Thoughts on Education
Two blogs in one day… count your blessings!!! I FINALLY got a few pictures uploaded from Swakopmund... see the previous post!
Bonita was a no show for tutoring today so I got to thinking a lot about where she is going and in a broader sense, where a lot of these kids are going. Education is Namibia is a complex issue. Part of me is cynical and wants to criticize the government for having such a poor education system but I am reminded by people here that are a lot wiser and a lot more experienced than I am that it has still been less than 20 years since independence and that strides have been made. Still, my cynicism creeps in when I see that the Minister of Education in Namibia has NO education experience, is a member of the leading political party (SWAPO), and his entire career has been in food service and fishery. (No word from the kids if Fishstick Fridays has improved since his appointment)
It may be too easy to sit back and attack the Namibian education system since I work for the NYC Department of Education, one of the finest, well-oiled machines out there. (Ahem…) Instead I just want to say a few (hundred) words on what I have noticed about what the kids here at the BNC need (and, really what all kids need) for a sound education. Let me preface all of this by saying my thoughts are all based off of my observations of the kids at the center and I have not visited any schools to get better insight.
The first thing every child needs for a good education is resources- quality textbooks, reading books, pencils, paper, teaching materials, school buildings, and access to modern technology. They also need curriculum that meets the needs of all learners- especially Bilingual learners in this country, as well as students with disabilities. The problem for Bonita and the kids in Namibia is that there is no money for a lot of these resources. In many cases, it’s up to teachers to beg, borrow, and steal to get the things that the students need.
Secondly, all students need human resources; namely, skilled teachers, staff, administrators, politicians, friends, neighbors, and, most importantly, parents to provide support, encouragement, accountability, and guidance. Again, financial resources to train and hire quality staff in Namibia are virtually non-existent. To develop better support, communities need to create education programs and get others on board to raise awareness for education. Also, parents need to advocate and take an active role in their child’s education. Here in Namibia it seems hard to get a parent living in poverty and battling day in and day out to survive to take an active role in their child’s education. Finally, teachers need to expose, enrich, and inspire each child to the possibilities a quality education offers.
The last thing every child needs is desire. I tell Bonita all the time that unfortunately she is in a country where the first two aspects are not readily available to her so if she really wants to succeed and pass grade ten and then possibly grade 12 and beyond, she needs desire. Unfortunately, I don’t think she has much. A child with desire needs a family, community, or society that values and celebrates all forms of education- be it language, arts, writing, math, or science that then encourages the child to pursue education. A child with desire needs short and long term goals. Whether it’s passing a math test or planning for college, a child needs to attack the immediate academic challenges in front of her while seeing each step as a link in the chain of success. A child with desire needs dreams. At PS 103 in the Bronx, Ms. Brown always said “Dream big. Work hard.” As the cliché goes, every child needs to shoot for the moon and at worst land among the stars.
But what about a child like Bonita who doesn’t have the community support, the goals, or the dreams? How does a child like Bonita succeed- where does the desire come from? In my opinion, the desire then must come from an inner fire. It may be the fire to survive. It may be the fire to prove oneself against all odds. It may be a fire to learn. It may be the fire to achieve something personal. Whatever it is, if the fire is strong enough, I believe any child can overcome the obstacles to succeed in their academics.
Having spent close to a month nearly every day with Bonita and Milandri, I don’t feel the fire is there. I can’t blame them for not being passionate about Mathematics or Life Science- I’m certainly not! What’s unfortunate is that these girls are rapidly growing up and sooner or later they will have to leave Neverland and go off and support themselves. I have talked a lot with Cathy and MaryBeth about finding them some sort of training program to help find them gainful employment. They don’t need to become doctors, lawyers, or business women to be successful, but they do need to begin to explore their talents and find out how they can move forward. I hope they do…
Bonita was a no show for tutoring today so I got to thinking a lot about where she is going and in a broader sense, where a lot of these kids are going. Education is Namibia is a complex issue. Part of me is cynical and wants to criticize the government for having such a poor education system but I am reminded by people here that are a lot wiser and a lot more experienced than I am that it has still been less than 20 years since independence and that strides have been made. Still, my cynicism creeps in when I see that the Minister of Education in Namibia has NO education experience, is a member of the leading political party (SWAPO), and his entire career has been in food service and fishery. (No word from the kids if Fishstick Fridays has improved since his appointment)
It may be too easy to sit back and attack the Namibian education system since I work for the NYC Department of Education, one of the finest, well-oiled machines out there. (Ahem…) Instead I just want to say a few (hundred) words on what I have noticed about what the kids here at the BNC need (and, really what all kids need) for a sound education. Let me preface all of this by saying my thoughts are all based off of my observations of the kids at the center and I have not visited any schools to get better insight.
The first thing every child needs for a good education is resources- quality textbooks, reading books, pencils, paper, teaching materials, school buildings, and access to modern technology. They also need curriculum that meets the needs of all learners- especially Bilingual learners in this country, as well as students with disabilities. The problem for Bonita and the kids in Namibia is that there is no money for a lot of these resources. In many cases, it’s up to teachers to beg, borrow, and steal to get the things that the students need.
Secondly, all students need human resources; namely, skilled teachers, staff, administrators, politicians, friends, neighbors, and, most importantly, parents to provide support, encouragement, accountability, and guidance. Again, financial resources to train and hire quality staff in Namibia are virtually non-existent. To develop better support, communities need to create education programs and get others on board to raise awareness for education. Also, parents need to advocate and take an active role in their child’s education. Here in Namibia it seems hard to get a parent living in poverty and battling day in and day out to survive to take an active role in their child’s education. Finally, teachers need to expose, enrich, and inspire each child to the possibilities a quality education offers.
The last thing every child needs is desire. I tell Bonita all the time that unfortunately she is in a country where the first two aspects are not readily available to her so if she really wants to succeed and pass grade ten and then possibly grade 12 and beyond, she needs desire. Unfortunately, I don’t think she has much. A child with desire needs a family, community, or society that values and celebrates all forms of education- be it language, arts, writing, math, or science that then encourages the child to pursue education. A child with desire needs short and long term goals. Whether it’s passing a math test or planning for college, a child needs to attack the immediate academic challenges in front of her while seeing each step as a link in the chain of success. A child with desire needs dreams. At PS 103 in the Bronx, Ms. Brown always said “Dream big. Work hard.” As the cliché goes, every child needs to shoot for the moon and at worst land among the stars.
But what about a child like Bonita who doesn’t have the community support, the goals, or the dreams? How does a child like Bonita succeed- where does the desire come from? In my opinion, the desire then must come from an inner fire. It may be the fire to survive. It may be the fire to prove oneself against all odds. It may be a fire to learn. It may be the fire to achieve something personal. Whatever it is, if the fire is strong enough, I believe any child can overcome the obstacles to succeed in their academics.
Having spent close to a month nearly every day with Bonita and Milandri, I don’t feel the fire is there. I can’t blame them for not being passionate about Mathematics or Life Science- I’m certainly not! What’s unfortunate is that these girls are rapidly growing up and sooner or later they will have to leave Neverland and go off and support themselves. I have talked a lot with Cathy and MaryBeth about finding them some sort of training program to help find them gainful employment. They don’t need to become doctors, lawyers, or business women to be successful, but they do need to begin to explore their talents and find out how they can move forward. I hope they do…
posted by Jim | 5:45 PM
3 Comments:
I am in awe --- just to know that such good thoughts float around in this world of ours.
God bless YOU!!!!!
a
If the culture doesn't value education, it is hard to expect the children to have an inner fire or passion to focus their energy in an area their culture/community will not admire.
Post a Comment
<< Home