West Regional Academy
A tutoring center and on-line study program to help students affected by school closures due to political unrest in the Anglophone (western) region of Cameroon
When political unrest in parts of western Cameroon caused school closures throughout the region, Plant A Seed started a tutoring center so that students could learn and practice valuable computer skills while not in school. The first class earned certificates in 2018.
Inspired by the interest in the tutoring center, Plant A Seed is now launching an on-line learning program, West Regional Academy. Students will complete courses on-line at computer centers or at home.
WRA is currently a pilot project examining the process of creating change using online education in the lives of children ages 1-19 years old in Cameroon. This project finds ways to create a safe learning space and also reduce the low education rates globally, particularly in sub-Sahara Africa. The pilot embodies a computer school and cyber cafe and some online learning activities.
This pilot project assumes that, in the long run, accessible quality online schools will equip learners with the capabilities that will allow them to collaborate globally and create new businesses. Three out of thirteen students enrolled in this project are currently collaborating with our Pepperdine IC4 research project. IC4 global meet up allows students to conduct research, create projects, collaborate with students locally and internally, and present their projects in the global meetup. The three girls from Cameroon are active members of the club, completing at least four projects to date since joining the pilot program and participating in IC4 in early April. There is a significant impact of self-efficacy on participants. These girls who joined the program in April communicates confidently during meetings with individuals and groups in the global meetups. They also show an understanding of the information shared by other participants. In only four months, participants have acquired the ability to choose topics, conduct research, and create presentations, in addition to other basic computer skills. They are taking initiative and researching more educational and challenging topics such as the Lake Nyos Presentation, presented in English and translated for the Portuguese students.
