After that age, no one is interested in school anymore. The places that they ended up with oftentimes are tragic. The new teacher in that town school told Hamsilran he will represent their class. To us, Hamsilran represents our kampong and the three hundred and ten kids who are in the literacy center.
Hamsilran (in purple)
Teacher B went back the following day, brought Hamsilran and his mom to a nearby store to buy what he needs for the contest. Our program for our guests went on well at the same time that Hamsilran was competing. By lunch time we learned, he won first place. Our kampong boy won first place. How the kampong rejoiced. Good news like this fuels us to stand the heat of the sun even we have to climb steep hills at times.
When for the first time in his life boys like Hamsilran see what a town is like. See what a school is like. It’s their first time but talk is out that they can compete and outdo the other kids who had been in that school since Form 1. He comes Form 4, straight from the literacy center. Their new teachers are asking, which school they come from, what curriculum are the teachers using. I wished I was there to answer the new teacher.
Or better I could invite her to see the “school”. I hope I will be there when other s like her would visit and I will see her face upon seeing that mothers are teaching their own kids. That kids are sitting on the floor. That kids walk their way too early at times for their class. That they had to take turns in using the space that we have. I wish she would be able to decipher what makes it work for boys like Hamsilran to conquer an entirely new world and stand out.
When Teacher B asked Hamsilran what he needs for the contest, what he needs to give his best- I imagined how he looked when he answered. I know him and I’ve seen those eyes and smile before. Hamsilran answered, just pencils, Teacher B. I need pencils.
A nursing school that came to know about Goducate’s community work has chosen the Goducate Learning Center in Mabakan, Calaun, to be a center for practical training for their students. Hence 10 nursing students spent January training the locals in basic health awareness and doing health screenings.
Training session
Some 30 people, mostly mothers, attended… Continue reading
A fortnight ago parents of the children attending the Goducate Learning Center in Lalao, Laguna, were brought together to attend a session with their children. The session, called Mama and Me, was intended to emphasize to the parents the importance of good communication with their children and of teaching their children and supervising them while they do their homework and assignments. For the children, the intention was to impress on… Continue reading
Several of our Lifepegs volunteers have been spending part of their winter break in Singapore. Most of them are teachers of English at universities in northeast China. One of their evenings here was spent at the Goducate office. It was a time for them and the Goducate headquarters team to get to know each other, for them to tell us about their experiences in China, and for them to learn… Continue reading
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