Learning never stops. As it were, we continue to learn new things, or see old things in new ways. I thank the management of ASSHU Acholi Sub Region for this year’s workshop. The facilitators; Ambassador Kampula Milton, Kavuma Charles, and Bukunde Ezra, all from GLOBAL PEACE FOUNDATION, were well chosen. I felt that these are Ugandans who would like to move this country to the next level.
My first impression from one of the presentations was about the goal of the workshop; that is, to build the capacity of school administration, teachers and other staff to educate, prepare and produce a competent child with ethical values. We know that the child is the raw material in the education system. The main machine that processes this material into a perfect, fine product is the teacher. However I regretted the obvious absence of the teacher in this engaging workshop. The hall was full of head teachers who by the nature of their work are not usually close to the students. At least the deputy head teacher who meets students on daily basis was there. ASSHU will remember to disseminate the workshop contents to the teacher in due course. Teaching is a noble profession. UNATU says; “BECAUSE WE ARE, THE NATION IS”. This means that the quality of the nation is the quality of the teachers. If the quality of the teachers is substandard, so will the quality of the nation be. We can now see that the teacher must first be efficiently molded in order to produce a competent child, thus a quality nation.
As Mr. Kavuma Charles raced from one corner of the hall to another, he was passionately saying;
- A teacher who arrives late for lessons teaches indiscipline.
- A teacher who dresses shabbily teaches irresponsibility
- A teacher who loses temper teaches emotional immaturity
- A teacher who gossips teaches idleness
- A teacher who is lazy teaches laziness
- A teacher who does not forgive teaches vengeance
- A teacher who fights teaches violence
- A teacher who defiles a child teaches promiscuity
- A teacher who does not pray teaches atheism
- A teacher who complains teaches imbalance
There you are! The teacher is a role model
My second impression is about the use of Result Oriented management (ROM). It is the way to go because precision and efficiency can be achieved. ROM is required because resources are becoming scarce, as the population increases. The head teacher must think in terms of results. The 21st century demands good leadership that showcase impacts, such as a culture of students’ excellence and achievement. Students graduate for jobs and competences. No student is left behind. The head teacher has an impact statement for the school, such as, what the school will achieve in 5 years time.
The third and last impression is how this workshop will have impact on Dr. Lucille Corti Science School. Here at this school in Lajwatek village, Koro Sub County in Omoro District we are striving to promote science education. In the next 10 – 20 years we will have built a large stock of science literate youth who will lead the technological and scientific advancement of the 21st century. We feel challenged but God is on our side and in control.
Reflections by Rev. Sr. Felicity Therese Drakuru
Coordinator DLCSSS
Sr. Felicity Therese Drakuru 