Issue #47 - March 2016

School plays an important role in the holistic growth of a child. This month
Sarah Magaya talks about the pros and cons of the different modes of schooling.

Sarah Magaya
Sarah is married to Pastor Johnson
Magaya. She is a professional teacher of English language and literature
with an experience of over 20 years.
She studied at NTC Kyambogo, and
was among the pioneers of the now
Nkozi
University.
Her first job appointment was at
Jinja College where
she met
Johnson. From 1995 up to date, she
has taught at Gayaza high School.
She is a mother of three daughters
and one son
1. Some people feel that our education system is obsolete. Others think formal
education is not as rewarding. As a parent, why have you invested in formally
educating all your children?
Education is one thing which is inevitable in life. It causes our mind to meet different life
skills such as discipline, direction, instruction, focus, etc. Even from our cultural setting
informal education always availed a set of guidelines which would help an individual to
grow up soberly.
Formal education however is more organized, has a curriculum and is more focused. It
therefore builds up learners physically and mentally; it also helps them to understand
better who they are and how to relate with others. Formal education also acts as an eye
opener and exposure platform to the young people who are just starting to see what the
world is liketherefore an opportunity to connect to the world. It is also true that if one is
not willing to be formally or informally educated, the world will teach him/her through
the school of hard knocks.

What do you like about your type of schooling?

Day Scholar
I am able to enjoy my mothers love daily.
I also enjoy moments like doing
homework together with my mother. She
teaches me things my teacher might not
have found the time and space to teach.

Silver Asingwire

Boarding Scholar
I like it because I get to meet many
people and I perform better because I
have more study time compared to day
scholars. I also get to take grub to school,
which is nice.
Jesse Wandira

Home Scholar
I get to do what I want. Home schooling
also teaches determination and
consistence. I get enough time from the
teacher since its only me being attended
to. In home schooling there is also more
Natasha Kasana
regular interaction with the Bible.

years of nurturing and therefore require the presence of a parent so that useful
I and my husband therefore have decided to invest in our childrens education because it
knowledge can be planted into them. However, in instances where circumstances
gives them a chance to socialize with, and appreciate, other people.
cannot favor a child in day school, a parent must ensure that the bonding with the
Education is also important for intellectual development and gives an individual the child is not lost. This requires extra efforts and investments.
At secondary level, the main focus is to prepare an individual for the real world. For
that reason, boarding school would be appropriate although even still one must
choose wisely which school they place their child. Most parents, however, after
putting their children in boarding school forget that at this stage of life the child needs
even more nurturing than at primary level. When parents bring their children to
secondary school, they tend to think that the child is now grown up yet this is actually
opportunity to discover who they are and hence easing the career guidance. An educated
a transition period as far as hormonal and emotional changes are concerned. The
child is more likely to become a useful and responsible citizen in the future than one who
parents therefore must work hand in hand with the teachers at secondary level if their
isnt. You can also easily count on an educated person to lift up others.
choice is a boarding school.

Education is one thing which is

inevitable in life

2. Today we have home schooling, day, and boarding as modes of formal education.
As an educationist, which of those is the best choice for holistic growth?
I really dont have a conclusive answer but I believe as an experienced educationist, I will
give a helpful over view.

When it comes to home schooling, it is advantageous in that one is able to be

deliberate and can easily receive a one-on-one curriculum. However this may limit the
social interaction with other children. A child in home schooling also has got lots of
opportunity to put what he/she has learnt into practice because the teacher, if readily
In my early learning, I attended a day school though humanly I think many times we seem available, will offer all sorts of help since care is directed to only one individual.
to be biased by the standards of our parents causing us to vow not to do certain things My personal choice for holistic growth would be day school because there I am able to
when we get married. I had vowed to have all my children study in day school in their use every available opportunity to nurture my child the way I would have desired.
primary learning but none of them did; all my children have inevitably studied in boarding
school. However, I strongly recommend that any primary school child should study in day The KEY RING is a monthly publication by the Kampala Baptist Church Media
Team that seeks to provide an avenue where men and women can share
school till at least the age of 13.
knowledge and understanding of the word of God, experiences and

This is mainly because at early learning, children deserve a lot of attention and motherly encourage one another as the older perform the act of paralambano to the
care. It is also true that at a juvenile age, childrens brains are so active and highly younger.
accommodative that whatever falls into them grows. These early years are naturally Our prayer is that the Lord will speak to you through this publication.
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