Archives for February 2011

I attended Kaptama Primary School in Mt. Elgon and then Friends School Kamusinga in Bungoma.

Getting education was areal challenge. I used to walk for twenty five kilometers to and from my primary school daily. I walked bare foot since my parents could not afford shoes. I used to wake up at 4:00am to be in school at 6:30am. Learning resources like books and pens were limited. The classes were congested with over 70 pupils per each. I never used to take breakfast and lunch due to distance to be covered. Corporal punishment was administered by teachers to errant students.

I decided to become a teacher because I wanted to help the young & youth to identify, work and realize their dreams. As a head teacher, I thought I could lead from the front as my students and teachers follow. Teaching gives me an opportunity to interact with students from diverse cultures and backgrounds, something I really cherish.

I trained in Kenyatta University in Nairobi where I graduate with a Bachelor of Education degree in History and Kiswahili.

Apart from teaching I also work very closely with my community to uplift the lives of others. I am the chairman of “ Achausu Joint Self Help Group”. This group endeavors to promote girl education, reduce HIV spread, promote environmental conservation through afforestation and food production through planting of modern varieties of bananas. I have also worked as apart time consultant for KEFEADO- an NGO that was focusing on girl- child education.

I became a head teacher last year in January, Bishop Okiring being my first station. I enjoy my work because I get to lead the young and the old. My happiest moment is when students achieve their goals.

I encounter many challenges in school especially shortage of infrastructure, teaching resources, funds, staff and lack of school bus to transport students.

Girl students in my school are affected by many issues that hamper their education.

They include:-

a)Early pregnancies

b)Early marriages

c)Female Genital mutilation ( Girl circumcision)

d)HIV scourge which has affected both students & parents.

e)Orphan hood due to HIV and conflicts between clans

f)Over burdening by domestic chores

g)Negative cultural perception/stereotypes-parents prefer educating boys to girls.

h)Girl-Day scholars face the risk of harassment & rape when they travel early to school & late backhome.

I motivate girls to stay in school by encouraging them to board in school. I pay fees for those who cannot afford. Last year I paid for four students, I provide guidance and counseling to students while emphasizing on the value of Education. I have been inviting female role models like Linet Masai to talk to girls. I have been exposing girls to educational tours like the one Eghla went for at Bedford. The tour has challenged her to work hard & aim at achieving more.

At school level I also encourage girls to exploit their talents and once they do well I reward them.In all I have personal contact with each student, so they learn to be open and share with me freely.

Motivating girls to stay in school is important because it is the surest way of removing social inequalities based on gender. It also gives the girl student an opportunity to maximize her potential both in and outside class.

Funding students to stay in school is a big challenge. Most parents are very poor. I have been sacrificing part of my little salary to pay for needy but promising students. I have requested the Anglican Church (sponsor) to support whenever it can. I am encouraging parents to struggle and get food for the students to feed on. Any supportaccorded to my school towards supporting such needy cases will be appreciated.

Thank you and Best wishes

Naboth Okadie- Head teacher

Bishop Okiring Sec School

Naboth Okadie is Head teacher at Bishop Okiring School in Kenya.

Bishop Okiring is part of the Olympic Dreams Schools Network run by World Class; a British Council and BBC schools linking project.

The last month has flown by and it's hard to believe that it's four weeks since we welcomed students and teachers from all over the world to the British Museum in London for Olympic Dreams Live.

Since then we’ve been delighted that schools from all over the UK have been in touch with the World Class team with their memories of the event and let us know what happened when they hosted their partners at their schools.

School No 79 in Ulan Bator, Mongolia, is the former school of Olympic gold medal winning boxer Badar-Uugan Enkhbatyn and they are partnered with Park House Sports College in Berkshire.

Park House head teacher Derek Peaple and sixth-former Amy met their partners teacher Suran and student Amara for the first time that weekend. Derek told us that “Olympic Dreams Live proved to be a unique weekend bringing together young people and teachers from all over the world to start their partnership journeys to the London Olympics.” Amy was initially worried that the language barrier would stand in the way of them getting to know each other but Amara’s English was perfect and she was able to translate for the whole trip.

At the end of the weekend Suran and Amara were invited back to Newbury for an action-packed three day visit. They got involved in dance workshops, cultural exchange discussions and Amara taught a primary school maths class in Mongolian.

The school was keen to show their guests the local area and arranged trips to the 2012 rowing venue, Dorney Lake, and Newbury Racecourse. Young sports ambassador Amy told us that as horse racing is a big deal in Mongolia it was fantastic to watch the first race of the afternoon from the Royal Box. Amara surprised Amy by explaining that in Mongolia the jockeys are normally aged four to eight and even more fearless than in the UK.

The BBC South TV team were on hand to show capture the excitement of a day at the races.

Amara and Amy are now firm friends. Amy told us that although their schools’ partnership got off to a flying start, she feels that an even stronger link has been forged between herself and Amara and that they will be friends forever. Everyone was sad to say goodbye when Suran and Amara had to leave for the airport to return to Ulan Bator via Moscow and Beijing.

The two schools are now planning the next stage of their partnership. One of their first projects is for students from both schools to plan and deliver joint monthly assemblies on Olympic and Paralympic values and World Olympic Dreams athletes’ stories. Head teacher Derek told us that “appropriately, the first will be on the theme of friendship.”

What are your experiences of school partnership visits ? What would you show your guests if they visited your school? Please add your comments below.