Policy to support girls education

The knowledge and the skills that I have gained  in this program, has made me to identify so many ways that I can use to encourage girls education in South South. 

Based on the current situation in my country and as a teacher, what I will do to encourage girls education is through my teaching profession. The best way I will do this is by making my teaching more learners centered and gender sensitivity. Since the impact I will make might not be much, I will therefore advocate for the curriculum to be revised and train more teachers on students-centered teaching methods and gender sensitivity. 

I believe, this will motivate many girls to go to school

Colleagues, don't you think this can play a big role in encouraging girls education?

My Plan When I Return to S. Sudan

I understand that my country is one of the fragile countries in Africa. And I believe that I have gained knowledge and skills from Education in Emergencies lesson and Curriculum Development class which I think will add to the development of my country.

However, upon my return home, I will resume teaching. And what tops the list of my plans is to arrange with some of my colleagues from this program to go and meet the ministry of general education to let them know about the fact that we have qualifications in curriculum development planning and that we need to be part of the team who plan and develop curriculum. As noted by Cahill (2010), if the education programming is well designed and the education activities provided are of high quality, schools can provide an entry point for encouraging conflict resolution, tolerance and respect for human rights.

So, my goal is to see a reform in educational system of my country.

Friends, do you believe in this?

Qualified Teachers Flee the Profession

A country that experience conflict experience lots of disruption in education system. 

One of the troubles is that school activities are run by the majority of unqualified teachers. Simply because, teachers who qualify in the field flee the teaching profession for jobs with good pay in various UN agencies, NGO's and other International and national organizations who get attracted to the states experiencing conflict. This however, makes the quality of education in emergency situation to suffer in the hands of untrained teachers hence failure in meeting educational target in such arena. 

Conclusively, the trouble in education system in emergency situation is triggered by the inability of the government to fund teachers a viable salary during crisis since good salary is one of the motivating factor for better teaching.  

Colleagues, don't you think this situation is similar to what we experience at home right now?

Knowledge Gained at ASA Conference

One of the lectures I attended during African Studies Association Conference was : Women embracing creativity as a tool to combat violence and find healing. According to Sorensen,B (1998), naturally, women are creative, peacemakers, wise and good managers. Indeed if women embrace all these good values, there are so many ways they can use to combat violence. 

In addition, I think the theory of healing and reconstruction should not be based only upon roads construction and other infrastructural services, but also on healing and reconstruction of the hearts of the oppressed. This is because conflict cause both physical damages and wound in hearts of so many citizens, those who are abducted, who loose the beloved ones, missed belongings or displaced.  

However, this knowledge will gain importance in my community as I will try to meet with various women groups to a ware them of the prolonged conflict/violence and that we have a big role to play and so many ways to demonstrate our thirst for peace.  

Friends, what do you think about this idea?

Interesting Experience at the CIES Conference.

I really enjoyed one of the presentations I attended during the conference. The presentation was about "Intellectual Emancipation,"as a theory which entails "only individual humans are real and they alone have the will and an intelligence, and the totality of order that subjects them to human kind, social laws and diverse authorities is only a creation of imagination."  One of the focus was how can low-income Black high scholars benefit from this theory? According to my understanding, the theory is all about every body know something.  So people should stop depending on others with an intention that they are intelligent. Human beings are always ignorant of the fact that they are intelligent. For instance, families that are poor and illiterate can still teach their kids some skills and knowledge that are helpful in their lives. As according to Ranciere, J. (1991). all people are equally intelligent.  I like this theory of knowledge because it opens the eyes of those who believe they aren't intelligent to strongly realize that they are intelligent and can do extraordinary things happen!

Friends, don't you believe in this theory too?

Approach in Developing History Curriculum

Dear colleagues,

Sincerely, South Sudan in one of the African Countries that fought for decades and achieved independence but still is yearning for peace and unity among different communities across the country. 

I think South Sudan should design "Integrated Approach" in developing history curriculum and teach students in schools so as to address the issue of peace and unity. This approach is all about civic education which make connection across disciplines to life skills in real world context. 

I believe, this approach is so smart because, it provides a climate in which students are involved in co-curricula or extra-curricula activities (such as games, debate, projects etc) which bring the sense of collaboration. This will also introduce them to basic and positive politics of the country, learn the different societies and relationships/interdependency of individual within the society. They become civically educated in ways that empower then with healthy knowledge about the system of the government, their rights, responsibilities, skills, values and goals for unity as future leaders in a democratic state like South Sudan. 

Therefore, an integrated approach to teaching will yield into peace, unity and where diversity is seen meaningful!

What do you think about this approach?

My Experience in Indiana

Dear colleagues, 

I am so pleased and excited to share both my good and bad experience with you on how life is like in this foreign land known as Indiana. After taking a long hour of the our journey from Africa, we arrived in Indiana town at 2:30 at last and were shown our individual rooms in Pine apartment.

To start with, I have enjoyed and hope to enjoy more my stay here in Indiana.  Indiana is a nice, cool and welcoming place to live in. The people of Indiana have smiling face which shows the sign of peace. They can only say "Hi" and that's it. But with our professors, they are always good and kind to us. 

Further, my experience as far as my studies is concerned is just good. I always enjoy the pace at which our professors take us, which seems a bit challenging. I call this challenge a good experience because it is a motivating factor. And according to Kouzes,J. & Posner, B. (2012), challenging opportunities help people turn to a remarkable success in what ever they do. 

My first bad experience started with a very big confusion between day and night time. I realized that my country is head of Indiana with good 6 hours. So I had no option apart from adjusting my sleeping habit which took me couple of weeks to do so. In addition, coming from a developing nation with different cultures to developed nation like, results in a very big gape. I realized that this is a   "mind your own business" country. I really found it hard to socialize with students on campus. So this made me feel bad because in my community, it is possible to make new friends just in a moment. Not only that, another challenge is all about food. Honestly, the types of food here have confused my appetite. I always find it hard to make choice of what to eat.

All in all, my experience is similar to the experience of Dr. Duany in that both of us compliant about how Indiana people aren't social with people and the challenge faced at school. The difference is that she came for settlement and I am here on study basis.

Colleagues according to your observation, what do you think my next good and bad experience will be?