7 Roc Oil sponsored trainee teachers are half way through their education.

January 2009

Team 2007 consists of 80 students, 7 of whom are sponsored by Roc Oil.  The team started in the august 2007 and the official opening was attended by the Provincial Director of Education, the Vice Administrator from Cacongo and other partners.

All of the Roc Oil students are now in their long practice period, having passed the 7 previous periods.

After the first period where the students got to know the school, each other, the programme and the educational methods, as well as learning more about the world at large, they began their 2nd period: “Angola, our country” in which they carried out investigations in 13 villages in Cacongo and Cabinda municipalities. The period had a huge effect on the students, helping them realise how conditions are for the majority of people living in rural parts of their country and how they as coming teachers can make a difference.

In February 2008 the team had their 3rd period: “We Continue to Build our School”, where they carried out a range of different tasks: they built an oven to bake bread, constructed temporary latrines and temporary shower cabins, produced mud bricks in order to build a small tuck-shop at the school, dug 5 new garbage pits, cleaned the roof of the school. As well as the tangible improvements they made, the students gained valuable experience in planning, preparing and carrying out different practical tasks.

In March the students started their half time school practice period whilst continuing studies of academic subjects. The fourth period was the first time the students had the chance to be in the class room as a teacher, to meet pupils and practice planning and preparing classes. They teach for half the day and study the other half, giving them the opportunity to make a direct link between theoretical studies and teaching practice. They also have the chance to try different methods under the leadership of experienced teachers. The students worked at all the 8 schools in Lândana and Tenda and taught from 1st to 6th classes.

Also in March the students started to study using DMM, the new modern digital education system at the college.  A key element of the system is that each student assumes responsibility for their own learning, putting together their own study plan, solving the tasks they have selected and using the teacher as a resource to draw upon. Having been used to “receiving” lessons from a teacher, where the student’s responsibility is to look and listen, this change has been quite a challenge. The students have worked hard and come to understand how the system ultimately helps them learn more. 

In June, schools in Lândana took part in a theatre competition and cultural day organised by EPF, which team 2007 helped organise. 8 schools performed plays they had rehearsed and prepared at the College. The first couple of weeks of June were filled with children singing, dancing, rehearsing and otherwise preparing for competition day. On the day itself, approximately 2.000 children were at the school, with 200 performing, dancing, reciting poems or doing their theatre play. It was an excellent day and excellent experience both for those taking part and those organising it.

Due to the national elections, the 5th period was re-organised and began with the Charter subjects, which aim at preparing the students to implement community projects in the rural areas while in their one-year school practice. The students choose between “Community leader”, “Women’s advocate”, “Entrepreneur” and “Health promoter”.  The students learned a lot of practical and theoretical skills to help them start their chosen micro project when in their year long teaching practice and they also carried out mini projects in the local communities, many to do with the elections. After the charter subject period, the students had their consolidation period where they intensively study three main subjects; Portuguese, Maths and Science.

In their 6th period the students learned how to run a Pedagogial Workshop, a facility for open to all educators .

The 11 month teaching practice for the students starts in February 2009 and the Roc Oil students are placed in the area south of Luanda where Roc Oil has its production area. During this period, the students will assume the full responsibilities of a class teacher, whilst receiving supervision from the College. They will also initiate community activities and gain a wealth of experience about the role of a teacher in spurring on development of local communities. They will return to EPF to complete their final period, take their final exams and graduate at  the beginning of 2010.