A level students

A level is new to the Halcyon High School, with the first cohort of pupils graduating last year. As a consequence class sizes are still small. Pictured below is my History A level class, they number 13 in total and vary significantly in age. Unlike in the UK life’s challenges delays their graduation. Some can not afford to continue their education immediately after their GCSEs and go off to work in agriculture or in a shop for a couple of years to raise the funds to pay for their A levels. Others are delayed by childbirth, it is not uncommon for girls to marry at 15, although this is becoming increasingly less frequent. A few other pupils were kidnapped during the war with the Lords Resistance Peoples Army and spent a number of years in the bush fighting before their reintegration. As a consequence, the oldest students are 25.

Like the rest of the school, A level students sleep in a dormitory on site (see picture). They must provide their own mattress, jerry can for fetching water, bucket for washing and a tin box with some personal items. They wear a slightly different uniform to the rest of school, a very smart blue shirt, blue trousers, a tie and some opt for the waistcoat! The day starts early, at 03:00 with washing, shaving and cleaning. There is then time for pre lesson reading and homework (see David writing Mr Jones’ essay). School prayers round of the morning before lessons begin at 07:20.

Unfortunately, funds at present can’t stretch to computers and although a new sixth form block is a long term plan, facilities are limited to the one classroom in which A level have all their lessons. A lack of funds also means that teaching styles are limited to dictation and some discussion. Spare a thought therefore, for the students when you consider they have seven 80 minute lessons each day. Students can opt for Arts or Science subjects and there is no mixing such as Biology, History and Maths. All students aspire to go to university as a means of avoiding employment in agriculture but they study knowing that only the lucky few will ever have the chance.   

Pupils eat three wholesome but maybe not delicious meals a day. A maize porridge (think water with flour in!) is served from large vats at break. A level students take an active part in the running of the school and will often be on duty serving pupils, organising queuing or ensuring cups are washed. Lunch and dinner are both posha and beans (see picture). You can imagine the results of 1300 students eating beans twice a day! Again you might bare a thought for the varied nature of our diet and the wide choice you are afforded.

Once lessons finish at 17:30 A level students are responsible for organising a plethora of activities for the rest of the school. Football games, a whole school debating club, Assemblies or prayers are all organised by hard working sixth formers who also have jobs to carry out as Health prefect, Sports prefect etc to represent the study body.

A couple of hours remains of the evening in which they must read or complete homework. That is if they haven’t another lesson until 21:30 which is more common than not. Lights out at 21:30 and role on tomorrow.

 

Learning Environment

The electric supply is as intermittent, hence the lack of posts this week. This also has the unfortunate side effect of significantly impacting school life. The 13 computers that Halcyon has for pupil use can not be used with any regularity. In addition, to the intermittent electric supply, the dust which blows all day takes a heavy toll. The IT teachers plough on though, using their initiative to teach the development of IT or using the black board to illustrate how to use Microsoft.

Teaching resources are limited to chalk and black board. However, the lessons are delivered with enough passion and enthusiasm to make up for the lack of teaching aids. Class sizes do not detract from the utter focus and concentration of pupils as they share their classroom with another 130 eager learners in some GCSE cl assess.

Learning is punctuated with breaks for food much like The National Academy with a morning break and afternoon lunch. Posha and beans is served daily to the 1200 pupils. Posha is a maize based cereal and looks much like sticky rice. No, there are no alternatives!

The temperature still hangs around 35c at midday and a strong wind blows off the Sahara making learning challenging. Remember how difficult it is to focus at the height of a British summer when the classrooms are hot. The wet season begins in late March and the children look forward to the relief this brings.

The pupils at Halcyon would love to be able to find out about life at the National Academy. However, due to the lack of Internet they can not converse through email. Maybe you could discuss creating a group who would like to resurrect the idea of a pen pall.

A Ugandan school day

Halcyon High School is situated 5km out of town. Most of the students live on site in dormitories and their daily routine would surprise you. They are awoken at 03:00 to wash and clean their dormitory's, before taking a porridge breakfast and then prayers. Lessons begin at 08:00 for most pupils, but GCSE students have lessons from 07:00. Lessons are 80 minutes, of which there are six a day, with the exception of GCSE students who in addition to the earlier start, often have a lesson or two after school. The day ends with sports, cleaning and prayers before bed at 21:30. In addition, students also study on Saturdays and have a full programme on Sundays. Students are immaculatley dressed and considering that they live permananlty in dormitories this is not easy.

A warm welcome

Amy and I were greeted with a very warm welcome at Entebbe airport by Halcyon's Headteacher, Marcel. After being stuck on Heathrow runway for nine hours due to ice on the plane, and a further two days of transfers and delays to be greeted so warmly was very gratefully received. Our journey however, was not yet over. An eight hour drive from Entebbe to Soroti was pretty rough even in a 4WD. The country is however, beautiful. Deep and impenetrable forests merge into acres of tea and coffee plantations, followed by swamp land further to the north. We stopped for plantain (cooked banana) and roast chicken at Mbale, finally arriving at Soroti late in the evening. Halcyon's founder, Helen Adoa was there late in the evening to welcome us with rice and stew.