Her time in Rwanda is coming to an end. It’s time for her to go back to her country of origin — Australia. She says she loves Rwanda and would have loved to stay. But if she loves Rwanda, why is leaving? I ask. "My family deserves some priority,” she responds. "It’s difficult for them to see me only once in a while. I’m losing out on being there for my three daughters and one granddaughter. What credibility do I have if my impact means losing my family?” Pamela Connell’s departure is therefore bittersweet. Be that as it may, Connell set out on a path to impact positive change in Education in Rwanda six years ago and it’s safe to say that she has gone above and beyond.

Noteworthy contributions

Connell first arrived in Rwanda in 2006 under the Hope Rwanda project which comprised people from different nationalities. Seeing the state of Rwanda and seeing how everyone was working tirelessly for a better education system, she says, "Something stirred in me to contribute to change.”

She came back in 2009 and started teaching at Sunrise High School in the Northern Province for six months. With three months to spare on her visa, she sought a voluntary opportunity. In time, she had an introduction into Ministry of Education’s teacher services commission and British Council where she rolled her sleeves with the task of working with a team to re-write the national curriculum. In this regard, working with the Rwandan government, USAID, VSO and other partners, she had an in-put in improving national teaching standards. Alphonse Uworwabayeho who oversees Early Childhood and Primary Education which is concerned with teacher training credits Connell for being good at training, giving advice and organising workshops.

Connell was involved in curriculum validation, transitioning and implementation. Together with the Dean of Education, Connell also wrote the course outlines for Kigali College of Education’s post graduate diploma in Technical and Vocational Training and Diploma in Education for upgrading of primary teachers heading toward a Bachelor’s degree. "It was then that I realised that I had begun to live my dream,” she says.

Since 2013, Connell has been the Deputy Principal in charge of welfare at Riviera High School and she has made tremendous achievements in molding students towards holistic learning. "With her permission and involvement, we have exposed students to community work such as Umuganda and this has built the students’ character,” says Faridah Nakazibwe, a Geography teacher at Riviera High School

 Connell also designed the Business and Creative Communication module centered on practical application of the English language to instill critical and creative thinking skills in students. Additionally, she introduced the United Nations conference centre model to help students understand global decision making processes.

Connell introduced the Skip Rope for Heart social enterprise where students, working with Rwanda Heart Foundation advocate for a healthy lifestyle. She also introduced the idea of business enterprises such as Go Transit Advertising to teach students how to be job creators and not job seekers. "The business enterprise helped me develop my entrepreneurial skills,” says Elvis Muhoza, an S.6 science student.

Pathway of Entrepreneurship through Riviera, also introduced by Connell, is a way through which students are given volunteer opportunities and internship placements in different organisations. According to Charles Opio, the Director of Studies at Riviera, the initiative has had a far-reaching effect by providing insight to students about the careers they’re interested in. At the same time, it has highly impacted their discipline, global awareness and their approach towards national examinations. Teta Phionah echoes Opio’s statement and adds, "Teacher Pamela helped me to get internships in different organizations and this helped me to figure out my career path.”

How much was her dream worth?

Having acquired a Bachelor of Commerce from University of New Castle in Australia, it was only natural that Connell joined the financial sector, working with KPMG for a period of 12 years. Between 1987 and 1993, she took time off work to be a mother. The career break compelled her to reevaluate her life. "I asked myself: do I want to do accounting? Is this what I want to with the rest of my life?” she says. The answer was no. So then, she went back to school and acquired a Bachelor of Education, completing it in 2006.

To get where she needed to be, Connell has had to sacrifice time with her family. She also had to work hard get buy-ins since people are not always accepting of new ideas, however good they may be. "If I was ever going to make a sustainable footprint, I had to bite my tongue, apologise sometimes and exercise patience until others thought the same way as I did,” says Connell.

Connell’s ability to get buy-ins can also be attributed to what Richard Komakech, the Entrepreneurship, Business and Economics teacher calls, "magnetic passion.” Komakech also refers to Connell’s excellent networking skills, an attribute that he, an introvert learnt from her.

She has learnt and she has taught

Tears well up in her eyes when she says, "Even though I’m going back to my family in Australia, Rwanda will always be home, in my heart.” What Connell is taking from Rwanda and what she hopes that Australia and other developed countries can learn from Rwanda is threefold; the ability to see potential; having insatiable self-drive; and having a common vision. And from Connell, it’s clear that everyone who had a chance to know her learnt three major things: passion, networking and meticulousness.