African Education Program October 21-27, 1979Africans (;eta C�lose Look at jJch,00ls, Amertcanmj7tyle
Staff Photo; by Greg Anderson
Edith Munuo (Left) of Tanzania 'Talks With North Shore Student
Differences Abound but `Nothing Surprises Us'
By ANN M. DOYLE
Post Staff Writer
In the last six weeks, Barbara Chilangwa and Edith
Munuo have been whisked about the country with all
the graciousness and hospitality accorded royalty..
They have shaken welcoming hands, smiled, chat-
ted, attended luncheons, dinners, parties and teas.
They have covered the District of Columbia, Rhode.
Island, Indiana, Oklahoma and Florida.
The , two African guests are on an educational so-
journ of sorts — a brief immersion into the private and
public school systems of the United States.
Ms. Chilangwa, 31, is deputy headmistress at Luan-
shya Girls Secondary School in Zambia, which has a.
population of 6.2 million. Ms. Muuo, . 35, is education
of f icer at the ministry of national education in Tan-
zania, which has a population of 17.2 million.
The differences between their educational systems
and ours are, in a sense, profound, but Ms.. Munuo said
yesterday, "Nothing surprises us. We're observing. ...
we see things ... but we're not surprised."
Their observations?
Ms. Chilangwa leaned back in a chair in the assis-
tant principal's office at North Shore High School in
West Palma Beach where the two women had finished
the latest round of talks and lunch with school officials.
American students, she said, are free. Free to
dress as they wish. Free to wear makeup. Free to stand_
up in class and talk back to the teacher.
Not so in Zambia. Girls wear skirts and blouses;
boys wear gray trousers and white shirts. Girls are
forbidden to wear makeup on the theory 'that they
should be "plain as possible."
"To think more about books than looks. Also to
make every student feel the same.. Not to have the rich
students show off."
Students are not permitted to talk out in class.
"I think our teachers are more respected," Ms.
Munuo said. "If they disagree with the teacher, there
are ways to handle it. Not to talk back."
Ms. Munuo said teachers are considered an exten-
sion of the family. To show disrespect to them, is to
show disrespect to a parent..
"Ours is more a communal society," she said. "We
grow up together and in a way, bring up the community
as a whole ...'
Ms. Munuo also noted the emphasis placed on
sports in American schools.
"It's not a priority with -us," she said. "We have to
think more about the basics ... about enough food;
clothing, education, roads ... Maybe 50 years. from
now it will be more important."
The two women are here at the courtesy of the
American Association of University Women (AAUW).
Jane Havill, president of the North Palm Beach branch
which is hosting the guests, said 12 .African women
have been selected to visit the United States this year.
They will spend three weeks in Washington, D.C.,
and a week in four other . states examining educational.
systems.
Before departing for Africa Nov. 12, they will
evaluate their experiences.
Their final observations?
"At least every child in this country has the op-
portunity to have an education .... to have books, sup-
plies ... in- our country some children can't go to
schools because there are not enough schools 'to house
them ..."
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A Dinner in Honor of our African Educators
iU North Palm Beach, Florida
Gourmet Study Group Sponsored