication.

The RFDC is running a computer refurbishment programme for the ITSA Computers for African Schools programme, administered by a group of 16-19 year olds who gain valuable practical experience as well as broadening their horizons. They are also raising funds to pay for broadband installation for the Matero Boys and Girls Schools which costs around £5,000 for purchase and installation.

Matero old boys, Mike Tembo and Chris Mumba work for Computers for Zambian Schools (CFZS) – the Zambian arm of the Computers for African Schools programme. Tembo and Mumba work with a team of local technicians in Lusaka who receive the computers and carry out any repairs at the project centre at Matero Boys School. The CFZS task force then install the computers in schools around Zambia.

Some of the computers refurbished by the RFDC are being used by the Matero Boys School and Dr Barry Haley, chairman of the Computers for African Schools programme, believes a school linking programme is an inspiring way to progress the relationship between the two schools.

The ITSA Computers for African Schools programme is ultimately about cross-cultural learning and communication between the UK and Africa, said Haley. Once African schools are online we encourage them – where appropriate - to open a mutually supportive online learning forum with other UK schools. Its an exciting and natural next step, particularly so when that school had been involved in refurbishing their computers.

Its an exciting and natural next step, particularly so when that school had been involved in refurbishing their computers.

Dawn Ward, Principal of RFDC is excited by the potential for Matero to join in the colleges existing virtual learning programme through this school linking scheme: We already have a virtual learning programme at the college, said Ward, whereby students will be able to take courses from home by visiting a website. Taking this one step further to include students in Africa - indeed anywhere in the world - should not be a problem longer term.

Matero can take part in these virtual courses as soon as they have broadband connection, continued Ward. The two schools will even be able to have a lesson together online while seeing each other on-screen.

The RFDC already has a reputation for linking with foreign schools and won an award in 2005 - the TES/HSBC Make the Link Award for International College of the Year. The college has also established links with schools in Kenya.

If you would like to donate funds towards the Matero Boys Schools satellite dish please contact Nicky Jones at Royal Forest of Dean College on 01594 838515

If you would like to donate funds to the Computers for African Schools programme, please contact Murray Douglas.

More information about the CFAS can be found at: www.cfas.org.uk For the Royal Forest of Dean College see: www.rfdc.ac.uk