Tereza Minairo, headmistress of Ngbarago Nursery School in Yambio teaching science subject on Friday 29th September 2023. Photo: Charles Wote/Eye Radio.

Tereza Minairo dropped out of senior three, but now serves as headmistress after two years of professional training and aspires to become a professional teacher and train others in Western Equatoria State.

The 26-year-old heads a nursery school of 72 pupils where she mainly teaches science subjects by using the learners-centred method – the interaction between learners and teachers during classes.

She said she aims to become a professional teacher in years to come who will be able to train other teachers in Western Equatoria State.

“In the next three years, I want to be a professional teacher who can also train other teachers like the way they have trained me to be a good teacher.” She told Eye Radio during an interview in Yambio.

“You know these learners they like female teachers so much once you are a leader up there, they will not fear you they will be closer to you but they fear some men but learners are mostly close to ladies.” The Mistress added.   

Tereza is among the nearly 500 untrained and volunteer teachers in Western Equatoria who have benefited from the continuous professional development for Teachers, a government initiative supported by the UN children’s agency – UNICEF.

It aims at preparing untrained and volunteer teachers who are actively teaching to enable them to attain qualified teacher status and be certified by the Education Ministry.

According to UNICEF, a total of 499 teachers have so far been trained including 75 in Mundri West, 100 in Maridi, 100 in Yambio, 74 in Nzara County, 75 in Ezo and 75 in Tambura.

The tutors were identified by the State Ministry of Education and trained by National tutors from the Ministry of General Education and Instruction.

While sharing her dedication, passion, and commitment the mother of one said she is proud to be among those shaping and building the future of South Sudan.

The mother of one dropped out of school in 2016 after conceived which couldn’t allow her to continue with her studies.

“I thought I was not going to do something better but with all the training, I have been going through, I am now becoming someone better and I am learning more and more my encouragement to them [dropouts] is that they should not lose hope. When someone drops out, let him or her try to do something small which can help in future.” She said.

Before being trained by UNICEF, Tereza embarked on teaching as a volunteer and later became the headmistress of the school two years ago.

Tereza’s story and passion for teaching comes as South Sudan on Thursday, 5^th October joins the rest of the World to mark World Teachers Day today.

Most of the teachers around the World used the day to showcase their work and share their testimonies, dedication, passion, and commitment to shaping the future.

The commemoration focuses on “The teachers we need for the education we want: The global imperative to reverse the teacher shortage”.

Tereza said being a teacher provides a unique opportunity to make a transformative and lasting impact on the lives of others.

“I have chosen the teaching profession because I see our children, need more help so I felt like I need to help these young brothers and sisters of mine to be like me in future and to be good leaders.” 

“I am very happy to teach the young generation so that they may help our country in future,” Tereza stressed.

World Teachers’ Day is a reminder of how teachers are transforming education and reflect on the support they need to fully deploy their talent and vocation and to rethink the way ahead for the profession.

It also raises awareness of the importance of stopping the decline in the number of teachers and starting to increase the number at the top of the global agenda, according to UNESCO.

Tereza said she expects the South Sudan government to improve the well-being of teachers across the country to enable them to deploy their talent.

“One of the challenges we are facing is lack of payment to we teachers.”

“You know we are trying our best to help these learners but we need something small which can support us not something big but something small so that is the big challenge that we are facing.”