What's in it for us?

 Dear friends,

I am writing to tell you about what has been happening in Nimule.  I have been having a very challenging time ever since the start of term in June.  

Problems have arisen between me and the landowners who gave us the land in 2016 through a land agreement.  The landowners have now become very hostile and full of demands for their own clan.  They have completely no thought for the school or the pupils.  The constant chorus has been, ‘What’s in it for us?’  

Spontaneous prayer from one of our pupils,
found on the blackboard.  He does know how
to spell really!

I think the root of all these problems is that I am a white foreigner, bringing change to a society which is very traditional and reluctant to have any change to the status quo.  Education is not seen as a human right.  It is also unacceptable not to use corporal punishment; even though it is officially illegal in South Sudan, there is not one other school in Nimule which does not beat the pupils.  White people are seen as rich and are supposed to give to them freely.  When I have refused, saying that all the money I have is from fundraising for the specific purposes of education, whether for the school or the deaf children, I am shouted down very aggressively. 

They are completely ignoring the fact that our school is for disadvantaged families, not just for themselves.  They do not see that the free education of their children is a very great benefit already or have any concept of care for other people’s children, especially those of other tribes.  They want others to pay school fees, but for their own children to be educated free-of-charge.  I know that if I give way at all, it will be the beginning of a slippery slope in which the school will no longer be feasible because of the ever-increasing demands of the landowners.

I have found it necessary to let you all know because some of you have said to me in the past that the reason you feel able to donate towards the school is because I am there and am able to ensure that your money is used as intended.  Over the years that the school has operated, this hasn’t been too much of a problem, but it is now becoming more difficult.  The latest communication of the landowners said that they will ‘enforce’ their demands.  They did not say in what way.

I am looking for a way forward as I do not want to see the school fail.  We have over 240 pupils and 19 staff, all of whom will lose out if the school collapses.  On a personal level, I have taught in the school since 2015 and have very strong teacher-pupil relationships with a good number of our pupils.    

I also feel very concerned that you, as donors, have given so selflessly and generously should be let down, especially those who have paid for all the construction work.  At least the buildings will not collapse, and I am sure they will be used again, maybe even by our school, depending on how things turn out.

I am currently looking at potential ways forward.  One is to try, through the Catholic Diocese of Torit, to find a religious congregation to take over the school.  They would have the status in the community to move the school on, with an understanding of its purpose in helping the most marginalized children in the local community.  They would also give it a more sustainable future than I can as an individual.  I would anticipate staying on as a teacher with them or having a handover period.  

Another possibility is to move to a different school site and enter a partnership (rather than a new land agreement) with the owners.  There is an empty school in Nimule where this may be possible, or another school may be willing to take me as a volunteer with the understanding that my pupils will follow me and will continue to be supported.  

It is of course possible that when the local people see that their children's school is threatened, they may be able to campaign for it to remain and make the landowners see reason in ways that I cannot do.  I plan to hold a parents' meeting this month as I have told them nothing officially yet although, (as can be seen from the blackboard prayer) word has filtered through to some. 

I think the option of the religious congregation is the best, but the snag is that it is likely to be a lengthy process.  Either way, I don’t think it is possible to remain as we are, with the vague threat of ‘enforcement’, whatever that means, hanging over our heads.  It also makes my own day-to-day life difficult due to lack of trust.

On the positive side, the school has kept going onwards and upwards until now.  There have been previous challenges, but they have always been overcome, and I never felt the need to write to you about them.  For those of you who pray, please can you keep our school in your prayers.  It is so important for the children of Cece to have their chance of gaining an education.

The deaf children’s placements are totally unaffected by this current crisis, and I still hope to be able to start a deaf unit in Nimule in the longer term.  

The roof was blown some distance away.

This term we experienced a severe gale which completely removed the roof of the two temporary classrooms.  We managed to find a contractor who did not charge too heavily, so it has been repaired, but for a couple of weeks we had to squeeze four classes into two classrooms and ask their subject teachers to keep swapping around so that all levels were covered.  It was not easy.  The new roof slopes more gently, so that I am hoping it will be less susceptible to the wind.

The tree planting team

We received an unsolicited donation of 250 tree saplings, which we have planted in the compound.  Unfortunately, it is a very harsh environment and we have never succeeded in growing trees up until now, although we have planted many.  So far, 26 of the new trees have survived, but I am not very hopeful as the dry season will be with us soon and will coincide with school holidays, when it will be difficult to care for the trees properly.

Primary 8 sat their mock exams, which were done at another school in a way that simulated the real conditions they will face in late November.  I was there and saw them all frisked thoroughly (by a teacher of their own sex) in case of carrying anything that could enable them to cheat in the exam room.  They felt fairly confident at the end, but we are still waiting for the results.  The proof of the pudding is in the eating, as they say!  The academic standard of the mock exams is generally considerably higher than the final national exams, so if they pass their mocks, we can expect very good results at the end of the year.  I have heard from one of our teachers, who was involved in the marking of the mocks, that our school has done very much better than most.

The other classes have just sat their end of term exams.  We have changed the way in which we do the exams.  In the past teachers have set their own exams, which I then typed and had printed.  This was very costly and also very stressful, as some teachers would leave everything to the last minute.  This time we are making use of a local exam board who have done all the work of producing the exam papers for a large group of schools.  They have ways to do it far more cheaply as it is in bulk, so we are saving around $200 as well as reducing stress.  The only problem is that the setting is done according to levels in other schools, and some class teachers have complained to me that the exams were too easy for their classes.  80% of our pupils have passed, which is our best result ever.

Me, Lillian, Aluma, Alice, Paul (back)
Jackline, Vibrant, Jennifer and Beatrice, the head 
of the Hearing Impairment Unit (front)

The deaf children are flourishing in their various schools.  I have just come back from visiting those studying in Mbale.  I also took Alice and a teacher to visit a deaf secondary school in Lira, a town which is comparatively close to South Sudan, so that she will be able to go home in the holidays when she goes to secondary school next year.  The school has both an academic and a vocational training department.  She seemed very positive about the visit.  Like South Sudan, her final leaving exams will be towards the end of the year, and we can expect the results by late January or early February.

I would really appreciate your comments on what is happening at the school.  It would have taken a much longer post to tell you everything that has happened, and I am very willing to explain more to anyone who wants more information. My email address is rebeccamallinson1@gmail.com. Please do not use my old email address (ending in hotmail.co.uk).  It no longer works, and I will not be able to receive your emails.

I do hope you will continue to assist us.  Even in this state of flux, we still need to pay salaries and for other school expenses.  Please do pass this message on to any other people who might be able to support us.