Overheard in 2022

 "But what is it about the name 'WTA'? It's such a swaggery short name! I had always heard people talking about 'WTA', without knowing the place - and now I am actually here ...!"  The guest speaker at the 10 year celebration certainly loved his 'icebreaker' and now we know that Wobulenzi Town Academy can really own its 'swaggery' abbreviation!

 At the end of another year at WTA, which inevitably included very many meetings, a good number of speeches and some priceless aside comments along the way, here are some of the best of 'overheard at WTA (& further afield in Uganda).

1. 'We are sorry for your loss and please pass on our condolences to everyone there. She was our Queen too' Sincere condolences together with a caution from the traffic police officer who pulled over our taxi within our first hour back in Uganda in late September. Our offence? Changing lanes too quickly... allegedly.

2. 'Be the Overlord in your class'  Advice given to younger teachers needing to improve in their classroom management.

3. "Do not eat any specimens provided for the exam paper." A stern reminder to all students not to eat the practical examples provided for the exam, following the sudden disappearance of a collection of boiled eggs, which were samples for a question on the Agriculture paper.  Candidates were supposed to identify and describe 3 different eggs in front of them, one containing a dead chick, a raw egg and a boiled egg. All the boiled eggs disappeared before Group 2 entered the exam room, causing a big delay and great consternation!

4. 'Exam papers don't kill anyone. You must wear shoes when you take the papers. Sleep, rest, eat and rise by 4am please. Pray, pray and pray, but don't pray all night.' Various nuggets of wisdom shared on 'Briefing Day', the day before exams started. 

5. 'Make sure you can spell your name - and do not change it on the paper. Are you Sarah, Sara or Shara?'  Reminding the more creative students about the importance of not misspelling their own name on the exam papers.

6. 'We will terminate two students from each class'. Not as violent or final as it sounds. Students who fail due to bad behaviour or minimal effort will be invited to retake the year or to 'try their talents elsewhere', a great euphemism suggesting the student moves to another school.

7. 'Don't cook the results and bring your marked scripts by Monday.' Reminding all teachers maintain standards and behave with integrity!

8. 'An old broom knows all the corners', the benefits of having wiser, more mature teachers on the staff, but not forgetting that the 'future of the school will be strong with new blood', ie the value of recruiting younger teachers.

9. 'MPs, Presidents & Politicians, they are not selected from trees. You must have A' levels if you want to go somewhere.' Staff advice to student candidates about continuing education beyond O' levels.

10. What is burning you? These topics are a little cheap' which translates as 'What's worrying you? These questions are pretty easy.

Lots of wise, timely advice and reminders to both teachers and students. And everyone very much hopes that the exam questions really were 'a little cheap, as WTA waits for results in February.