A VISIT by a Liskeard school and community college teacher to Ghana has led to links being forged between South East Cornwall and Africa.

Geography teacher Jane Murray, and her 14-year-old son Alex, visited Ghana earlier this year with the aim of establishing links with St James Anglican junior secondary school in a town called Agona Swedru about 50 miles from the country's capital, Accra.

They arrived at the end of the dry season, when everything was very barren and dusty. Jane explained: 'It was a real culture shock, like entering medieval times, with people living at subsistence level and trading mainly in goats produced locally. Any imports were far too expensive. The country is in debt, and is broke.'

She said children at the secondary school have the bare minimum, such as a desk, chair, pen/pencil and text book and have to pay £7 a term which many cannot afford. Teaching is given in English as there are 44 African languages in Ghana.

Visiting

She hopes Liskeard will become involved through writing letters, a slide show and talk which she will be able to give, staff from both schools exchanging letters, Liskeard teachers visiting Ghana, and through provision of resources to St James.

Liskeard school is aiming to raise £2,500-5,000 to help the school build another three classrooms, and £2,500 to pay for Ghanaian teachers to visit them. Jane said a large central playing field and yard serves as an assembly point and football pitch for St James' students, although the field is shared by the primary school. The grass there is short and dry, and snakes have to be chased away.

Anyone who is keen to follow up a community link, donate goods or raise money, should telephone 01579 350418.