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Christine Sinyangwe
(Zambia)

Masters in Education, Trinity College Dublin

When she applied for an Irish Aid Fellowship in 2010, Christine was working as a deputy headteacher. She received the support of Irish Aid to pursue a Masters in Education (Foundation Studies) at Trinity College Dublin for the 2011-12 academic year.

Christine Sinyangwe (Zambia)

When I get back home I’ll come up with school policies that every member of staff abides by. At the moment we get policies from the provincial administrators but at times they don’t meet our demands. With the knowledge that I have gained I will be able to draw up policy for my school.

I have been a teacher since 1986 and am currently deputy headteacher of a girls’ high school and also teach mathematics.

The most fascinating thing I’ve learnt so far has been the work of ICT (computers). Back home it’s just coming in. Though we have some computers at my school we don’t use them in teaching the pupils, just typing and email. Now I can plan, I can deliver using computers. Since as deputy head I’m the one who engineers academic issues in the school, when I get back home I’ll have some small workshops to teach my colleagues how they should get along with the ICT. I will be involved in presentations and workshops so they will be making use of me. I will be a resource person, a trainer of trainers.

Another thing is policy. I’ve seen here that they follow whatever they plan, they follow the policy strictly and that comes out very well. So when I get back home I’ll come up with school policies that every member of staff abides by. At the moment we get policies from the provincial administrators but at times they don’t meet our demands. With the knowledge that I have gained I will be able to draw up policy for my school.

I have to lead by example. I have to be there early and I will be the last one to leave the premises. I’ve really liked learning more about time management. The whole culture is good.

Also, my approach to fellow workers will change, the way I will be managing people. Sometimes people would come to me with problems and I would act straight away. Now I’ve learnt to react less and think more.

From this course, I’ve got determination and hard work and when I get back home, it will help me deliver better. I’d come to realise that pupils have a problem with mathematics at high school level, the girls in particular, and in my research I want to find out why there should be a problem with these concepts.

In my career, I hope to be higher than where I am because I want to be closer to the policy makers and have my voice heard and be in a position to influence decisions.