TESS

Every word in the name of the school – Shalom International School for Life-Long Learning – has been chosen with care and for a reason. The name sums up the vision for the school.

Shalom is a Hebrew word from the Bible which is difficult to translate into English or Ateso or Kumam in just one word. The most common translation is PEACE, but it is much more than this. It also involves wholeness and healing, reconciliation, being at one with God, creation, people and oneself. It is our hope and prayer that the School will be a source and channel of SHALOM spreading throughout Teso and beyond, bringing all these gifts from God.


As Christians, we believe that true shalom can only be experienced when we are reconciled with God, our neighbours and the environment by the power of the Holy Spirit and through the saving grace of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is therefore at the centre of the vision, expressed by the cross which is at the centre of the logo and the community church at the centre of the school.

International means “between nations”. People from many nations are committed to the vision of Shalom School and to supporting it in various ways to see that it develops fully. There will be international exchanges and input. But above all, the school will have internationally recognised high standards, where children are enabled to think and discover for themselves and be able to apply their learning in every situation. However, it will not take international students.

Although many will want to come to the school, it will not be open to students who do not live in or originate from Teso because any outside students would deny those places to students from Teso. It is time for Teso to have the best after so many years of suffering, extreme poverty and marginalisation.

School is a word which everyone assumes they know the meaning of! But a search on the origin of the word may surprise you. It comes from an ancient Greek word which means something like: “leisure, that in which leisure is employed”, “leisure employed in learning”, “leisure spent in the pursuit of knowledge”. It is well known that “children learn through play”.

And yet the element of play and leisure and fun is missing from the Ugandan educational culture, where students are driven day and night to cram facts into their heads by rote ‘learning’, but without understanding or being able to apply the ‘learning’. Shalom School believes that learning should be enjoyable and puts a high value on leisure. We recognise the importance of a good balance between work, rest and play for a healthy, happy and fulfilled life. Unlike other schools in Uganda, students will be limited to only 8 hours of study a day, so having adequate time for creative activities, leisure and sleep, all of which are essential for shalom. There will be no compulsory study at weekends and students will not be beaten for failing tests or scoring below average.

Life-long expresses the belief that we never stop learning until we die. Shalom School will therefore provide formal and informal opportunities during weekends and holidays for adults to continue learning. Many adults in Teso of all ages have missed out on formal education, due to poverty or various conflicts or being orphaned. Shalom School is not just for school-aged children, but is a resource for people throughout Teso to continue learning by attending courses, seminars and workshops in a wide range of practical and academic topics.

Learning is about gaining knowledge which equips us for life and enables us to grow and develop in understanding, maturity, skills and ability. It is so much more than being able to reproduce pages of information and facts copied from a blackboard in order to pass exams and gain certificates, even if the certificates give the qualification needed for a particular job. Learning is about thinking deeply for ourselves and discovering the world in new and practical ways. It is do with being creative and about questioning and challenging pre-conceived ideas and information as we seek for the truth.

The school will therefore use and train others to use innovative and creative ways of teaching to enable real learning to take place.

A measure of learning is how much we are changed and what difference it makes to our quality and way of life. It is about being able to use and apply relevant knowledge and experience in appropriate and creative ways. Research shows that we only recall 10% of what we are told or read in books compared with 75% if we are actively involved in doing and practising. We recall much more of what we speak out ourselves than what we hear others speaking. Real learning is exciting and stimulating, invigorating and life-enhancing. It is about growing into shalom.

All who live and work in Shalom School aim to fulfil its motto:
“Learning to live and Living to learn”