By Simone Illi,

November 2012

Just about a week after the teaching practice ended, three young ladies visited Yei Teacher Training College. They are all in Primary 4 in one of the schools the college had sent students to teach. They wanted to come and say “thank you” to their student teachers hoping they would come back again to their school.

All of them like school. Their favourite subjects vary from English to Science and Mathematics. They are eager to learn and wish their regular teachers would teach them as comprehensively as the student teachers did. They say that there is a noticeable difference. During regular school days they are taught up to four lessons and often the teacher copies notes on the blackboard and then leaves the class without any explanation. Subjects like Arts and Craft, Music, or Physical Education are not taught.

The girls really appreciated the explanations and time spent by the student teachers to answer questions and clarify doubts. They enjoyed the visual aids and cultural subjects. They really hope that their school will receive student teachers again next year.

One of them was so inspired that she mentioned wanting to become a teacher herself. So she is determined to work hard to pass her primary and secondary exams, so that she can join Yei Teacher Training College in the years to come.