MAYO COLLEGE
ROUND SQUARE LEADERSHIP TRAINING FOR TEACHERS IN CAMBODIA
This was for the first time that Round Square invited teachers from different schools in the world to undergo an extensive certificate training aimed at grooming leaders for their future projects around the world. This training programme conducted by Ms Liz Gray was a unique experience for the participants who were chosen from different schools around the world. Though boys of our School have been attending Round Square projects around the world and each one has left a lasting impression with their hard work and commitment to the cause. These boys get an unparalleled exposure to life outside working with students and teachers representing myriad cultures and they quite eagerly look forward to working on the RSIS projects and joining student exchanges to different schools of the world. The School also promotes such opportunities among the boys and naturally the qualities displayed by our boys earn them the rightful places. The teachers and the parents also play an important role in the grooming of able leaders of tomorrow.
From Mayo College I was lucky to be shortlisted for this training along with three other teachers from India, from Doon School and Dhirubhai Ambani School, besides representatives from Germany, Australia, USA, UK, Spain, Canada, Thailand and South Africa. There was a lot to learn and a lot to do in this compact programme that commenced on our arrival at Phnom Penh on Dec 7 and finished on Dec 22, 2011. It was also attended by the Executive Director of Round Square, Mr Brian Dawson who spoke on occasions about the fine points of the work and the project which was also aimed at completing a school building within this time and naming it. It was named Happy Gecko after much deliberation by the group of teachers who helped build it; it was a matter of pride for all to bind themselves to this beautiful memory of making and naming a place which will continue to grow for ages hence. This school is committed to the underprivileged kids of the village, Bakot.
Not only that, the group of teachers also bought 182 bicycles with the money they had generated from different places and people. These bicycles were fitted with lights and baskets, done up by the teachers at the work site and later distributed to the needy school going kids of the community. It was a great moment to behold as the utterly surprised boys and girls were called over and handed the new gleaming bicycles. One could see the big surprise in their sparkling eyes. Really the joy of giving is much more soothing than receiving and it was written on the faces of all these teachers who worked their ways into the hearts of the Khemer community through hard work and earnestness of purpose.
Very spontaneously the group also collected reasonable funds to arrange for a good number of new school uniforms for many students of the village along with providing them with tooth paste tubes and tooth brushes after a lecture demonstration of oral hygiene in a nearby government school.
It was a moving experience that cannot be confined in words; there was a lot to do in this tightly packed training programme with theory, practical, testing, presentation, a lot of interaction and feedback sessions every day. Everyone slogged it out and proved worthy of this chance and to be of some service to the cause. We were able to complete the modest school building up to the ceiling as was planned and hand it over to the community in the 12 days we were given for this task.
The food in Cambodia was really so different and an experience in itself; we relished everything from large baguettes to eels and frogs. Ms Liz Gray was a great teacher who conducted this programme along with Mr Rod Summerton. Mr Brian Dawson and Ms Pauline John who runs the organization, A Mine Free World oversaw the programme. It was education in itself to work with some of the most dedicated people in Round Square.
Towards the end we were given a tour of the capital and places around it where we saw the notorious killing fields of the cruel Pol Pot regime that claimed over 2 million people not long ago, an orphanage, war prisons and a museum. It was an all encompassing and enriching experience which will remain in mind as a happy memory in times to come. I shall remain thankful to Maj Gen KVS Lalotra, Mr S Kumar and Mr Yash Saxena for this wonderful opportunity to explore a new horizon and to grow further.
Rakesh Alfred
Coordinator - RSIS
From Mayo College I was lucky to be shortlisted for this training along with three other teachers from India, from Doon School and Dhirubhai Ambani School, besides representatives from Germany, Australia, USA, UK, Spain, Canada, Thailand and South Africa. There was a lot to learn and a lot to do in this compact programme that commenced on our arrival at Phnom Penh on Dec 7 and finished on Dec 22, 2011. It was also attended by the Executive Director of Round Square, Mr Brian Dawson who spoke on occasions about the fine points of the work and the project which was also aimed at completing a school building within this time and naming it. It was named Happy Gecko after much deliberation by the group of teachers who helped build it; it was a matter of pride for all to bind themselves to this beautiful memory of making and naming a place which will continue to grow for ages hence. This school is committed to the underprivileged kids of the village, Bakot.
Not only that, the group of teachers also bought 182 bicycles with the money they had generated from different places and people. These bicycles were fitted with lights and baskets, done up by the teachers at the work site and later distributed to the needy school going kids of the community. It was a great moment to behold as the utterly surprised boys and girls were called over and handed the new gleaming bicycles. One could see the big surprise in their sparkling eyes. Really the joy of giving is much more soothing than receiving and it was written on the faces of all these teachers who worked their ways into the hearts of the Khemer community through hard work and earnestness of purpose.
Very spontaneously the group also collected reasonable funds to arrange for a good number of new school uniforms for many students of the village along with providing them with tooth paste tubes and tooth brushes after a lecture demonstration of oral hygiene in a nearby government school.
It was a moving experience that cannot be confined in words; there was a lot to do in this tightly packed training programme with theory, practical, testing, presentation, a lot of interaction and feedback sessions every day. Everyone slogged it out and proved worthy of this chance and to be of some service to the cause. We were able to complete the modest school building up to the ceiling as was planned and hand it over to the community in the 12 days we were given for this task.
The food in Cambodia was really so different and an experience in itself; we relished everything from large baguettes to eels and frogs. Ms Liz Gray was a great teacher who conducted this programme along with Mr Rod Summerton. Mr Brian Dawson and Ms Pauline John who runs the organization, A Mine Free World oversaw the programme. It was education in itself to work with some of the most dedicated people in Round Square.
Towards the end we were given a tour of the capital and places around it where we saw the notorious killing fields of the cruel Pol Pot regime that claimed over 2 million people not long ago, an orphanage, war prisons and a museum. It was an all encompassing and enriching experience which will remain in mind as a happy memory in times to come. I shall remain thankful to Maj Gen KVS Lalotra, Mr S Kumar and Mr Yash Saxena for this wonderful opportunity to explore a new horizon and to grow further.
Rakesh Alfred
Coordinator - RSIS
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