I actually managed to see Mt. Meru today,
the stately lady who looms large over Arusha. The clouds are a bit of a shroud
but there are a few holes. This volcano (which last erupted in 1910 according
to the ever helpful Wikipedia) sits as a centrepiece in Arusha National Park
and can be seen from Kilimanjaro on a clear day. It adds to the beauty of the
town. The sunshine also helps.
A humorous moment earlier. Two
representatives of PWC were talking about one of their trips to the field last
week in Ngorongoro District, which, of course includes the great Serengeti.
Apparently they were tootling along quite happily when they came face to face
with 9 lions in the road. Unable to go around them they had to wait for them to
decide to move on. I find I have this problem with busses sometimes; but the
story doesn’t have quite the same impact at parties.
It was the second day of training with PWC
and CASEC – ‘training the trainers’ - and we looked at the ethical
student-teacher relationship. It is a sad fact that a proportion of the abuse –
sexual or otherwise – suffered by girls takes place in school. Melau, a Lawyer
and Selina, a project officer, who work at PWC told the story of an 11 year old
girl experiencing sexual abuse at the hands of her teacher who she went to for
‘extra tuition’. In order to try to catch him and prove that the girl was with
him, they went, with a District Education Officer to his house; only to find
that he had been warned that they were on their way. The teacher was
transferred away from the district.
Conversation today showed that there are
many people complicit in this systematic abuse- as Melau said “for some, it is
a business”. Bribes are given to police, to the victim, even within education
itself. But it also showed the passion
of those combating it, and the difference which grassroots community based
organisations such as our partners can make. Together we discussed different
approaches which could be used; and the power of training students, teachers
and head teachers together, making sure that every group has a voice.
There
are existing structures for student leadership in the Tanzanian school system –
clubs, and school councils. 10 schools CASEC works with have already agreed to
invite students onto leadership teams to include them, and listen to their needs in school
development and improvement. Together they can build relationships of trust,
take ownership of their education and create a safe learning and teaching
environment for everyone. Alfred Sakafu, Director of CASEC knows that it will
take time “It’s a process. We are trying to mould good people, good citizens.
When the students are adults – perhaps teachers – themselves; then we will see
the benefits.”
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