Student and Teachers' Challenges in Rural Elementary Schools in the Perspective of Bessie Head's Serowe, Village of the Rain Wind

Born in 1937 in South Africa, Bessie Head wrote most of her books in Botswana, where she was exiled. Bessie Head's rich bibliography includes Serowe, Village of the Rain Wind, published in 1981. The Novel offers a wide span of educational functions in rural locations involving the villagers' cooperation. Serowe demonstrates how the students cope with restrictive learning materials, unfinished buildings, and corporal disciplinary measures included in the rules. Serowe is a sample of many village schools in Africa with similar learning conditions concerning the children's socio-economic challenges affecting the students and the teachers. When unable to overcome issues, many students drop school to seek a different way of surviving in the future, leaving those tenacious learners to pursue their education. This article analyzes the contextual perception of rural elementary education from the colonial rural perspective and in regard to both students and teachers' responsibilities and safety and learning environment