The first year of For a Change Primary School

The first year of teaching of our existence as For A Change Primary School is a fact. We ask Mr. Banda, our headteacher, how he has experienced the first year.

Let me start with our successes, he responds. First of all the teachers at For A Change Organization are living in a very peaceful environment since we have security at our disposal instituted by For A Change Organization. Teachers live very much assured that property is safe and that no case of theft has so far been recorded within our residential compass.

When we look at the school itself, we have been able to register a very high and impressive degree of confidence from the Education Inspectors and Advisors after carrying out some routine checks through Teaching and Learning Supervision. For A Change Primary School has thrusted itself in a special class of its own and cannot be compared with any of the schools in Mountain View Education Zone.

Another blessing is that the teachers at For A Change have been able to jell so well with other employees of For A Change Organization through mutual interaction and cooperation thereby creating a culture of embracing one another while working so hard to achieve our targets.

For A Change Primary School has also coexisted so well with its neighboring schools , the community and the action committee. There has been no time that we have had some cases of conflict among teachers and employees of the organization or members of the action committee.

Even though it is obligatory to be at work , it is not a culture among the majority of the civil servants to always be present at work , it is therefore a success in this regard if and when teachers at this school take it as a norm not to be absent from work. This has made it very possible that our learners learn more than other school going children.

Something we also rejoice in, is that our learners at For A Change have been doing extremely well in the examinations from the district, first time our grade we were in position 4 out of the 10 schools , position 10 in the district and while now we expect a very good position because our grade 3 and 4 learners have done extremely well.

Teachers at For A Change generally experienced a cooperative working relationship and this has fostered a spirit of team work among the teachers thereby conforming to the already existing culture of the people working in the For A Change Organization.

There is no bureaucracy at For A Change Organization as is evidenced by us having no barriers if and whenever there is need to meet the directors. Our directors are able to go round , meet and greet as well as interact with each and every employee at the organization ,including the school.

There is also a great improvement on the quality of life at For A Change Primary School residential area and the entire school due to the installation of Electricity and upgrading of the water system. This has really made life more exciting than before for us as Teachers at For A Change Primary School. This has also assisted so much in improving the level of sanitation and hygiene at this school.

Life cannot always be rosy as there are pitfalls or challenges in every situation and For A Change Primary School is not an exception. In view of this ,the school encountered the following challenges:

The manner in which the school enrolled or identified Leaners for the school from other schools .For A Change Primary School enlisted learners from the villages who are part of the schools catchment area without asking the neighboring school , Ntundama in this case to take out some of its Learners and transfer them formally to this school .

Parents and guardians of the Learners that we teach at For A Change reluctant and do not come promptly if summoned by the Headteacher or teachers at this school as compared to if and when invited by the director of For A Change Organization.

Most parents are not supportive of their children’s education. This is evidenced by their failure to provide Learning materials like notebooks , pencils and pens in the event that items provided by the Organization have run out of supply.

But as teachers of For Change Primary School, we really appreciate the support , guidance and cooperation that the school is enjoying from the Organization. The cooperation that exist among our directors continually reminds us on the urgent need to always cherish coexistence, work hard to achieve our targets while serving the community that we are part of as we teach these future stewards of tomorrow.