School is starting, I think!

Last Thursday was my first day of school. I took a taxi for 1300 CFA ($3) to the school, which is located across from the Main Mosque in Dakar. The Mosque, by the way, is impressive, and was a gift from King Hassan II of Morocco, replicating the one that adorns Rabat. The school consists of a small building with three rooms for administration, and another two story building that contains 10 classrooms, 5 on each level. The school holds about 400 students for grades 6-9, with two classrooms per grade, the other two rooms being used as a library and a computer room. There are no books in the library, just an empty room with some random tables and chairs. The computer lab has about 15 very old Dell computers, while each class of students has about 30-45 pupils. There is no gym, no cafeteria, no sidewalks, no entryway. There are not nearly enough tables or working chairs in any of the rooms for all the students. I only saw a couple rooms with a teacher desk; teachers each have a 2' x 2' locker in the administration building to keep their books, chalk, personal valuables, etc. The playground is a desolate, arid red dirt field with broken bricks and refuse strewn about. Next to the administration building are a couple tin shacks, which are called home by a couple families. There are random goats and chickens roaming about. And, this is downtown!
Well, back to school. On Thursday, all the faculty just checked in with the principal, sat around and chatted for a couple hours then went home. On Friday, we had a faculty meeting in which there was spirited debate over the attendance policy and criteria for admissions for students transferring from other schools. After the meeting, I valiantly tried to talk with the other English teacher, Khaly, to find out what was needed for Monday, the first day of school. Friday I went through the student book that I had received from him on Thursday, posed some questions, and found out that he used a different book than the one he gave me. A bit frustrated, I asked how to prepare to teach on Monday without a teacher guide or accompanying workbook. He said not to worry, because I wouldn't teach on Monday, the first day of school. What?! Well, you see, here in Senegal, the students have to register before starting school. Most students and their parents take their time registering, so I probably won't have enough students to conduct a meaningful class for at least a week to ten days. In the meantime, I was told to introduce myself to the kids, take attendance for those who have showed up, ask them to buy any books that I might require, and then dismiss them! I'm to do the same thing everyday with any new students until it is determined that classes can begin. Lesson number 1...again: T.I.A. !