R.B
JF-Expert Member
- May 10, 2012
- 6,296
- 2,573
WHAT HAS GONE WRONG IN CATHOLIC SEMINARIES?
IN May 1984 I completed my secondary schooling at Usa River seminary in Arusha region. When the examination results were announced three months later, my school was rated among the best ten schools nationally, a situation that also reflected my Form Four examination results at Uru seminary in Moshi district, Kilimanjaro in 1981.
That year, the school came third nationwide. Since then I have been following with keen interest the results of these two schools, which have made me be what I am today.
I am indebted to teachers of the two schools, who tirelessly made sure that we performed well in our examinations.
Until recently, Catholic seminaries countrywide were leading whenever 'O' and 'A' Level examination results were announced. Unfortunately, leading streak is no longer there. For the past three years, these two seminaries have hardly ever appeared in the list of the ten best schools.
A vivid example is the 'A' Level results announced on Friday, that shows that not one single seminary is listed amongst the top ten. The top ten schools are, Marian, Mzumbe, Feza Boys, Ilboru, Kisimiri and Saint Marys' Mazinde Juu. Others are Tabora Girls, Igowole, Kibaha and Kifungilo.
Saint James Seminary in Kilimanjaro region is listed amongst the best schools in the group of schools having less than thirty students. In fact one of its students Gasper Setus is one of the best students who performed well in science subjects. He did very well in Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics (PCM). Going quickly through the examination results in some seminaries, one discovers that Katoke Seminary in Kagera region had eight candidates in last year's Form Six exams, and all of them got division three.
Kasita Seminary had 21 candidates. Seven of them scored division two, and 14 attained division three. One of the best seminaries in the past, Itaga seminary in Tabora region had 33 students. Five of them got division two, 23 division three, 3 division four and two division zero. Uru and Mafinga seminaries led with a number of students who got division one. Both schools had four students each who got division one.
Other seminaries with students who got division one are Nyegezi (3), Saint James Seminary (3) and Consolatha seminary, one student. Other seminaries including Katoke, Kasita, Maua, Saint Peters, Rubya, Salesian, Usa River, Makoko, Dungunyi and Sanu did not have candidates who scored division one.
In fact seminary like Likonde had only two candidates who got division four. Looking randomly at these results, it is definitely sure that there is something not going well in these schools because the performance has gone down. One of the reasons that might have led to this poor performance could be recruitment.
There have been complaints that admission to seminaries does not follow strict procedures. In the past, a student who was accepted in any seminary was first supposed to be recommended by his parish, a process that also trickled down to the Small Christian Communities (SCCs) for recommendation.
Student's moral upright and intellectual capacities were considered the pre-requisite condition for any student to join a Catholic seminary. In the recent past the situation is said to have changed. Well-to-do parents now pick their mobile phones and call a rector of a seminary, asking him to accept their child.
As a result that particular child may end up joining the seminary without passing the normal procedural route of accepting students in seminaries, a situation that sees immoral and incapable candidates in the seminaries. Incompetence on the part of teachers may be one of the reasons that have contributed to poor examination results of Catholic seminaries. Some of them have failed to pay the good teachers, and as a result, bungling teachers are hired, thus causing bad results.
Teaching in seminaries calls for special commitment. This is evidently demonstrated by some teachers, and a vivid example is Saint James Seminary in Kilimanjaro region. Over 85 per cent of teachers there are priests who are not graduates but they are committed in their duty, that is why that seminary has maintained its pace for years.
A survey has also shown that libraries and laboratories in some seminaries are not up to date storing outdated data. Students in seminaries also should be allowed to access internet as in other schools. The Tanzania Episcopal Conference (TEC) should start looking critically at these results for improvement in the future.
Apart from priests, seminaries have produced competent professionals, including professors, doctors, accountants, teachers and even journalists. If the current situation continues, seminaries may end up having producing school drop outs with nowhere to go.
IN May 1984 I completed my secondary schooling at Usa River seminary in Arusha region. When the examination results were announced three months later, my school was rated among the best ten schools nationally, a situation that also reflected my Form Four examination results at Uru seminary in Moshi district, Kilimanjaro in 1981.
That year, the school came third nationwide. Since then I have been following with keen interest the results of these two schools, which have made me be what I am today.
I am indebted to teachers of the two schools, who tirelessly made sure that we performed well in our examinations.
Until recently, Catholic seminaries countrywide were leading whenever 'O' and 'A' Level examination results were announced. Unfortunately, leading streak is no longer there. For the past three years, these two seminaries have hardly ever appeared in the list of the ten best schools.
A vivid example is the 'A' Level results announced on Friday, that shows that not one single seminary is listed amongst the top ten. The top ten schools are, Marian, Mzumbe, Feza Boys, Ilboru, Kisimiri and Saint Marys' Mazinde Juu. Others are Tabora Girls, Igowole, Kibaha and Kifungilo.
Saint James Seminary in Kilimanjaro region is listed amongst the best schools in the group of schools having less than thirty students. In fact one of its students Gasper Setus is one of the best students who performed well in science subjects. He did very well in Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics (PCM). Going quickly through the examination results in some seminaries, one discovers that Katoke Seminary in Kagera region had eight candidates in last year's Form Six exams, and all of them got division three.
Kasita Seminary had 21 candidates. Seven of them scored division two, and 14 attained division three. One of the best seminaries in the past, Itaga seminary in Tabora region had 33 students. Five of them got division two, 23 division three, 3 division four and two division zero. Uru and Mafinga seminaries led with a number of students who got division one. Both schools had four students each who got division one.
Other seminaries with students who got division one are Nyegezi (3), Saint James Seminary (3) and Consolatha seminary, one student. Other seminaries including Katoke, Kasita, Maua, Saint Peters, Rubya, Salesian, Usa River, Makoko, Dungunyi and Sanu did not have candidates who scored division one.
In fact seminary like Likonde had only two candidates who got division four. Looking randomly at these results, it is definitely sure that there is something not going well in these schools because the performance has gone down. One of the reasons that might have led to this poor performance could be recruitment.
There have been complaints that admission to seminaries does not follow strict procedures. In the past, a student who was accepted in any seminary was first supposed to be recommended by his parish, a process that also trickled down to the Small Christian Communities (SCCs) for recommendation.
Student's moral upright and intellectual capacities were considered the pre-requisite condition for any student to join a Catholic seminary. In the recent past the situation is said to have changed. Well-to-do parents now pick their mobile phones and call a rector of a seminary, asking him to accept their child.
As a result that particular child may end up joining the seminary without passing the normal procedural route of accepting students in seminaries, a situation that sees immoral and incapable candidates in the seminaries. Incompetence on the part of teachers may be one of the reasons that have contributed to poor examination results of Catholic seminaries. Some of them have failed to pay the good teachers, and as a result, bungling teachers are hired, thus causing bad results.
Teaching in seminaries calls for special commitment. This is evidently demonstrated by some teachers, and a vivid example is Saint James Seminary in Kilimanjaro region. Over 85 per cent of teachers there are priests who are not graduates but they are committed in their duty, that is why that seminary has maintained its pace for years.
A survey has also shown that libraries and laboratories in some seminaries are not up to date storing outdated data. Students in seminaries also should be allowed to access internet as in other schools. The Tanzania Episcopal Conference (TEC) should start looking critically at these results for improvement in the future.
Apart from priests, seminaries have produced competent professionals, including professors, doctors, accountants, teachers and even journalists. If the current situation continues, seminaries may end up having producing school drop outs with nowhere to go.
