World Teachers’ Day is a day to celebrate teachers, and their dedication to making our world a better place through education.
We commemorate World Teachers’ Day 2015 by sharing an inspirational story about a young teacher— Arnaldo da Silva Cusmao, who recently graduated from the Marists’ teacher training college in Baucau, Timor Leste.
Last week, 27-year-old Arnaldo came to meet the team at Marist Solidarity in Brisbane.
Arnaldo is from Gari-uai—a very remote community in the Baucau district of Timor Leste.
He is staying in Brisbane for three months as a guest of the Loreto Sisters, where he is undertaking practical training at St Agnes Catholic Primary School in Mount Gravatt.
The Loreto Sisters in Timor Leste recently appointed Arnaldo as the Year One teacher at their new primary school in Gari-uai.
Arnaldo says has had to work hard to overcome many challenges in his life to pursue his “vocation” as a teacher.
He is the second eldest of 10 children, and about three years ago his father passed away.
His mother’s life is “very difficult” providing for her family. She grows and sells bananas and coconuts. To walk to the market where she sells her produce takes four hours.
Arnaldo says many of the young people in Gari-uai used to engage in risky behaviour like drinking alcohol and fighting.
He started spending a lot of time alone thinking about what he could do to make a better future for his community. He says that God had a plan for him to get an education and make teaching his vocation.
He knew that the very young children would listen to him and, if there was a school for them to go, their future would be better.
He established a small “school house”, but he had no materials.
His friends were willing to help, but there were soon problems because they had no teaching skills.
Arnaldo happened upon a meeting with Sr Diaan Stuart—a Loreto Sister who lives in Timor Leste.
“Sr Diaan listened to my story and wanted to help me with my problem,” Arnaldo says.
Sr Diaan and Arnaldo shared their vision of rebuilding the school and educating the young people in Gari-uai with others, including Sr Natalie Houlihan, and the Marist Brother Fons van Rooij.
Over two years, the Loreto Sisters helped Arnaldo establish the school catering for about thirty children under the age of five.
But Arnaldo knew he needed more education to make him a better teacher. The Loreto Sisters, with support from the e-Merge Foundation and Marist Solidarity, helped Arnaldo to obtain a scholarship at the Marists’ teacher training college Instituto Catolic para a Formacao de Professores, or ICFP, in Baucau.
Arnaldo says he was “so happy” when it was finally time to begin his three year teacher training at ICFP.
He says he learnt about the Marist way of teaching and the importance of “putting students’ needs first.”
The Marists taught him that “if you want to teach, you must be friendly with the children”…and make learning “fun.”
Arnaldo says that when he did his practical training “the children are very happy.”
Arnaldo completed more than 12 weeks of practical training at primary schools in Baucau, Venilale, and Fatumaca before he graduated.
After graduating, Arnaldo says, “I was so happy…I had so much help from the Loretos.”
The new school in Gari-uai opened in June following many years of careful planning with local people, government leaders, Catholic bishops and the Loreto Sisters of Australia and South East Asia.
Plans to open primary and secondary schools are also underway.
Since it opened in 2002, more than 570 teachers have graduated from the teacher training college ICFP in Baucau.
This World Teachers’ Day we celebrate the growing number of teachers being trained and employed in Timor Leste, and the important role of teachers throughout our world, educating young people about a better future.