As the World marks the International Day of Education today, we at Geneva Global are prompted to reflect on the profound role education plays in disrupting the cycle of poverty to improve the circumstances and prospects of individuals and communities worldwide. The United Nations paints a stark picture of the current global educational landscape, revealing that approximately 244 million children and adolescents worldwide are out of school while 617 million struggle with a lack of basic literacy and math skills. In sub-Saharan Africa, fewer than 40% of girls complete lower secondary school and a concerning four million children and youth refugees remain deprived of education.
However, within this challenging terrain, one beacon of hope is the Speed School program with its dedicated Speed School facilitators. Speed School is an accelerated education program that brings out-of-school children back into formal education or into the primary classroom for the first time. Speed School delivers two to three years of primary school curriculum in just ten months, readying students to continue their formal education the next year in a conventional government school at a grade that places them with their age peers. The success of this accelerated model is attributable mostly to the Speed School facilitators. Facilitators not only employ activity-based, student-centered methods that keep learners of all ages and backgrounds engaged and learning from one another but also fulfill a crucial role in retaining at-risk children in the education system through continual engagement and advocacy with parents and the community.
Concluding the 2023 school year, we invited many of the facilitators who turn Speed School into exciting learning to reflect on the aspects of their work that fill them with pride. At the same time, we invited them to envision tangible improvements for the benefit of their students and the broader education system. The response was overwhelming, with over 200 facilitators across Ethiopia and Uganda sharing their insights. It is this passion and commitment of local educators that provides hope for the future.
In this blog, we turn our focus to these unsung heroes, exploring the reflections of ten Speed School facilitators. Join us in celebrating their dedication, as we delve into their points of pride and resolutions for the upcoming year.
Resolution: My new year resolution is to make my learners change their life according to the community they live in socially, physically, psychologically and emotionally. Not all learners will succeed in education and many Level 2 students are over age, so it is important to train them in other crafts work so they can succeed no matter what. My plan is also to encourage the parents to continue saving for the benefit of their. This will be good to cover school fees for the whole year. Finally, I want to make my Speed School class the best of the best, always be active and teach other learners good behaviour especially in the link school and the community around the school.
Oyet Justine Kibwota
Level 2 Facilitator, Agago District, UgandaResolution: I want to commit myself to analyse the topics in the curriculum which are suitable for my learners next year for expert lessons so that during registration of learners I will be finding out from parents who might be able to act as an expert and educate our students on the local context. I also have the idea of holding debates between link school learners and Speed School learners then I get some educational rewards like notebooks and others for the best debaters. I DO THIS FOR GOD AND MY COUNTRY.
Okiror John Michael
Level 2 Facilitator, Amuria District, UgandaResolution: In the new year, I’m working strongly to minimize student drop-out in collaboration with all education experts and stakeholders.
Solomon Tadele Nega
Tigray, EthiopoiaResolution: My goal next year is to produce children who are able to express themselves in public when given opportunity and also compete with others academically but consider God first in everything they do.
Mwesigwa Brian
Level 1 Facilitator, Mayuge District, UgandaPoint of Pride: First, it is not an easy task to facilitate and create opportunities for out-of-school children to get education and transform to Grade Four in the formal school in just one year. I am lucky that I am part of the program as facilitator of the Speed School class. I am proud that the program gives me the chance, as facilitator, to deliver knowledge for our children, and I am proud of myself for helping the students to acquire knowledge and skill to help them.
Resolution: When I start working in the new year, I am very eager to meet my students and provide them with quality teaching. I promise that I will work hard to improve myself and work in a smart way. I will continue to get trained on the Speed School program and ABL methods to facilitate and deliver the teaching effectively and efficiently. I am ready to spend more time learning about indigenous knowledge and reading different books to enhance my knowledge, skills, and practices for this program.
Now, my students from last year don’t have textbooks, I have a big dream for the new year. I will contact relevant institutions to obtain textbooks and teaching aids for my students in the new year. I plan to prepare free and low-cost teaching materials to support the teaching process and engage students through activity-based learning.
Elfnesh Bekele
Addis Ababa, EthiopiaResolution: This year I have set five goals for myself:
1. Organizing my classroom and making it beautiful
2. Scheming and spicing up classroom lessons plans
3. Having better time management skills
4. Getting to know learners better
5. Re-thinking my teaching style, always
Apio Alice
Level 1 Facilitator, Kalaki District, UgandaResolution: I am looking to make a resolution that includes a change in my classroom or my structure, including not putting too much pressure on myself. I resolve to create work-free time when I am not in the classroom so I can achieve all my goals in the classroom. I will make sure all of my goals are SMART.
Bizunesh Etore
Central Ethiopia Region, EthiopiaResolution: My aim is to be more organized and practical in all my lessons, maintain good relationships with the community and bring hope and positivity in both my learners and the community to the idea of education.
Anonymous
Alebtong District, UgandaResolution: I need to work hard next year with my students about projects. I will develop a project which requires real farmwork because there is enough land at my link school and all my students will participate actively. I hope this will give them real life skills they can use beyond the classroom when they finish their schooling. It will also make the community understand how common work is linked to and strengthened by education.
Tabu Jimmy
Level 1 Facilitator, Pader District, UgandaResolution: My New Year’s resolution for 2024 is to focus on maintaining my mental wellness by incorporating practices such as mindfulness exercises or seeking support when needed for the betterment of the Speed School learners.
Aimo Kevin
Level 1 Facilitator, Amuria District, UgandaWe are proud to honor the vital contributions of educators on this 2024 International Day of Education. Let us be inspired by the voices of these remarkable educators, and collectively work towards a transformative 2024 in the education and development sector.
