Tumu Community. 

Tumu community opened in 1968, when the Brothers moved from Navrongo – St. John Bosco Teacher Training College, to the Tumu Teacher Training College, because of the arrival of the Presentation Brothers in Navrongo. There was to be no conflict of interest. In Tumu the Brothers lived in one of the staff houses there, which was not always very comfortable due to lack of space. 

When the Brothers finished their teacher training, some were appointed to schools in Tumu and gradually the need was felt to build our own house there. This materialized in 1980 when the new house was officially blessed. It was later named ‘Bernardus community’. 

The diocese had asked us to open a Catholic school in Tumu parish, which took place in 1980 with St. Gabriel’s, which soon became the leading school in the area. Then later on the parish asked us to help them establish a school in one of the surrounding villages to support their primary evangelisation efforts. This became St. Mary’s in Chinchang. This school opened in 1989 and FIC is still present there. Not all Brothers worked in St. Mary’s. Quite some Brothers spent time in our community there and were teaching in the Tumu Teacher Training College or the Senior High School. Our presence there was very much appreciated. Bro. Gregory – now in Zebilla – was the last Brother teaching in the College. For many years the Tumu Agricultural Project (TAP) was operating from this community. The Brothers Guido (founding father of the project), Alexis and Hans have given many years of faithful service to the peasant farmers of the Tumu area, promoting animal traction (bullocks) and improved farming methods. The Agric. Centre is still operating and is situated next to the Brothers’ house. 

St. Mary’s Chinchang 

St. Mary’s in Chinchang is still one of the leading first-cycle insti- tutions in the Tumu District. At the time when we started there, there was nothing. The Chief of the village was very happy with the decision of the parish to open a primary school there and did all he could to assist. I remember how he himself was treading the mud at the time in order to mould blocks for the first set of classrooms (built with mud bricks and roofed with the help of Cebemo). He felt very much involved and this was very encouraging at the time. 

The school has been led by a Brother ever since and as such, it developed a good reputation. People even from Tumu town sent their children there because they knew that St. Mary’s could be trusted to produce good results. Children from the surrounding villages used to attend the school there. Now the intake has reduced because more schools have been built. Furthermore the present head teacher, Bro. Amatus, complains about lack of un- derstanding from District authorities in appointment of teachers and similar matters. With many Muslim teachers being appointed it is hard to keep the original spirit and Catholic nature of the school intact. When the Catholic Unit was in charge at the time of foundation, they ensured that this spirit was maintained, which established the tradition of the school. This, Amatus feels, is now being eroded fast, in spite of all efforts made by the two Brothers working at the school.