The last minute long shot

Ethiopia is not a country where things can get done quickly thus the process of finding out whether we can persuade the authorities to bend the rules to let the grade school remain is still in process!

Unfortunately, it is now confirmed that there are no suitable places in Nazret to rent out – the last place – the building which used to be a school – has now been rented out to others so that avenue has now been closed.

This leaves us only with the good will option – the longest of longest shots ! The initial plan was to get the school license renewed ( all schools in Nazret had to be re-inspected this year to get a school license ) and then take that license to the authority dealing with land and renting, explaining that we had the license and that everything is all sorted and how it would be such a shame to let such a wonderful grade school which helps so many pupils disintegrate simply due to one piece of paper about house rent.

However, since all schools in Nazret need to be inspected, then the educational bureau are targeting those schools which will not meet the guidelines and closing them down, instead of concentrating on the ones that are good. As a result, despite visiting the educational bureau every day asking them for the written license, they simply state that we have passed ( the process of actually visiting the school is a sheer formality ) and that they can’t afford the time to come and visit when there are so many schools which won’t pass!

As a result, we are simply going to have to tell the land authority that we are licensed and try to appeal to their better side in the next couple of days and hope for the best. The new rules about land appear to be set in stone – on paper there is absolutely no way that they can bend these rules – but you never know – until the second when they say that there is no way and they take the license for the grade school away – we will fight to the bitter end – always full of hope and enthusiasm –since at the end of the day we are not only fighting for ourselves – for me and my husband to keep our mainly unpaid jobs – but for almost two hundred poor children who need and rely on us – and we will do everything in our power never ever to let them down !