Last week an 11 year old girl opened our eyes to how Uganda's education system is failing her.
I will call her Mercy.
Here's how it went.
I will call her Mercy.
Here's how it went.
I gave a talk on 'Youth participation as a frontier for social change.'
I spoke about @40days_40smiles volunteers teaching underpriveleged children literacy&expression. I emphasised that in these communities teachers are unmotivated and rarely encourage the pupils to 'be more.'
I spoke about @40days_40smiles volunteers teaching underpriveleged children literacy&expression. I emphasised that in these communities teachers are unmotivated and rarely encourage the pupils to 'be more.'
Mercy raised her hand and gave a passionate submission.
She said she is in a Private school and things aren't different. The teachers demotivate them. "How can we pay school fees of 1.2 million and then our teachers make us feel worthless?"
She said she is in a Private school and things aren't different. The teachers demotivate them. "How can we pay school fees of 1.2 million and then our teachers make us feel worthless?"
Mercy criticised (rightly so) the practice of streaming students according to academic performance. She said she was put in the 'best class' and asked to be taken to the 'worst stream' instead so that she could help other pupils improve.
"The boys and girls in my class are much more fun. They are good at music, art, sports and so much more. It should not always be about books."
She said one of their teachers calls them 'Academic thieves' to remind them they're failures.
I cringed!
She said one of their teachers calls them 'Academic thieves' to remind them they're failures.
I cringed!
Four pupils from her class were selected to participate in a Maths contest but other teachers didn't allow them to participate in order to avoid 'embarrassment.'
My heart 💔
My heart 💔
Mercy is barely a teenager!
Do you know in which environment your child thrives?
Do you know what their teachers are telling them about self worth?
Are you present enough to notice the change(s) if any?
Do you hold schools accountable?
Do you know in which environment your child thrives?
Do you know what their teachers are telling them about self worth?
Are you present enough to notice the change(s) if any?
Do you hold schools accountable?
I took time to respond to Mercy. Besides her little cousin,everyone else in the audience was 21+. She spoke up!
We need to do right by these children after everything we've learnt from our mistakes and those of the ones who came before us.
We need to do right by these children after everything we've learnt from our mistakes and those of the ones who came before us.
I spoke briefly about the Education system in Finland where education is publicly funded, teachers are well paid and respected and there's no streaming among other things. Their students thrive.
We can always borrow some ideas and do better, even in the smallest ways.
We can always borrow some ideas and do better, even in the smallest ways.
At the end of the evening Mercy came over hugged me and said "Thank you for being inspirational to me."
No, young woman. You inspired me.
P.s: Do the children in your life feel seen and heard?
~End~
No, young woman. You inspired me.
P.s: Do the children in your life feel seen and heard?
~End~
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