School wins award for developing Ghana link

An Aberdeen primary school (in Scotland) has won a top Scottish award for developing links with an African school.

Pupils at Glashieburn Primary, in the city's Bridge of Don, have scooped ?2,000 for their school after winning in their category at a Scottish Executive schools' award ceremony.

Two teachers and six P7 pupils travelled to the outskirts of Edinburgh on Friday to receive the award from First Minister Jack McConnell.

The school, which has links with the recently-built Tafo school in a remote area of Ghana, was shortlisted from 70 schools in the Making the Links category. As well as ?2,000 for their school, the pupils were awarded a Caithness Glass trophy for their efforts.

The school first made links with Tafo school around a year ago after seeing an appeal from charity Help Tafo Trust.

Pupils' fundraising efforts include P7 youngsters collecting 10p from everyone in the school once a month. They also decide how the money should be spent on their African friends. So far they have bought three toilets, a shed, a water barrel and several locks and at the moment they are saving up for medicine to help a pupil who has Aids.

Joss Atkin, acting head teacher of the school, said the children communicated with Ghana through letters and e-mail and that the scheme helped them learn what life is like for children in the Third World.