“As a teacher, I encouraged her” — A Student Success Story from a Ugandan Educator

My name is Aruna Keruzi, a teacher at Global Leaders Primary School teaching Mathematics primary four and Integrated Science primary five.

I am married with two children coming from Kwania, one of the districts in the Northern part of Uganda. I love teaching at GLP because pupils are very disciplined and actively participate when in class [which] motivates a teacher so much. I am very impressed by this one child called Atim of primary five class. This is a girl who joined the school this year when she was academically very weak.

Atim herself and her parents had no hope of excelling and competing in class with others in line of education due to her status by then. When the mother brought her to school, she asked me a question that got my attention as a teacher: “My child is very weak, do you think she will be able to improve?”

As a teacher I encouraged her and told her that her child will improve by all means as long as she is interested in studies.

I started carrying out one on one discussions and revisions with her after class, just like I do with other pupils. When beginning of term exams was done, she still did poorly but I did not give up on her as she was also very interested in excelling. To all our surprise mid-term exams were done and she greatly improved in all subjects from 30% to 67%. That [had] me so amazed and proud!!!!!

As teachers, what motivates us is seeing pupils excel in their studies.

— Aruna Keruzi, P4 & 5 Math and Science Teacher, Global Leaders Primary School, Namasale, UG