“From grass to grace,” my long time friend, Mr. Malona Joseph Noah, whom I first met in National Teachers’ College-Muni (NTC-Muni) in Arua, Uganda a year back in 2003, greeted me, when I finally reported to take up my new assignment as a tutor in Yei Teacher Training College (YTTC) following my success in an interview in January 2013.

I, at first did not make out what he meant but gradually I realised he was referring to the under- tree offices we had before joining Yei Teacher Training College.

After completing from NTC Muni, Mr. Malona served as a headteacher in one of the government secondary schools in Morobo County as I was teaching in Fulla Secondary School in Nimule- Magwi County. In our interactions we realised conditions in these schools were the same; no decent offices, no staffrooms, teachers go to school at will, students lack discipline and remuneration is unspeakable, etc.

Things are completely different in YTTC. In fact YTTC is a “small London”. Looking at the storey building Academic Tower alone is enough to justify this, leave alone the ladies dormitory; Harriet Memorial House, also a storey house. With construction of gentlemen’s’ dormitory if God blesses the plan and other developments within the College, nobody will believe such an institution exists in South Sudan and I’m sure in totality that the children of this country and our neighbours who want to become professional teachers will proudly enroll here in their thousands because the attracting charm; the beauty of the environment in addition to the qualitative performance already exists.

Here every staff has an office, though some offices are shared. Most of these offices are located up the Academic Tower, and looking down from this high building gives one the pride of how high one has come. Even the students themselves in their navy- blue suit and whose classes are located up here, feel they are in “University”.

The punctuality of both staff and students in all activities mean real business. The slogan “Not even a second lost”, justifies this, and it is now so deeply rooted that staff and students are always on their toes.

The level of team spirit, discipline, respect and love among the staff here, are what have impressed me very much. Staff stand for one another in all situations .For instance no period is lost because a fellow staff is absent for one reason or the other. Get them during break times, all of them happily sit together and chat freely regardless of their positions. All what they portray is living to the College motto “Strive for Excellence”.

Looking at the students; their discipline, hard work and dedication, I authenticate that for sure this College has great signs of saving this country from one of its big educational challenges; lack of efficient and dedicated teachers to promote and improve the education system of this country for national building, as the College vision states; “Quality Education for Change and Development”.

By: Kenyi Peter Alison (Tutor, YTTC)