Challenges on the School Front

My First Week on Assignment, June 30, 2008

My blog has not been recently updated since I have had limited internet access and have been completing my Peace Corps training while transitioning to my assigned post for the next two years. On June 20, I was sworn in as a volunteer after signing an oath to uphold the US Constitution and protect the country from enemies at home and abroad. The ceremony was presided over by the US ambassador and a former president of Botswana. I realize this posting is rather long and dry, but hope that some of you familiar with schools might be interested,

I have been assigned to a public school with students from approximately 16-18 or older. It has over 2,000 students and is on of 28 secondary schools in the country. It is one of five schools with a double shift. The first shift goes from about 6:30am to 4 pm. The other begins at 10 and goes until about 6pm. Saturdays are 8-10am. The class times change from morning to afternoon every other week so that neither school has early mornings or late afternoons. It is on a six day schedule so the day the class is taught changes every week. I am still trying to figure it all out. For example, if a class is taught on Monday one week, the next week it is offered on Tuesdays.

As a Peace Corps volunteer, I have been assigned to help implement a Life Skills curriculum dealing with HIV and AIDS. But before doing that, I must complete a 2 ½ month needs assessment to determine how my skills best fit the school and the community. This process will give me time to learn more about what the culture and the community. I have been assigned to the Guidance and Counseling Department which has a part-time head. She also doubles as the school nurse handing out sanitary pads, pain killers and taking sick students to the hospital.

There are about 150 teachers. I attended a three hour new faculty workshop yesterday. We learned about the organization of the school and the administration, the courses and course schedule, the computer availability, the library, the dress code for teachers, the lunch room problems of feeding two shifts tea and lunch, the need for teachers to volunteer to sponsor, without pay, sport teams and clubs after school, the responsibilities of teachers regarding corporal punishment which is allowed if it is documented and witnessed, and other school rules. It helped me to understand how the school was run and who I should see in the various areas.

Over the past week I have attended an excellent class on South African History, was introduced to most of the administration and many of the teachers, have been finding my way around campus to different classrooms and offices, eating some good traditional food in the lunchroom- stampe(boiled dried corn) and soup(a delicious vegetable stew), taught a guidance and counseling class dealing with regarding the employment process, had a few setswana language lessons, observed a university student teach about how multiple partners can lead to HIV and AIDS, and just today was introduced to the entire school an outdoor the school assembly, which began with the Lord’s Prayer.

My hours are from 7:30 am to 4:30pm. There is a tea break and an hour for lunch, but this is difficult to observe due to meetings. I am very fortunate to have an office in the Guidance building since most teachers have only desks in large departmental offices. Supplies, textbooks, time and space are at a premium here. The Ministry of Education controls the budget. Students do pay school fees, but if they can not afford it, the government pays. Most teachers live on campus or in government housing. Parking is not a problem, since most people students and faculty who live away from the school, use public buses or “comfies” which are taxi vans.

I will try to answer questions, but as you can tell, my time is limited. Suggestions are welcomed.