Berkley Center

Background: As part of the Education and Social Justice Project, in June 2012 undergraduate Shea Houlihan interviewed Br. Godfrey Masereka, S.J., a Jesuit from the East African Province who is the deputy head teacher at OCER Jesuit Campion College. In this interview Masereka discusses his Jesuit formation, the process of educating students so that they internalize a spirit of service to others, and the challenges of running a Jesuit missionary school.

How did you first join the Society of Jesus? Please describe your personal history while being in the order.

I joined in 2004. I came to know the Society through reading books—I hadn’t actually met any Jesuits before walking through this gate [to Xavier House, Kampala] in 2002. Based on what I had read, I decided to meet religious people.

I started working for OCER after my formation. During my regency (pastoral work), I was sent to Loyola High School in Sudan. When I went there, I began working as deputy head teacher. The provincial met me and said I was doing a good job. I was sent for a master’s [degree] in religious education at the University of London in the United Kingdom.

What does being a Jesuit mean?

It has touched my life since the novitiate. I have come to realize that the life we live as human beings is the life that should be spent for others—to be for people. During the spiritual exercises, I realized that serving God means emptying yourself. Whether we have resources or not, we depend on God. Jesuits are a family of God set to reach other people and help in whatever small means we can. Being there for other people, for me, is very fundamental.

Many times I don't have much to give but my presence of being there and intention to be there; I try to see what contribution I can give. I try to be there, whatever the circumstances. In the long run, people will see you and say, “You helped us,” even if you don’t remember it. Offering myself to these people and being there is what being a Jesuit means.

What are the core values you try to illustrate to your students?

When you look at our school motto, “Learning, Loving, and Serving,” those are the core values. We ask, “Is this person we educated capable of loving and serving? Is he or she a person for others?” Beyond academic excellence, we ask, “Yes, you have the brains, but are you a person who serves the community in which you live? Are you able to serve, knowing that we have a common father, even though we are from different areas of the country?” Above all, we seek to form God-fearing people who learn, love, and serve.

What have you have learned about best practices in education?

The best thing we try to teach is critical thinking. We try to follow students step by step. But there are differences among individuals, and to meet these differences, we have tried to create houses and housemasters [across the classrooms and dormitories]. Then we have foster parents who have students with social problems. Teachers are supposed to reach out to these parents if necessary. We are trying to find out how to help these cases. It is not about rote learning: we try to teach in class and then we follow up.

The format of boarding school education helps very much. Students have time to interact with each other. You can form discussion groups. If you go home, that means leaving these students; you lose that interaction with that student who could help you understand. This way, you can ensure that students have study time. In the course of that, a student living in dormitory has resources to improve his studying. He has all the time to study. Living in a boarding school gives students more time to internalize and put more effort into their work.

Why do students elect prefects among themselves?

The intention behind the elections is to help them have a democratic way of doing things, so we allow them to identify the prefects among themselves. They are a link from the students to the administration. Teachers are supposed to prepare; it would be a bit hectic for the teacher to oversee students as well. Instead, the prefects help to manage the time of the students. The head boy is a delegate who links the staff and the students; he or she offers suggestions to the staff. The prefects are our eyes, seeing what is required to make their lives better. If the students resist, the prefects can come to the teachers.

What is the role of education in peacebuilding and reconstruction?

Talking to somebody who is educated is easier than talking to someone who is not. If I am educated and you explain a concept, I will think, criticize, and give feedback. Manipulating me will not be easy. If you are a minister making promises, I will know what is or is not possible. As an educated person, you are able to think for yourself and say that this is the truth and this is the falsehood.

How to educate peace? It is based in part on the examples that teachers give, the example of electing prefects. If a child sees that election, he or she will know the procedures of democracy—wherever they go, they will opt for democratic leaders. That is the system they have been using at school. In addition, at school assemblies we invite outside speakers and try to incorporate them into our education. We hope to have future leaders who are slightly different than what we have. In that way, peace and justice might come in. Also, when we help these people who have experienced injustice, such as losing their parent, and we show them love, this person is more likely to love in the future and say, “I also want to help four or five people.”

When it comes to the values of learning, loving, and serving, say I am learning to be a doctor. Yes, I will get a salary, but do I give the services that the salary rewards? If this is easily internalized by students, we hope the future will be bright, that corruption will be reduced. If I am a minister, I know that the people I serve should receive [my services]. That is not the mentality in Africa.

What are the current and future challenges you face?

At OCER, the big challenge is that it is a new school. Having a missionary society, the Jesuits, makes it a different kind of school. People think there is money there, but it is not there in that way. If there is money, it is intended for something. You also have to monitor what you get from employees, who have the idea that there is money, especially when it comes to fulfilling their duties—that is a big challenge. People expect completely free education from missionaries. After one term, some parents have difficulty paying and think the missionaries will pay. Some are not completely honest about not having money. We still have to deal with that. As a growing school, there are many demands. Many parents have visited and feel they should send their children here. It is difficult to say to a parent that we don’t have enough room. We can’t make false promises when there is not enough room.

In northern Uganda, the big challenge is the reconstruction effort. Most parents are still resettling and don’t have resources. Even food is a challenge. All these things, you find that with the resources that we have as Jesuits, we end up subsidizing many of the students.

How are fees subsidized?

All the fees are subsidized. Among the students, we have around 20 percent who are helped by the school, and then some other students are sponsored.