COTE D'IVOIRE / EDUCATION POST-CRISIS

Since last November's disputed presidential election, many schools in Côte d'Ivoire have remained closed. There are now nearly 800,000 children waiting to get back to learning. Twelve-year-old Arthur spends his time in a market stall trying to sell second hand toys and toiletries instead of learning in his classroom. His teachers and fellow classmates heeded the call to stay away from school in protest of the still unresolved elections. UNICEF

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:01:29
• Production Date: 10 March 2011
• Asset Language: Original
• Corporate Name: UNITED NATIONS CHILDREN'S FUND - UNICEF
• Subject Topical: PEACE AND SECURITY; DISARMAMENT; EDUCATION; EDUCATIONAL POLICY; EDUCATIONAL PLANNING; EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES; EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY
• Geographic Subject: COTE D'IVOIRE
• MAMS Id: U110310f

Description

STORY: COTE D'IVOIRE / EDUCATION POST-CRISIS
TRT: 1:29
SOURCE: UNICEF
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGES: ENGLISH / FRENCH / NATS

DATELINE: JANUARY 2011, BOUAKÉ, CÔTE D’IVOIRE

Shotlist

1. Wide shot, Arthur walking in school campus
2. Wide shot, Arthur tries to open the door to the classroom but it’s locked
3. SOUNDBITE (French) Arthur, Student:
“Hi! My name is Arthur. I’m twelve. I’m in year 6 at Lycee Moderne Martin Luther King in Cote D’Ivoire in the city of Bouake in the Kennedy neighborhood opposite the Bambi school.”
4. Pan right, from sign reading “College Moderne Martin Luther King” to the building
5. Wide shot, Arthur peeps into the empty classroom with empty benches through the brick holes in the wall
6. SOUNDBITE (French) Arthur, Student:
“I don’t see my friends. I miss my friends because we are separated- I am alone at the house. When we are in school I see a lot of friends and we play a lot and I’m not bored.”
7. Wide shot, Arthur and friends standing at a small stall by the street side
8. Med shot, Arthur and friends at the stall with second hand toys
9. Med shot, second hand toys at the stall
10. SOUNDBITE (French) Arthur, Student:
“My big brother told me to come here and sell. Because of the electoral crisis we don’t go to school so we come here to try and earn money.”
11. Med shot, Arthur’s dog
12. Med shot, Arthur sitting at his desk at home with his dog by his side
13. Close shot, Arthur reading and writing
14. SOUNDBITE (French) Arthur, Student:
“I don’t want to stay at home and not go to school. I want to go back to school because school allows us to make progress.”
15. Med shot, Arthur at his desk

Storyline

Arthur is at school but no one else is. His teachers and fellow classmates are staying away from school in protest at the still unresolved presidential elections.

SOUNDBITE (French) Arthur, Student:
“Hi! My name is Arthur. I’m twelve. I’m in Year 6 at Lycee Moderne Martin Luther King in Cote D’Ivoire in the city of Bouake in the Kennedy neighbourhood opposite the Bambi school.”

There’s only dust in Arthur’s classroom and a feeling that’s he’s missing out.

SOUNDBITE (French) Arthur, Student:
“I don’t see my friends. I miss my friends because we are separated. I am alone at the house. When we are in school I see a lot of friends and we play a lot and I’m not bored.”

Arthur now spends his time on a market stall trying with three friends to sell second hand toys and toiletries.

SOUNDBITE (French) Arthur, Student:
“My big brother told me to come here and sell. Because of the electoral crisis we don’t go to school so we come here to try and earn money.”

Back home Arthur is trying to continue his studies alone.

French is his current favourite subject and he hopes one day to become an engineer.

SOUNDBITE (French) Arthur, Student:
“I don’t want to stay at home and not go to school. I want to go back to school because school allows us to make progress.”