Story number 1 for 21 Oct 2002

(Kenya)–Topping the news, both the Zimbabwe and Kenyan education systems are in crisis. Subsidized teachers are in a whole scale revolt against the government. In a society where education is a way out of poverty, their strike comes right before crucial national exams. Worldwide Christian Schools’ Dale Dieleman says this is having an impact on their work. “It’s a very serious issue. It’s an issue that effects not only government, but also Christians because many of those Christian schools have to depend on the government subsidies for teacher salaries.” Dieleman says the difference between secular teachers and Christian ones is the message of the Gospel. “These teachers are rather dedicated people, at least the ones in the schools that we know of; I think it’s their faith that brings them to the classroom everyday. So, I would just continue to pray for the administrators and teachers on the local level. Pray for the students, that somehow this situation will be alleviated.”