Planning The Conference

(left to right Angelo and Philip, teachers we sponsored from Darfur)

One of the things that we wanted to do was sponsor teachers that taught in disadvantaged areas to be able to attend the conference.  There was no better place to start than with the teachers from the Akon Village in Darfur.  We had hoped to get some funding but because of the hard economic times we could not get any.  Nothing this small would dampen our spirits and we decided to raise funds on our own.  With much effort and hope we were able to bring Philip, the former Headmaster of the Kunyuk Schools for Girls, and now Education Officer and also host Angelo, the adult Literacy Program Coordinator/teacher at the conference.  With all of the struggles to do this, there was no greater joy than when we all finally met each other in Dar. 

Other teachers and educators that joined us were 2 other Sudenese from a school started by Lost Boy John Dau: Mabior Makur and Anei Thon who were hosted by another conference attendee.  Also joining us from Zanbia: Nsama Chikanga and Austin Kayela., from Uganda:Ellie Bayanga  and from Rwanda, a good friend of my co-pastor Gloria White Hammond from Bethel AME Church Boston, Sifa Nsengimana.  Sifa started the Shalom School in Rwanda for war orphans and presented her work at the conference.

Accidents do happen

Okay, I am just getting use to this blogging thing and accidentally deleted a posting. Does anyone know how to get it back?  Sorry!

There is No Place Like Home!

After introductions we were able sit with the headmaster and teachers.  We shared some of our practices, exchanged ideas and compared and contrasted our educational systems. Public community schools must pass a national exam (National Examination Council of Tanzania) NECTA. The students are tested in 7 subjects.

Unlike our workshop model, where the teacher models a lesson for about 15 minutes and then have the students go and give it a try either independently or in small groups, many of the classes at Kwala are usually taught through lectures.  One of the reasons why is because of class sizes, which could have up to 85 students in one class.  Point of fact, they have no unions!!!!  What we grieve, they endure.

Another point of fact, according to the Guardian Tanzanian newspaper (Aug. 10, 2009), teachers had not gotten their pay for the month of July.  Imagine if that happened to BPS teachers!  According to the same newspaper, there is a shortage of teachers and university students in the field of education do not have schools that they can train in because there are not enough experienced teachers to mentor them.  Wonder why?  By the way, annual teacher salary is about $2,600.00 

Secondary School Students at Kwala

Students welcome us with singing school anthem and doing a call and response about their commitment to academics and their school vision. Regardless of what they may lack, as having school supplies or enough space and teachers, there was an energy there that I don't often see in American classrooms.  English is taught as a separate class in primary school, where all the other subjects are taught in Swahali.  Once entering secondary school all subjects are taught in English.  Now, what are our kids complaining about?

Afterwards students took us for a tour of their village and we ended up planting fruit trees we bought for them so they could remember the fruitfulness of our visit.

Who Said We Would Not Return?

When captured African villagers were taken to be sold into slavery hundreds of years ago, they passed through the doors of no return, but, 12 Boston Public School teachers, including myself, traveled to the motherland for a Pan African Literacy Conference at the University of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania. I believe our journey began long before we conscienciously planned it. I am just thankful we followed the rhythm of our hearts, the strength of our spirits, and the desire to feed our insatiable intellectual appetites.

I will never be the same, and hope we touched the lives of the many people we met along the way, as we visited schools,villages, homes and tribes.