This page provides summaries of secondary school classroom activities which explore the issues related to Investing in people. A link to the full details of each activity is also provided and this is in pdf format.

The activities draw on and develop issues raised through the secondary school poster set and a series of case studies. Unless otherwise stated, the activities have been developed by Leeds Development Education Centre

Why will 40 million children in Africa not be at school today?
A prioritisation activity in which groups of young people explore the reasons why so many children in Africa do not attend school. The groups have to decide which reasons they think are the most important and which are less important. Through discussion of their responses cultural, political and economic reasons can be explored and stereotypical perceptions can be challenged. The issue of why so many children in Africa do not attend school relates to many issues raised by the Commission for Africa report including trade, aid and debt and the rules and conditions so often attached to these.

The activity is suitable for the whole of the secondary age range and the discussion generated by the activity can be adjusted to the ability of the class. Click here for full details of the activity (112KB).

A similar activity using a diamond ranking system has been produced as a primary activity, but would also be appropriate for lower secondary. Click here for full details of this activity (73KB).

Murder Mystery
An information and evidence gathering activity in which groups of young people investigate why a refugee from Zimbabwe was found dead near a hostel. The groups have to visit several information stations around the classroom to gather their evidence and build a profile of the victim. Through discussion issues around why people from Africa seek asylum in the UK can be explored, together with the impact on Africa of educated and skilled people leaving the continent. The activity highlights both the Investing in People and Governance and Capacity Building themes in the Commission for Africa report.

The activity is suitable for the whole of the secondary age range and the discussion generated by the activity can be adjusted to the ability of the class. Click here for full details of the activity (397KB).

Education
A three part activity which explores the link between poverty and access to education; prioritises reasons why it is important to go to school; and uses the case study Emma’s Story (115KB) to compare the educational experiences of pupils in the UK with those of someone from Sierra Leone.

This activity has been designed as a primary classroom activity but is also appropriate for lower secondary. Click here for full details of this activity (62KB).

New Pupil Brochure
An activity that uses the case study Emma’s Story (115KB) to explore what it feels like to move to a different place where everyone and everything is new. Based on their own experiences, and those of Emma, pupils make up a brochure for new pupils joining the class.

This activity has been designed as a primary classroom activity but is also appropriate for lower secondary. Click here for full details of this activity (54KB).

Should I Stay Or Should I Go?
An activity that uses the case study Jariatu’s Story to explore the issue of the ‘brain drain’: the migration of trained and skilled people from Africa to more developed countries. After reading Jariatu’s Story groups of pupils consider reasons why Jariatu should stay in Sierra Leone and why she should move to the UK. The Commission for Africa express great concern that trained and skilled Africans are being enticed away from the continent to more developed countries and not contributing to the development of their own countries.

This activity has been designed as a primary classroom activity but is also appropriate for lower secondary. Click here for full details of this activity.

Should Jariatu Stay or Go?
A further activity based on the case study Jariatu’s Story in which pupils take on roles of people trying to persuade Jariatu to either stay in Sierra Leone or come to the UK. The rest of the class listen to the arguments and vote on whether they think Jariatu should stay or go.

This activity has been designed as a primary classroom activity but is also appropriate for lower secondary. Click here for full details of this activity.

Water and Cholera
This activity uses the case study Cholera in Benue State to explore the effects of drinking polluted water. After reading the case study pupils work in pairs to match ‘problems’ that contribute towards water contamination with ‘solutions’ to improve the quality of water. The Commission for Africa report identifies unclean water as a major cause of premature death in Africa and one which can be easily prevented by investment in improving access to clean water.

This activity has been designed as a primary classroom activity but is also appropriate for lower secondary. Click here for full details of this activity.