Almegius Musinguzi has been a member of the teaching staff at St. Peter’s Primary School since 2021. In 2023, he took on the important role of Head Teacher. He is familiar with the needs of the surrounding rural community that supports this school as well as having an innate personal ability to connect with students and motivate them in their studies. He has a real world understanding of the challenges facing this small school and he seems eager to bring his energy and insights to bear in finding solutions that work long term.

We appreciate him taking the time to give us a little insight into his world.

What combination of specific people or events inspired you to become a teacher?

When I was a very young man, there were several individuals that I admired and who, indirectly, became my role models. At school I was fortunate to have several excellent teachers that never tired of answering my many questions. Their endless patience and willingness to help me understand complex things was something that I will never forget. My uncle was an important mentor of mine as well. He encouraged me to share my knowledge with others. One year, when we were on a holiday break away from school, I volunteered to help some of my fellow classmates who needed to apply more attention to their studies and who could benefit from some one-on-one time without the normal classroom distractions. After that experience is when I started to seriously consider teaching as a possible career.

Describe the circumstances that brought you to St. Peter’s as a teacher. Where did you teach before coming to St. Peter’s? Why did you accept a teaching position here as opposed to going elsewhere?

I did well on the P.L.E. and after a lot of hard work I managed to earn a U.C.E. or Uganda Certificate of Education. During my training to become a teacher, I practice-taught in several public schools for a month at a time. This gave me valuable teaching experience in front of students as well as exposing me to the differing ways in which various public schools operated.
It was not a difficult decision to accept an offer of employment at St. Peter’s because it all felt so familiar. I too had grown up in a small rural village. I too had benefited from being part of a close and supportive community that valued education for all their young people. No one needed to be convinced that a good education would improve the lives of young people and enhance the future prospects of everyone in the village. I knew a teacher at St. Peter’s and they praised the school’s high professional standards and academic expectations. I knew St. Peter’s was the right fit for me almost from day one.

Describe your specific duties and responsibilities as the school’s Head Teacher.

I have a lot of responsibilities as the school’s Head Teacher. Hardly a day goes by that I don’t spend some time guiding or counselling students who are struggling in their interactions with other students or staff members. I try my best to explain clearly that the school needs to be a safe and supportive learning environment for everyone. The actions of a few cannot overrule the values of the majority. Of course, sometimes interactions with students lead to further discussions with their parents. In such instances, I may need to exercise diplomacy and practice my persuasive communication skills. We are all part of the same community. All the school rules and regulations at St. Peter’s have their origin in the community. We are all in the business of educating young people.

As the Head Teacher I also must ensure that our classrooms are teaching the latest curriculum and that we are following national education standards. It can sometimes be uncomfortable supervising or monitoring fellow staff members. However, almost all of the staff members at St. Peter’s are very experienced and committed individuals. I do my best each day to support their efforts in the classroom.

And lastly, if you have ever visited our school, I am usually the first person you meet. I perform an important public relations role. Along with all the students and other staff members, I do my best to create a positive first impression. I want you to never forget about us.

What are the top three personal/professional qualities that you believe make a successful teacher at St. Peter’s?

If you want to be a successful teacher at St. Peter’s, in my opinion, you need to love teaching young people and you need to be a lifelong learner, modelling curiosity and sharing your knowledge. Great teachers are also effective communicators. They are at ease speaking with students and their parents as well as with all their colleagues. Lastly, successful teachers must embrace change. Nothing in education is chiselled in stone. Classrooms need to be open marketplaces where the latest information and ideas are freely traded and evaluated. Successful teachers help to create flexible intellects in their students.

Overcrowded classrooms can also be looked at as a sign of success. In addition to the strength and talents of the school’s current teaching staff, what are two other school advantages that you believe have led so many parents to want to send their children to St. Peter’s?

This question is simple and quick to answer. Parents want to send their children to us because we have excellent, experienced teachers and our record of excellence is open and public in our PLE results. Why go elsewhere?

Assume that the current problem of overcrowded classrooms will be solved. Look further down the road. What is the biggest challenge that you think the school will face in the next 10 years?

We have never accepted government money to fund St. Peter’s. Government money comes with too many compromises for our liking. However, this means we must raise required revenue from school fees, outside community support, and the generosity of many foreign visitors. We are bursting at the seams right now with our enrolment. We do not have enough space for our students and all their future needs. As we continue to attract students from outside our community, we need to find more hostel spaces. Like everywhere else, good teachers are in short supply. There is a competition out there to lure away our teachers with offers of better pay from other well finances schools. And lest we forget, St. Peter’s is located in a sometimes forgotten rural corner of the country. Most of the adults are involved in small farm agriculture. The vagaries of climate change and uncertain market prices can sometimes mean that many families simply do not have the income to support further education for their children. St. Peter’s may be the last formal education that many young people receive. The immediate and long term implications of that sad fact often keeps me awake at night.

Imagine that a wealthy donor offered you the following “gifts” but said that you must pick only one. Which “gift” would you choose to accept and explain why?

• • A shipping container full of books – the start of a school library
  • Enough money to double the current salary of all the teachers for five years
  • Paid Internet access through a dedicated satellite connection for five years
  • $100,000.00 USD to be divided into equal payments and given to the school over the next 10 years.

Any of these four choices would be welcome at St. Peter’s but if I had to choose just one, it would be the shipping container full of books. St. Peter’s does not currently have a school library. This situation needs to change. Books are the backbone of learning and they alone provide access to wider knowledge through exposure to a myriad of places, cultures and ideas. A variety of books would help students practice their reading skills outside of the regular curriculum and classroom. Teachers would also benefit from this new resource which they could use to broaden their lesson planning. A school library at St. Peter’s would be an integral community resource open for all to use and benefit from.

Being the Head Teacher at St. Peter’s is a full time job. How do you relax and unwind away from the school? Do you have certain hobbies or activities that you enjoy?

When I step away from St. Peter’s, I am never far from my rural roots. I raise sheep and goats and, alongside my neighbours, I tend a small plot of land and try to keep ahead of the weeds on the weekends with my hoe. I am an avid reader and find in my books a number of ideas that I use when teaching.

What is your favourite colour?

Red

What languages do you speak?

English, Swahili, Rukiga Runyankole and Rufumbira

What is the furthest place you have travelled to away from home?

Kampala

What place (not in Uganda) would you most like to visit at some point in the future?

Not sure because traveling needs much funding.

What is your favourite food to eat?

Green vegetables, beans, Irish potatoes, and bananas.

What is your favourite word?

Achievement

What is your least favourite word?

Frustration

What profession, other than your own, would you most like to attempt?

No others except my teaching profession.

What sound or noise (not including music) do you love the most?

My school students rejoicing upon excelling in their routine examinations & primary leaving examinations (PLE)

What sound or noise (not including music) do you hate the most?

Shouting or loud talking of learners while in class.

What single adjective do you think best describes yourself?

Mentoring

What single adjective do you think most often other people use to describe you?

Supportive

Thank you for your time Almegius.