Unpaid teacher Jonah survives 2020

By PETER WARI
JONAH John will remember his first year as a teacher for one thing – he did not get paid the whole year.
He teaches Science for Grade 10 students at the Hagen North High School in Dei, Western Highlands.
It was the school he picked after graduating from the University of Goroka last year because it is in his village.
But the school had not been officially recognised by the Education Department since it began classes in 2016. It will from next year start receiving government grants.
While his fellow graduates in other school were getting fortnightly pay, Jonah’s pockets were empty.
Jonah, who turned 24 on Dec 14, is the eldest in a family of three from Pung village in Dei. His sister passed away some years ago and he is left with only his brother. Worse, their mum also passed away leaving only their father to look after the two brothers.
“My father stepped in to support me and my small brother. He achieved so much doing a mother’s job in gardening, raising money for school fees and looking after my small brother.”
Jonah attended the Engkal Primary School in 2004, completed Grade Eight and attended Kitip Secondary where he completed Grade 12 and secured a place at UOG.
His dad was obviously not happy with Jonah’s decision to teach at the school in his first year. The school was established in 2016. The first crop of students completed Grade 10 this year.
His dad had been struggling to pay his school fees and was happy when Jonah graduated as a teacher. But he picked a school where he knew he was not going to get paid. Hagen North High is in his village and Jonah could not just leave it. It was his school and he had to support it.
“Dad was expecting me to teach at a government-recognised school and get paid so that I can support him. I had been teaching Grade 10 Science without pay. I believe things will work out next year as the school has been recognised and will soon receive its tuition fee free funds too.”
School principal Michael Dupre and the teachers make use of whatever materials available to them to educate the students. A real sacrifice.
“We live in semi-permanent buildings and the community hold a programme every Sunday to donate food to the teachers. Although I was not on the government’s payroll, I had a shelter over my head, food donated by the community and my focus everyday was to give the best to the students.
“Sometimes, you give lessons to the students, stand and observe them struggling to learn and you ask yourself: Will these students one day hold high positions in the country? Surely they will and I will not abandon them.”
Jonah too understands the issues facing the school board of management and never asked for wages. The board sometimes pays him allowances of up to K100 every now and then.

“ The school is new and I am also new. I want to start with such a school and see its progress. It is a school in my community and I cannot just abandon it. I have to face every challenge and give the best to the students.”

The biggest pressure he sometimes receives is from his family and relatives during community gatherings which needed everyone to contribute to. They expected school teacher Jonah to contribute something. He had to explain to them each time of his situation at the school.
The 123 students who completed Grade 10 this year had included school dropouts, married couples who had no chance of getting into the formal education system.
Jonah despite his no-pay predicament in his first year of teaching feels satisfied about his contribution to his community as a teacher.
“The school is new and I am also new. I want to start with such a school and see its progress. It is a school in my community and I cannot just abandon it. I have to face every challenge and give the best to the students.”
Yes, teacher Jonah has passed his first test in the noble profession. Bring on 2021.