“…When Save the Children started teaching us last year, l could not read, write, or speak English…it was my first time to enter English class. I thought I will not be able to make it in different language.”
By Charles Okwir
Maban – 2015: Let us start by stating the obvious: Regardless of what one does for a living, the need to periodically sharpen one’s skills to enable one to improve his or her effectiveness is never far from our minds.
This is particularly true for teachers who, as a basic pre-requisite, must have a dynamic knowledge base in order to share knowledge – especially with children. Save the Children recognized this need in South Sudan and launched an ‘in-service teacher training’ program to help improve the capacity of teachers to deliver quality education to children – even during war!
In the case of 45yr old Abdrahamanan Trimbil, a teacher who arrived in Jamam Refugee Camp in Maban, in South Sudan’s Upper Nile state after trekking for weeks from Blue Nile state in Sudan, the ‘in-service teacher training’ program provided by Save the Children was transformative. It literally changed his life.
When he arrived at the camp in June 2013, Abdrahamanan only spoke Arabic. When the opportunity to learn English and be able to teach in English presented itself, he seized upon it with zeal.
Abdrahamanan Trimbil posing for a photo in Maban, in Upper Nile state, Photo Credit: © Save the Children
Here below, Abdrahamanan takes up his own story for us. And for good measure, he bravely does so using his newly acquired English language skill that is still in its infancy – a work in progress if you like!
“…In August 2013 when UNHCR relocated us to Kaya camp, Save the Children came in to support teacher training. By God luck, l was chosen to benefit from the training. When Save the Children started teaching us last year, l could not read, write, or speak English. It was an intensive English course, even though it was my first time to enter English class. I thought I will not be able to make it in different language. After three months of my studies, I realized that am able to listen and speak in English – although writing in English was still a challenge to me.
That gave me an opportunity of being promoted…I’m currently the Head Teacher of Dalmo Primary School. I am happy of being a teacher because of the opportunities I’m meeting – especially of studies, which Save the Children is carrying out for all the teachers here in the Kaya Refugee Camp. I have improved greatly in my spoken English and my way of teaching children.
I hope to continue with my studies and become a better and certified teacher in the future. The world should support all refugees and should help protect them from further harm. I don’t want me or my colleagues to go back without education…I want to take something good from this camp so that I can help my community when there is peace.”
With funding from UNHCR, UNICEF, DANIDA, and other donors, Save the Children is implementing the ‘in-service teacher training’ program to help improve the quality of learning that South Sudanese children get by building the English language capacity of at least 170 teachers who could only speak Arabic before the training.
“…More than 150 among us can speak, talk, write and teach in English. So now after one half year in the programs, all us are teaching and speaking English as language for communication and teaching. This program needs to expand to other schools because it has made us to understand what it actually means to become teachers in English.” Abdrahamanan proudly declares.
Charles Okwir is the Media and Communications Manager for Save the Children South Sudan
Follow Save the Children South Sudan on twitter: @SCSouthSudan
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