A Discussion with Pascal Diouf, Teacher at Abbot David Boilat Applied School, Center for Pedagogical Training, Mbour, Senegal
With: Pascal Diouf Berkley Center Profile
July 22, 2015
Background: As
part of the Education and Social Justice Project, undergraduate student
Sabrina Khan interviewed Pascal Diouf, who serves as a teacher at Abbot David
Boilat Applied School School (l’Ecole d’Application Abbé David Boilat), a primary school part of the Center for Pedagogical
Training (CFP) in Mbour. In this interview, conducted in July 2015, Diouf
discusses his passion for teaching children in the Catholic school system.
What is the importance
of Catholic education for youth?
Catholic education transmits traditional values, like obedience, the love of work, shame when appropriate, honesty, and respect of others. These are the values we teach and inculcate in our students. These are family values, to continue the education that begins in the home. We teach respect of others, respect for those who are older, which exists in the home and at school. Additionally, there is the love of work. A student learns that if he doesn’t work, he doesn’t eat. One must work to earn a living and to help the parents who raised you. There are plenty more values like these. But, the world is evolving, and we often experience the loss of values, like the disrespect we sometimes see in daily life. Catholic schools teach youth to be responsible for the development of their country. They teach that hard work and effort is the key to everything.
What is the greatest challenge to Catholic teaching in Senegal?
Potentially the results. The best results come from Catholic schools. You can see the seriousness and the rigor. There are certain things a teacher at a Catholic school does not allow, like certain absences. There is an internal system that does not exist in public schools. Public schools do have a system, but it is not always followed to the letter. But teachers in the public system know it. Most send their kids to our schools. There are also strikes in public schools. In Catholic schools, you cannot leave the students like that.
When you encounter difficulties while teaching, where do you find the motivation to continue?
It’s called the “professional conscience.” You must be aware of what you are doing and that the students are your responsibility and that you can never abandon them, whatever they do. You are there to be at their service. You also cannot just teach them anything. You have to stick to the curriculum. If the students do not understand, professional conscience tells you to revisit that lesson, especially because not all the students are at the same level. There are always strong ones and less strong ones. The weak students must also be helped. When you are there [as a teacher], you are there for everyone, not just a part [of the student body].
Catholic education transmits traditional values, like obedience, the love of work, shame when appropriate, honesty, and respect of others. These are the values we teach and inculcate in our students. These are family values, to continue the education that begins in the home. We teach respect of others, respect for those who are older, which exists in the home and at school. Additionally, there is the love of work. A student learns that if he doesn’t work, he doesn’t eat. One must work to earn a living and to help the parents who raised you. There are plenty more values like these. But, the world is evolving, and we often experience the loss of values, like the disrespect we sometimes see in daily life. Catholic schools teach youth to be responsible for the development of their country. They teach that hard work and effort is the key to everything.
What is the greatest challenge to Catholic teaching in Senegal?
Potentially the results. The best results come from Catholic schools. You can see the seriousness and the rigor. There are certain things a teacher at a Catholic school does not allow, like certain absences. There is an internal system that does not exist in public schools. Public schools do have a system, but it is not always followed to the letter. But teachers in the public system know it. Most send their kids to our schools. There are also strikes in public schools. In Catholic schools, you cannot leave the students like that.
When you encounter difficulties while teaching, where do you find the motivation to continue?
It’s called the “professional conscience.” You must be aware of what you are doing and that the students are your responsibility and that you can never abandon them, whatever they do. You are there to be at their service. You also cannot just teach them anything. You have to stick to the curriculum. If the students do not understand, professional conscience tells you to revisit that lesson, especially because not all the students are at the same level. There are always strong ones and less strong ones. The weak students must also be helped. When you are there [as a teacher], you are there for everyone, not just a part [of the student body].
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